Excessive amounts of antifungal agent and preservatives were illegally added in an adulterated herbal product for kids

Abstract

Illegally manufactured and counterfeit herbal medicines are growing a worldwide issue. And internet sales have simplified the distribution and payment of these counterfeit medicines. In 2019, a paper in The Lancet revealed the tip of the iceberg of counterfeit Chinese herbal medicines in Yongfeng County, Jiangxi Province, China. After 2 years, some so-called Chinese herbal poultices are still being manufactured in these districts. Here we report on a so-called herbal kids creams, which was advertised for treatment of childhood eczema. By means of NMR and HPLC-PDA, we found overdosed antimicrobial agents in the creams, including Terbinafine hydrochloride, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. Hence, compared to glucocorticoids, which are of high concern, the illegal addition of non-hormonal drugs in products for children requires particular attention.