title: Mycotoxicological control on raw material and tablets of cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana).
abstract: Among phytotherapic medicines, tablets of cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) dried bark, usually used as laxative, are commercially widespread in our market. Taking into account natural origin and/or inappropriate procedures that may allow the occurrence of toxinogenic Aspergillus flavus group, a study on susceptibility to aflatoxin contamination and natural aflatoxin incidence was performed by TLC and HPLC methods. This survey allows one to conclude that bark of Cascara Sagrada is a good substrate for the growth of A. parasiticus NRRL 2999 and for aflatoxins production. Natural anatoxins presence was detected on 2 from 9 raw material samples. One of them (irradiated sample) had only aflatoxin B1 (10 μg/kg) and the other (pasteurized) was positive for aflatoxin B1 (19 μg/kg); G1 (6 μg/kg) and B2 (1.46 μg/kg). Only one from 10 lots of tablets analyzed was positive for aflatoxin B1 (5.42 μg/kg) and B2 (0.32 μg/kg).Therefore, adequate quality control including an aflatoxins assay must be performed to guarantee the harmlessness of natural drugs.
authors.affiliation: INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE MEDICAMENTOS, Av.Caseros2161, 1264, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: I
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: E
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: G
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: M
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: H
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: C