QUALITY CONTROL OF HARPAGOPHYTUM PROCUMBENS (DEVIL'S CLAW) SAMPLES, SOLD IN THE CITY OF SANTOS, SP, BRAZIL Nicole Mattos do Nascimento, Jose Eduardo Pandini Cardoso Filho

Abstract

The custom of the use of medicinal plants for the purpose of treatment of diseases and relief of symptoms comes from antiquity, due to its therapeutic efficacy and low cost. However, around the twentieth century, there was a dissipation of a strong cultural line aimed at the consumption of industrialized medicines, which has brought a great advance in all social and health aspects to the present day. However, because of the current search for healthier habits and reduction in the intake of synthetic products, the use of medicinal plants again leads to the preference of several peoples around the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the vegetable raw material, easily found in markets, pharmacies and natural products stores in the city of Santos / SP, meet the specifications of quality described in the literature and demonstrate the importance of this control through parameters already settled down. By physical-chemical tests such as determination of the content of foreign materials, moisture, total ashes and insoluble ash. The analyzes of the content of foreign materials, total ashes and insoluble ash were within the recommended values. However, moisture content analysis was the only step in which almost all the samples studied had their results outside the official monograph of the plant. which reveals a certain deficiency in the control of this indicator by the manufacturers, which in excess may lead to microbial contamination or hydrolysis of active principles with consequent loss of therapeutic efficacy.