Incidence of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Herbal Medicines from German Retail Markets: Risk Assessments and Implications to Consumers

Abstract

The occurrence of potentially toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in herbal medicines (HMs) is currently intensely being discussed in Europe. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids, particularly the 1,2-unsaturated PAs, are undesired compounds in HMs due to their potential hepatotoxic and carcinogenic properties. In this study, 98 widely patronized HMs from six popular German retail supermarkets/drugstores, as well as from pharmacies, were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry for the presence of PAs. The results showed that about 63% of the HMs were PA positive, whereas the average PA concentration of the samples was 201 μg/kg, the highest concentration of PAs (3270 μg/kg) was attributed to a product that was purchased from the pharmacy and contained Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's Wort) as an active ingredient. In addition, H. perforatum-containing products were frequently contaminated with PAs from Echium spp., while both Cynara cardunculus L. products and fixed-combination products of Gentiana lutea L., Rumex acetosa L., Verbena officinalis L., Sambucus nigra L., and Primula veris L. products were commonly contaminated with PAs of Senecio spp. The study showed that H. perforatum, C. cardunculus, Urtica dioica L., and fixed-combination products were frequently contaminated with PA levels above the recommended values of both the German and European Medicines Agencies. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The safety of St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) in pregnancy and lactation: A systematic review of rodent studies

“…Post marketing surveillance studies have identified these adulterants in SJW extracts in both the United States and the UK possibly because increased public demand has led to market pressure (McCutcheon, ). Accidental co‐harvesting of plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) has also been observed and is receiving increased attention from regulatory bodies (Letsyo, Jerz, Winterhalter, Lindigkeit, & Beuerle, ).…”

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in the Food Chain: Is Horizontal Transfer of Natural Products of Relevance?

“…Sample Preparation and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS Quantification of the Total PA-Content All analyzed samples were in homogenous form, lyophilized and homogenized in 50 mL conical centrifuge tubes using a mixer mill (MM 400; Retsch, Haan, Germany) for 2 min at 30 Hz. Three-hundred mg from each sample was soaked in a 15 mL polypropylene, conical centrifuge tube using 11 mL H 2 SO 4 0.05 M. Then, 40 µL of internal standard solution (2 µg/mL in methanol) was added to each tube and the tubes were thoroughly mixed and extracted overnight using a continuous tube rotator (Multi Bio RS-24, Biosan, Riga, Latvia) and the following settings: orbital: 21/01, reciprocal: 15/01, vibrio: 5/1, duration: 14 h. Sample preparation to analyze the total PA-content of the individual samples was carried out according to the methods of Cramer et al [28] and Letsyo et al [29]. During the course of sample preparation all 1,2-unsaturated retronecine-and heliotridine-type ester PAs/PANOs were converted into the corresponding core structures, i.e., retronecine and/or heliotridine.…”

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“…In February 2016, six batches of SJW THR products sold in the United Kingdom, produced in 2013, were recalled due to having levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) above-the-European Medicines Agency’s recommendations. These compounds are associated with potentially very serious health risks (liver toxicity and cancer) (Letsyo et al, 2017). PAs are not produced by H. perforatum , but are found in certain species especially Boraginaceae and some Asteraceae.…”