The prevalence of acceptable quality herbal products in Thailand

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of quality herbal products sold in Thailand. The quality of herbal products focuses on three specific issues: i) the legality of the labelling on herbal products, ii) microbial contamination and iii) corticosteroid adulteration in herbal products. This cross-sectional study randomly selected 431 herbal products bought from online stores, markets, grocery stores, department stores, traditional practitioners, pharmacies, and hospitals across Thailand, in 2016. The names of the selected products were guarded by a double - blind barrier when testing for microbial limitation and corticosteroids; a condition that was extended to the data analysis process. The microbiological assay was based upon total aerobic microbial counts and total combined yeasts/moulds counts. Corticosteroid tests were performed using the DMSc Steroid Test Kit produced by the Department of Medical Sciences, Thailand, and thin layer chromatography.The prevalence of quality herbal products in Thailand was 14.5%. Forty-four percent of the examined products were registered with the Thai FDA.Seventy percent of the products were contaminated with aerobic bacteria and 11% with combined yeasts/moulds. Less than one percent was adulterated with prednisolone. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Thai FDA urgently needs to enforce “Good Manufacturing Practices’ (GMPs), and devise a process of post-marketing surveillance of the quality of herbal products’.