Authentic and non-adulterated botanical ingredients in an unethical market situation. Full traceability, high quality production and exhaustive analytical control

Adulteration and fraud are a menace to the botanical ingredients sector and generate growing demand for transparency for all the processes associated with production [1],[2]. Manufacturers cannot ultimately avoid market scrutiny. Full traceability of the entire process is key, starting with the plant material from cultivated or wild sources, and including quality and sustainability criteria.

The multilayer set of control methods of plant material starts with the taxonomic and phytochemical identity, continues with purity controls, including contaminants, and ends with the determination of active or marker compounds. Besides classical methods, modern techniques such as metabolomic evaluations and DNA barcoding should be employed. These methods allow a more robust ingredient identification and lower instances of adulteration. The subsequent physical and chemical production processes, and the set of specifications and control methods, will finally determine the quality and authenticity of the botanical ingredient.

Saw Palmetto Lipidic Sterolic Extract (SPE), made from Serenoa repens berries, is the most expensive oil of the pharmaceutical and health food market, hence, its adulteration is frequent. Substitution of the saw palmetto berry with fruit from closely-related palm species, dilution of products with exhaustively extracted berry powder, the use of unripe berries, the addition of vegetable oils to extracts, and/or full substitution of SPE with other lower-cost vegetable or animal oils, have all been detected and documented by Euromed³. Wide variation of fatty acid content in authentic and adulterated saw palmetto extracts can explain differences in clinical trial outcomes and threaten the market reputation of the extract.

• References

• 1 Posadzki P, Watson L, Ernst E. Contamination and adulteration of herbal medicinal products (HMPs): an overview of systematic reviews. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2013; 69 (03) : 295-307.
• 2 Gafner S. ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program laboratory guidance documents: explanation of purpose. 2014 Im Internet: http://cms.herbalgram.org/BAP/LGD/StatementofPurpose.html.
• 3 Gafner S, Baggett S. Adulteration of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). Version 3. Botanical Adulterants Prevention Bulletin. Austin, TX: ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program; 2018