Identification and quantification of adulterants in six common foreign brands of herbal slimming capsules marketed for weight loss in Iran

In recent years, the use of foreign herbal weight loss supplements is growing in Iran which due to the use of some unauthorized synthetic materials by manufacturers in their products can be problematic. The aim of this study was to analyze the contents of the foreign herbal slimming capsules common in use in the city of Arak in 2015.
From the available foreign herbal slimming capsules, randomly six brands were selected and purchased from the supplier stores in the city of Arak. Gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for the quantification analysis of the amounts of sibutramine, phenytoin and phenolphthalein in the capsules.
In all brands, sibutramine was identified and the highest values were in the brands of Original Super Slim and Slim Fast, as about 75 and 54 mg per capsule, respectively. In some brands, there were phenolphthalein and phenytoin with different values. Other unauthorized materials, such as caffeine, pseudoephedrine and amfepramone (diethylpropion) were identified using GC-MS data library.
The foreign herbal slimming capsules included in the study, contain unauthorized synthetic materials not mentioned on the label. Healthcare providers should aware people regarding the use of foreign herbal slimming capsules and their side effects.