Simultaneous Analysis of Sexual Stimulants and Anabolic Steroids as Adulterants in Dietary Supplements by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Photodiode Array Detection

Background:

The illegal virtual market for food supplements facilitates fraud and adulteration. Worldwide concern for consumer safety is growing on the part regulatory agencies, healthcare professionals and consumers.

Objective:

This work aimed to evaluate the presence of sexual stimulants and anabolic steroids commonly used in the adulteration of dietary supplements through the development of a high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) method for the identification and quantification of these compounds.

Method:

The mobile phase composed of an ammonium acetate solution, acetonitrile and methanol leaded to the efficient separation of vardenafil, testosterone base, testosterone propionate, tadalafil, sildenafil and yohimbine.

Results:

The assay was linear (r2> 0.999), precise (RSD% <0.5), accurate (99.1 to 105.2%), and the limits of detection and quantification were less than 0.05 and 0.15 μg/mL, respectively. Four samples of dietary supplements contained testosterone (n=1), tadalafil (n=2) and yohimbine (n=1) as adulterants. The adulterants found were in subtherapeutic doses, probably to reduce possible adverse effects and the action expected to appear natural. Since about 80% of adverse drug reactions are dose dependent, unpredictable adverse drug reactions are dose independent and based on idiosyncratic or allergic mechanisms or intolerance.

Conclusion:

The developed method is convenient and easily applicable for adulteration detection of the analyzed drugs in the multicomponent supplements.

Regulatory framework for dietary supplements and the public health challenge

OBJECTIVE

The new regulatory framework for dietary supplements in Brazil prompted this analysis of the current outlook of these products and the challenges posed by the new guidelines.

METHODS

We conducted a qualitative, observational and descriptive study of dietary supplements commercialized in Brazilian online stores with the help of the Google® search tool. We considered the ingredients on the labels, the effects attributed to these products and the commercial claims used as a means of promoting them to assess the necessary changes for the legal framework in the new guidelines. Finally, with the help of a database, we compared the effects declared by the manufacturers and attributed to certain ingredients with the scientific evidence described in literature.

RESULTS

In total, we purchased 44 dietary supplements from Brazilian online stores (n = 7). Of the samples studied, 34.2% could not be classified in the category Dietary Supplements, as recommended by the new regulation of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency due to the presence of prohibited substances; 16% of products should be commercialized as medicines. Regarding the commercial appeals, 97.7% had banned expressions. Numerous claims of effects attributed to certain products were characterized as consumer fraud because they have no scientific evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

The necessary changes represent a major regulatory and production challenge due to the wide range of dietary supplements and markets, an effort that aims to protect the consumers' health. Some previous gaps in the regulatory framework were not fully solved.