Open AccessThe Presence of Aflatoxin B1 and Fungi in Traditional Drugs in Vietnam
Author(s) -
Tang Xuan Hai,
Cao Ba Loi,
Dau Huy Hoan,
Tran-Anh Le
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
acta medica iranica.
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.218
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1735-9694
pISSN - 0044-6025
DOI - 10.18502/acta.v60i4.9268
Subject(s) - aflatoxin , aspergillus , aspergillus flavus , aspergillus niger , rhizopus , alternaria , rhizopus oryzae , medicine , contamination , penicillium , mycotoxin , traditional medicine , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , veterinary medicine , biology , botany , fermentation , ecology
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 identication. 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.