[Assessment of gliadin in pharmaceutical products - important information to the orientation of celiac disease patients].
BACKGROUND
Some drugs might contain gliadin which can be dangerous for celiac disease patients.


OBJECTIVE
Detect gliadin in pharmaceutical products commonly used in Brazil.


METHODS
We analyzed 78 pharmaceutical products selected aleatory from a list of 180 products most frequently sold at Brazilian community pharmacies. The analyzed samples were analgesics (n = 9), anthelmintics (n = 3), antacids (n = 8), antibiotics (n = 13), anticholesteremics (n = 1), anticonvulsants (n = 2), antidepressants (n = 2), antiemetics (n = 3), antihypertensives (n = 3), antihistaminics (n = 3), anti-inflammatories (n = 7), antipyretics (n = 2), bronchodilators (n = 1), laxatives (n = 1), oral contraceptives (n = 5) and vitamins (n = 10). The samples were analyzed by enzyme immunoassay based on monoclonal antibodies omega-gliadins, the elected technique according to the Codex Alimentarius Commission WHO/FAO. All samples were analyzed in duplicate. The sensitivity of this test is 4 mg of gliadin/100 g of product.


RESULTS
Only one (1.3%) out of 78 pharmaceutical products contained detectable amounts of gliadin (5.5 mg/100 g). The active ingredient of this drug is ranitidine. According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission WHO/FAO the intake of 10 mg of gliadin/day should not be exceeded by celiac disease patients. Considering the amount of gliadin in each capsule of ranitidine, the ingested quantity would be lower than the maximum allowed for celiac patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study gliadin was not detected in pharmaceutical products in harmful amount for celiac disease patients.
Sdepanian
V L
VL
Disciplina de Gastroenterologia Pediátrica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP-EPM). sdepanian@nw.com.br
Scaletsky
I C
IC
de Morais
M B
MB
Fagundes-Neto
U
U
D001938:Brazil; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005903:Gliadin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D018570:Risk Assessment
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D005903:Gliadin
Pesquisa de gliadina em medicamentos--informação relevante para a orientação de pacientes com doença celíaca.