Non-allowed Pharmacologically Active Substances in Physical and Sexual Performance Enhancing Products

Abstract

Background:Recently, a large amount of physical and sexual performance enhancing products have started to be freely sold mainly on internet web sites as dietary supplements. However, there a high suspicion that pharmacologically active substance, prohibited in these products, can be present to provide the expected effect.Methods:A simple and rapid systematic toxicological analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry has been applied after a liquid-liquid extraction at acidic, neutral and alkaline pH with chloroform-isopropanol (9:1 v/v). The assays were validated in the range from 10 mg to 250 mg/g products showing a good linearity for the calibration curves (r2 ≥0.99). Mean extraction recoveries of analytes from different products were always higher than 90% and intra-assay and inter-assay precision and accuracy were always better than 15%.Results:The developed method was applied to the analysis of products with a high percentage of sales in websites and smart and sexy shops. In twelve of eighty supplements, anabolic steroids, anti-estrogenic drugs, psychoactive substances and sildenafil and analogs were identified and quantified.Conclusion:Eventual health hazards caused by the hidden presence of pharmacologically active substances in physical and sexual performance enhancing products are reported.

Effect of sildenafil citrate on the liver structure and function in obstructive jaundice: An experimental study

“…Even though a possible link between hepatotoxicity and the use of sildenafil is indicated in the related literature, the mechanism underlying liver toxicity still remains unknown. However, it should be considered that the manifestations of drug-induced hepatotoxicity are highly variable, ranging from asymptomatic elevation of liver enzymes to fulminant hepatic failure, and so it could be possible that some sildenafil-associated hepatotoxicity cases may have been totally missed, especially when sildenafil consumption is not declared, illicit, and/or unaware (i.e., in case of counterfeit herbal products for erectile dysfunction) (34)(35)(36)(37). Normality values were noted in clinical condition and liver enzymes within 20 days after the withdrawal of sildenafil, which indicates a diagnosis of sildenafil-associated hepatotoxicity from unknown mechanisms (34).…”

1H NMR determination of adulteration of anabolic steroids in seized drugs

“…Automatic baseline corrections and manual phase corrections were applied. The integration region around each peak was manually set outside the respective 13 C satellites in order to ensure maximum area recovery. Data analysis and signal integrations were performed with TopSpin 3.2 software (Bruker Biospin).…”

“…The literature describes several methods for determination of the authenticity and quantification of anabolic steroids in different pharmaceutical formulations, highlighting chromatographic methods including gas chromatography [7,8,11,12] and liquid chromatography [9,[13][14][15]. However, although these techniques are well established for this type of analysis, with good detection limits, they have a number of disadvantages from the operational point of view, such as the need for specific chromatographic columns, laborious sample preparation steps, and sometimes the use of derivatization reactions and toxic solvents.…”

O Uso De Citrato De Sildenafil Como Estimulante Sexual E Os Efeitos Adversos / The Use Of Sildenafil Citrate As A Sexual Stimulator And The Adverse Effects

“…Assim sendo, é necessário cautela na utilização do citrato de sildenafil, pois seu uso pode ter algumas reações adversas e efeitos colaterais durante o tratamento, assim como o uso desnecessário pode levar a dependência psicológica (PELLEGRINI, et al, 2016).…”