title: Metals Content in Herbal Supplements.
abstract: Obesity has become an international epidemic. To evaluate the level of metals in extracts of plants prescribed as weight loss supplements, different brands containing Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, Citrus aurantium L., Cordia ecalyculata Vell, Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil, Cissus quadrangularis L., Senna alexandrina Mill were purchased in local market, hot acid digested, and analyzed while metal content by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, ICP-OES. Quality assurance and quality control tests were carried out in order to monitor and control the reliability of the analytical method. For each metal evaluated, a calibration curve was prepared with certified reference material. The recovery test was performed for each batch of samples. Analyses were performed in triplicate. Quantification of aluminum, barium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, vanadium, and zinc were determined. The metals most frequently detected were manganese (15.3-329,60 mg kg-1) aluminum (11.76-342.4 mg kg-1), and iron (11.14-73.01 mg kg-1) with higher levels in products containing C. sinensis China origin, I. paraguariensis Brazilian origin, C. quadrangularis, and C. aurantium China origin, respectively. To ensure safety consumption, an adequacy of the certification of Brazilian suppliers for herbal weight loss products is indispensable.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Postgraduate Program, Vila Velha Universitys, Av. Comissário José Dantas de Melo, n°21, 29102-920 - Boa Vista, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michelle Vieira
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Barrella
authors.affiliation: Tommasi Analítica, Av. Luciano das Neves, 2016, Divino Espirito Santo, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Otavio Arruda
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Heringer
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Postgraduate Program, Vila Velha Universitys, Av. Comissário José Dantas de Melo, n°21, 29102-920 - Boa Vista, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscylla Maria Martins
authors.initials: PMM
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Postgraduate Program, Vila Velha Universitys, Av. Comissário José Dantas de Melo, n°21, 29102-920 - Boa Vista, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elisangela Flavia
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Postgraduate Program, Vila Velha Universitys, Av. Comissário José Dantas de Melo, n°21, 29102-920 - Boa Vista, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scherer
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Postgraduate Program, Vila Velha Universitys, Av. Comissário José Dantas de Melo, n°21, 29102-920 - Boa Vista, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Postgraduate Program, Vila Velha Universitys, Av. Comissário José Dantas de Melo, n°21, 29102-920 - Boa Vista, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil. endringe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Denise C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Endringer
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals