[Surveillance of phytotherapeutic drugs in the state of Minas Gerais. Quality assessment of commercial samples of chamomile].
Marketing of medicinal plants and phytotherapeutic products is spreading all over the world. In order to assess the commercialization of medicinal plants and phytotherapeutic products in the State of Minas Gerais, we identified and tested for the presence of adulterants and active ingredients in 27 samples of chamomile. All the samples consisted of Matricaria recutita flowers, but they were badly fragmented, a result of excessive handling and poor preservation. All samples contained contaminants, and insects were observed in 63% of the samples sold in drugstores. Only 50% of the samples in each group had the essential oils needed to produce antiinflammatory activity. Flavonoids and other phenolic constituents with a spasmolytic effect were detected in only 20% of the samples from each group. Results with chamomile indicated the poor quality with which medicinal plants and phytotherapeutic products are marketed and confirm the need for surveillance of such products in Brazil.
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Olegário Maciel, 2.360, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30180-112, Brasil.
M G
MG
Brandão
N
N
Freire
C D
CD
Vianna-Soares
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000592:standards*; D001938:Brazil; D020843:Chamomile; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000592:standards*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000592:standards*; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000592:standards*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase
Vigilância de fitoterápicos em Minas Gerais. Verificação da qualidade de diferentes amostras comerciais de camomila.