The Presence of Aflatoxin B1 and Fungi in Traditional Drugs in Vietnam
Aflatoxin B1 and Fungi in Traditional Drugs
Abstract
To explore the presence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fungi in traditional drugs collected in Vietnam. Materials and Methods: 505 samples of 88 different traditional drugs were obtained from 10 hospitals in Nghe An, a central province of Vietnam. AFB1 contamination was determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. Fungal contaminants were determined according to WHO regulations and the obtained Aspergillus strains were characterized via morphological and molecular identification. Results: 24 samples (4.75% of the total samples) were contaminated with AFB1 and the average concentration was 0.062± 0.030 µg/kg (ranging from 0.009 to 0.097 µg/kg). Fungal isolates were detected from 174 samples (34.45%). The genus Aspergillus was predominant (82.76% of the isolates) but Rhizopus, Alternaria, Corynespora and yeast were also found in a few samples. Among 144 strains of Aspergillus recovered, A. niger (105 strains) was most frequently found, followed by A. tubingensis (31 strains), A. oryzae (4 strains) and A. flavus (4 strains). Conclusion: This study suggests a low risk of aflatoxin B1 exposure to consumers of traditional drugs in Vietnam.
1. Coulombe RJ. Biological action of mycotoxins. J Dairy Sci 1993;76(3):880–91. Doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(93)77414-7.
2. Bennett JW., Klich M. Mycotoxins. Clin Microbiol Rev 2003;16(3):497–516. Doi: 10.1128/cmr.16.3.497-516.2003.
3. Squire R. Ranking animal carcinogens: a proposed regulatory approach. Science (80- ) 1981;214(4523):877–80. Doi: 10.1126/science.7302565.
4. Pitt JI. Toxigenic fungi: Which are important? Med Mycol 2000;38(SUPPL. 1):17–22. Doi: 10.1080/mmy.38.1.17.22.
5. Krishnamachari K., Bhat R., Nagarajan V., Tilak T. Investigations into an outbreak of hepatitis in parts of Western India. Indian J Med Res 1975;63:1036–48.
6. Al-Abdalall AHA. Production of aflatoxins by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger strains isolated from seeds of pulses. J Food, Agric Environ 2009;7(2):33–9.
7. Zheng R., Wang W., Tan J., Xu H., Zhan R., Chen W. An investigation of fungal contamination on the surface of medicinal herbs in China. Chin Med 2017;12(2). Doi: 10.1186/s13020-016-0124-7.
8. Efuntoye MO. Fungi associated with herbal drug plants during storage. Mycopathologia 1996;136(2):115–8. Doi: 10.1007/BF00437505.
9. WHO. WHO guidelines for assessing quality of herbal medicines with reference to contaminants and residues 2007. Geneva, Switzerland.; 2007.
10. Van NDN., Tap N. An overview of the use of plants and animals in traditional medicine systems in Viet Nam. Ha Noi, Vietnam: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Greater Mekong Programme; 2008.
11. MOH. National technical regulation on the limits of mycotoxins contamination in food (QCVN 8-1:2011/BYT). Ha Noi, Vietnam: Vietnam Ministry of Health; 2011.
12. Raper K., Fennell DI. The Genus Aspergillus. Philadelphia: Williams and Wilkins; 1965.
13. White T., Bruns T., Lee S., Taylor J. Amplification and direct sequencing of fungal ribosomal RNA genes for phylogenetics. In: Innis MA, Gelfand DH, Sninsky JJ, and White TJ, editors. Protocols and Applications - A Laboratory Manual. 1st ed. Academic Press; 1990. p. 315–22.
14. Guadet J., Julien J., Lafay J., Brygoo Y. Phylogeny of some Fusarium species, as determined by large‐subunit rRNA sequence comparison. Mol Biol Evol 1989;6(3):227–42.
15. Do TH., CaoTran S., Le CD., et al. Dietary exposure and health risk characterization of aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, fumonisin B1, and zearalenone in food from different provinces in Northern Vietnam. Food Control 2020;112(107108). Doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107108.
16. Tassaneeyakul W., Razzazi-Fazeli E., Porasuphatana S., Bohm J. Contamination of aflatoxins in herbal medicinal products in Thailand. Mycopathologia 2004;158(2):239–44. Doi: 10.1023/b:myco.0000041892.26907.b4.
17. Chien MY., Yang CM., Huang CM., Chen CH. Investigation of aflatoxins contamination in herbal materia medica in a Taiwan pharmaceutical factory. J Food Drug Anal 2018;26(3):1154–9. Doi: 10.1016/j.jfda.2018.01.016.
18. Liu L., Jin H., Sun L., Ma S., Lin R. Determination of aflatoxins in medicinal herbs by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Phytochem Anal 2012;23(5):469–76. Doi: 10.1002/pca.2343.
19. Roy AK., Chourasia HK. Mycoflora, mycotoxin producibility and mycotoxins in traditional herbal drugs from India. J Gen Appl Microbiol 1990;36(5):295–302. Doi: 10.2323/jgam.36.295.
20. Chourasia HK. Mycobiota and mycotoxins in herbal drugs of Indian pharmaceutical industries. Mycol Res 1995;99(6):697–703. Doi: 10.1016/S0953-7562(09)80531-5.
21. Chen L., Guo W., Zheng Y., et al. Occurrence and Characterization of Fungi and Mycotoxins in Contaminated Medicinal Herbs. Toxins (Basel) 2020;12(30). Doi: 10.3390/toxins12010030.
22. Hitokoto H., Morozumi S., Wauke T., Sakai S., Kurata H. Fungal contamination and mycotoxin detection of powdered herbal drugs. Appl Environ Microbiol 1978;36(2):252–6. Doi: 10.1128/AEM.36.2.252-256.1978.
23. Diener UL., Davis ND. Aflatoxin formation by Aspergillus flavus. In: Goldblatt LA, editor. Aflatoxin Scientific Background Control and Implications. Academic Press; 1969. p. 13–54.
24. Siakrwar P., Mahajan S., Gupta A., Asthana M. Isolation and Identification of Fungal Contamination in Stored Medicinal Plants. Am J Pharmacol Pharmacother 2014;1–2:52–8.
25. Singh P., Srivastava B., Kumar A., Dubey NK. Fungal Contamination of Raw Materials of Some Herbal Drugs and Recommendation of Cinnamomum camphora Oil as Herbal Fungitoxicant. Microb Ecol 2008;56(3):555–60. Doi: 10.1007/s00248-008-9375-x.
26. Klich MA. Aspergillus flavus : the major producer of aflatoxin. Mol Plant Pathol 2007;8(6):713–22. Doi: 10.1111/J.1364-3703.2007.00436.X.
27. Kong W., Wei R., Logrieco AF., et al. Occurrence of toxigenic fungi and determination of mycotoxins by HPLC-FLD in functional foods and spices in China markets. Food Chem 2014;146:320–6. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.09.005.
28. Gautam AK., Sharma S., Awasthi S., Bhadauria R. Diversity, pathogenicity and toxicology of A. niger: An important spoilage fungi. Res J Microbiol 2011;6(3):270–80.
29. Basappa S., Jayaraman A., Sreenivasamurthy V., Parpia H. Effect of B-group vitamins & ethyl alcohol on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus oryzae. Indian J Exp Biol 1967;5(4):262–3.
30. Akinola SA., Ateba CN., Mwanza M. Polyphasic Assessment of Aflatoxin Production Potential in Selected Aspergilli. Toxins (Basel) 2019;11(12):692. Doi: 10.3390/toxins11120692.
2. Bennett JW., Klich M. Mycotoxins. Clin Microbiol Rev 2003;16(3):497–516. Doi: 10.1128/cmr.16.3.497-516.2003.
3. Squire R. Ranking animal carcinogens: a proposed regulatory approach. Science (80- ) 1981;214(4523):877–80. Doi: 10.1126/science.7302565.
4. Pitt JI. Toxigenic fungi: Which are important? Med Mycol 2000;38(SUPPL. 1):17–22. Doi: 10.1080/mmy.38.1.17.22.
5. Krishnamachari K., Bhat R., Nagarajan V., Tilak T. Investigations into an outbreak of hepatitis in parts of Western India. Indian J Med Res 1975;63:1036–48.
6. Al-Abdalall AHA. Production of aflatoxins by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger strains isolated from seeds of pulses. J Food, Agric Environ 2009;7(2):33–9.
7. Zheng R., Wang W., Tan J., Xu H., Zhan R., Chen W. An investigation of fungal contamination on the surface of medicinal herbs in China. Chin Med 2017;12(2). Doi: 10.1186/s13020-016-0124-7.
8. Efuntoye MO. Fungi associated with herbal drug plants during storage. Mycopathologia 1996;136(2):115–8. Doi: 10.1007/BF00437505.
9. WHO. WHO guidelines for assessing quality of herbal medicines with reference to contaminants and residues 2007. Geneva, Switzerland.; 2007.
10. Van NDN., Tap N. An overview of the use of plants and animals in traditional medicine systems in Viet Nam. Ha Noi, Vietnam: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Greater Mekong Programme; 2008.
11. MOH. National technical regulation on the limits of mycotoxins contamination in food (QCVN 8-1:2011/BYT). Ha Noi, Vietnam: Vietnam Ministry of Health; 2011.
12. Raper K., Fennell DI. The Genus Aspergillus. Philadelphia: Williams and Wilkins; 1965.
13. White T., Bruns T., Lee S., Taylor J. Amplification and direct sequencing of fungal ribosomal RNA genes for phylogenetics. In: Innis MA, Gelfand DH, Sninsky JJ, and White TJ, editors. Protocols and Applications - A Laboratory Manual. 1st ed. Academic Press; 1990. p. 315–22.
14. Guadet J., Julien J., Lafay J., Brygoo Y. Phylogeny of some Fusarium species, as determined by large‐subunit rRNA sequence comparison. Mol Biol Evol 1989;6(3):227–42.
15. Do TH., CaoTran S., Le CD., et al. Dietary exposure and health risk characterization of aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, fumonisin B1, and zearalenone in food from different provinces in Northern Vietnam. Food Control 2020;112(107108). Doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107108.
16. Tassaneeyakul W., Razzazi-Fazeli E., Porasuphatana S., Bohm J. Contamination of aflatoxins in herbal medicinal products in Thailand. Mycopathologia 2004;158(2):239–44. Doi: 10.1023/b:myco.0000041892.26907.b4.
17. Chien MY., Yang CM., Huang CM., Chen CH. Investigation of aflatoxins contamination in herbal materia medica in a Taiwan pharmaceutical factory. J Food Drug Anal 2018;26(3):1154–9. Doi: 10.1016/j.jfda.2018.01.016.
18. Liu L., Jin H., Sun L., Ma S., Lin R. Determination of aflatoxins in medicinal herbs by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Phytochem Anal 2012;23(5):469–76. Doi: 10.1002/pca.2343.
19. Roy AK., Chourasia HK. Mycoflora, mycotoxin producibility and mycotoxins in traditional herbal drugs from India. J Gen Appl Microbiol 1990;36(5):295–302. Doi: 10.2323/jgam.36.295.
20. Chourasia HK. Mycobiota and mycotoxins in herbal drugs of Indian pharmaceutical industries. Mycol Res 1995;99(6):697–703. Doi: 10.1016/S0953-7562(09)80531-5.
21. Chen L., Guo W., Zheng Y., et al. Occurrence and Characterization of Fungi and Mycotoxins in Contaminated Medicinal Herbs. Toxins (Basel) 2020;12(30). Doi: 10.3390/toxins12010030.
22. Hitokoto H., Morozumi S., Wauke T., Sakai S., Kurata H. Fungal contamination and mycotoxin detection of powdered herbal drugs. Appl Environ Microbiol 1978;36(2):252–6. Doi: 10.1128/AEM.36.2.252-256.1978.
23. Diener UL., Davis ND. Aflatoxin formation by Aspergillus flavus. In: Goldblatt LA, editor. Aflatoxin Scientific Background Control and Implications. Academic Press; 1969. p. 13–54.
24. Siakrwar P., Mahajan S., Gupta A., Asthana M. Isolation and Identification of Fungal Contamination in Stored Medicinal Plants. Am J Pharmacol Pharmacother 2014;1–2:52–8.
25. Singh P., Srivastava B., Kumar A., Dubey NK. Fungal Contamination of Raw Materials of Some Herbal Drugs and Recommendation of Cinnamomum camphora Oil as Herbal Fungitoxicant. Microb Ecol 2008;56(3):555–60. Doi: 10.1007/s00248-008-9375-x.
26. Klich MA. Aspergillus flavus : the major producer of aflatoxin. Mol Plant Pathol 2007;8(6):713–22. Doi: 10.1111/J.1364-3703.2007.00436.X.
27. Kong W., Wei R., Logrieco AF., et al. Occurrence of toxigenic fungi and determination of mycotoxins by HPLC-FLD in functional foods and spices in China markets. Food Chem 2014;146:320–6. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.09.005.
28. Gautam AK., Sharma S., Awasthi S., Bhadauria R. Diversity, pathogenicity and toxicology of A. niger: An important spoilage fungi. Res J Microbiol 2011;6(3):270–80.
29. Basappa S., Jayaraman A., Sreenivasamurthy V., Parpia H. Effect of B-group vitamins & ethyl alcohol on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus oryzae. Indian J Exp Biol 1967;5(4):262–3.
30. Akinola SA., Ateba CN., Mwanza M. Polyphasic Assessment of Aflatoxin Production Potential in Selected Aspergilli. Toxins (Basel) 2019;11(12):692. Doi: 10.3390/toxins11120692.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 60, No 4 (2022) | |
| Section | Articles | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/acta.v60i4.9268 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Traditional drug Mycotoxin Aflatoxin Fungi Aspergillus Vietnam. | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Tang H, Cao L, Dau H, Le T A. The Presence of Aflatoxin B1 and Fungi in Traditional Drugs in Vietnam. Acta Med Iran. 2022;60(4):235-242.
