Avaliação da Qualidade e da conformidade da composição de um suplemento à base de plantas medicinais

Abstract

The increasing consumption of medicinal plant-based dietary supplements has raised concerns about their quality, safety, and the reliability of labeling information. Distravi® is a plant-based dietary supplement marketed for the relief of joint and inflammatory pain. This study analyzed the quality and conformity of the composition of this supplement in capsule form. Quality control analyses were performed according to the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, including average weight tests and appearance assessment. The analysis of the phytochemical profile comparison was performed by Thin Layer Chromatography, evaluating extracts of the supplement and the medicinal plants declared on the label. Synthetic drug standards with analgesic and anti- inflammatory action, frequently associated with the adulteration of natural products, were also used in this analysis. The product showed adequate mass uniformity between the capsules. However, the contents were white powder with a homogeneous appearance, a characteristic not expected for formulations containing plant extracts, which normally have a yellowish, greenish, or brownish color due to the presence of metabolites from medicinal plants. The chromatographic profiles of the product did not show a clear correspondence with the plant extracts analyzed, suggesting inconsistencies in the declared composition. No conclusive evidence of the presence of the synthetic drugs evaluated was observed either.Therefore, the results indicate non-compliance with the content declared on the label and reinforce the importance of quality control and sanitary inspection of products marketed as natural, and further complementary analyses should be carried out to confirm their composition.