PA contamination in medicinal plants: occurrence, limits and measures

Abstract

Since 2013, a potential contamination of medicinal plants with pyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing weeds has been discussed. The knowledge about such a risk of contamination induced cultivators and suppliers of medicinal plants and manufacturers of herbal medicinal products to investigate the situation and to take action in order to reduce or avoid potential PA contamination as summarised e.g. in a Code of Practice. Over the past years, the results of data collections show a remark­able reduction of the PA burden in herbal drugs and herbal extracts used for the production of herbal medicinal products. However, it is obvious that the problem of contamination cannot be completely resolved in the near future. The Herbal Medicinal Products Committee at the European Medicines Agency recommended a transitional limit of 1.0 μg pyrrolizidine alkaloids per day related to the final product for three years which has recently been prolonged by further two years.