Herbal medicinal products (HMPs) are widely used in medical practice due to their availability, ease of use, and relatively safe pharmacological profile. However, medicinal plants are capable of accumulating heavy metals and arsenic which can have toxic effect on the human body when found in HMPs. The aim of the study was to summarise and analyse requirements of the Russian and foreign pharmacopoeias for the limits of heavy metals and arsenic in HMPs. National and regional pharmacopoeias have limits for the content of the major toxic elements (lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, and arsenic) in HMPs. The study showed that the Indian and Japanese pharmacopoeias include only semi-quantitative methods for determination of heavy metals and arsenic, while the Russian and Chinese pharmacopoeias allow for the use of both quantitative and semi-quantitative methods. It was demonstrated that the limits for heavy metals and arsenic are the same for herbal substances and HMPs. The development of consistent approaches to determination of heavy metals and arsenic content, a systematic transition to quantitative methods of analysis, and establishment of individual limits for toxic elements in different HMP dosage forms, will make it possible to achieve the so-called consistent harmonisation, ensure reliable assessment of the content of heavy metals and arsenic, and minimize the risk of their entering human body with HMPs.
The search for an effective and safe COVID-19 therapy involves, among other things, assessment of efficacy of medicines already used for the treatment of other diseases, and having potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. The relevance of the presented study stems from ambiguous data on the off-label use of the antiparasitic medicine ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The aim of the study was to analyse ivermectin efficacy and safety for COVID-19 treatment, as reflected in the scientific literature. Ivermectin, an antiparasitic medicine from the group of macrocyclic lactones produced by Streptomyces avermitilis, stimulates release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid, which leads to impaired transmission of nerve impulses, paralysis and death of parasites. The results of preclinical studies show ivermectin’s inhibitory activity against a number of RNA and DNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The results of ivermectin clinical studies are ambiguous: a number of studies demonstrated a positive effect on the condition of COVID-19 patients, however, there is currently no convincing evidence of the validity and efficacy of ivermectin use for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 patients. The safety profile of ivermectin is relatively favourable. Large randomised controlled trials are needed to fully assess the feasibility of using ivermectin in COVID-19.
Безопасность использования лекарственных растительных препаратов, в частности жидких лекарственных форм, связана с необходимостью контролировать допустимое содержание экотоксикантов, однако методика для определения отдельных элементов в настойках отсутствует. Цель работы: выбор условий пробоподготовки для количественного определения тяжелых металлов и мышьяка в настойках. Материалы и методы: в исследовании использованы настойки пиона уклоняющегося, пустырника и валерианы, реализуемые через аптечную сеть. Пробоподготовку проводили методом микроволнового разложения с предварительным концентрированием образцов. Количественное определение 16 элементов (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, Hg) осуществляли методом атомно-эмиссионной спектрометрии с индуктивно связанной плазмой. Результаты: установлено, что для анализа содержания большинства элементов на этапе пробоподготовки необходимо проводить концентрирование, поскольку чувствительность метода позволяет определять отдельные элементы при их содержании не менее 0,1 мг/кг. Показано, что оптимальным объемом для концентрирования является 25 мл настойки с точки зрения как затрат времени, так и открываемости токсичных элементов. Выводы: предложенная методика показала возможность определения 16 элементов в составе настоек. Концентрации тяжелых металлов и мышьяка в настойках пиона уклоняющегося, пустырника и валерианы не превышали 0,722 мг/кг. В максимальных количествах в изученных образцах настоек обнаружены цинк и марганец.
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