Determination of Undeclared Synthetic Drugs in Thai Traditional Medicine as Adulterants in Songkhla Province: Dangerous for Human Health

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine adulterated drugs in Thai herbal medicines for the risk evaluation of people who take those medicines. Two hundred seven samples of Thai herbal medicines were collected randomly from 48 drug stores in Songkhla province. All drug samples were determined for drug adulterant by using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) technique, and compared with standard drugs. The results showed that one sample was adulterated with alum, calculated as 0.48%, 7 samples were adulterated with acetaminophen, calculated as 2.90%. Moreover, the quantity of the adulterant in the latter samples was further determined by HPLC, the result showed remarkable amounts of acetaminophen 58 milligram in one gram of the crude drug or 5.8%. This result revealed that people who take those medicines is 3.38% risk to inadvertently receive adulterated drug from nonstandard Thai herbal medicines.