title: A validated LC/UV method for the determination of four adulterating drugs in herbal slimming capsules.
abstract: A simple LC/UV method for the simultaneous identification and quantification of Fluoxetine, Tiratricol, Benfluorex and Pseudoephedrine in slimming formulation is proposed. The method demonstrated effective in the analyses of herbal mixtures marketed in Italy as slimming capsules. Sixteen different herbal mixtures, selected among the most frequently compounded in Italian pharmacies, were tested as matrices. HPLC analyses were performed in a gradient mode on a C18 stationary phase The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity and selectivity. The limits of detection (LOD) were 3.4 μg/mL for Pseudoephedrine, 1.1 μg/mL for Triac, 0.9 μg/mL for Fluoxetine, and 0.8 μg/mL for Benfluorex. Repeatability and intermediate precision, expressed as percent of relative standard deviation, ranged from 3 to 7 and from 7 to 12, respectively. Given these limits, the developed method is proposed for the simple and cost effective screening of herbal products illegally adulterated with these four drugs known to enhance slimming effects.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barbato
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, I-80131 Naples, Italy. Electronic address: grumetto@unina.it.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grumetto
mesh_terms: D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000032:analysis*; D002214:Capsules; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; D002214:Capsules; D028321:Plant Preparations
keywords: Benfluorex; Fluoxetine; Herbal slimming capsules; LC/UV; Pseudoephedrine; Tiratricol