During the last years, medicinal plants and products thereof
have become increasingly available in the European Union (EU)
market as ingredients in formulations sold as plant food supplements
(PFS). This type of products has been growing in popularity,
with its increased use being associated with a variety of factors such
as the perception that plant products are safe and that “natural” is
healthy. The mistrust in conventional medicine and a rising tendency
for self-medication are also associated factors [1]. Additionally,
trade globalization has brought to Europe a wide range of
plants traditionally used in other continents, which are now offered
in several popular PFS marketed in European countries [1]. For
these reasons, the market for food supplements has been growing
during the last years, with a consequent demand for plant material.
This can result in a higher number of frauds and/or in increased
possibility of unintentional swap of plants due to misidentification
of wild collected specimens. Among possible adulterations of PFS,
the intentional addition of plant fillers to increase product bulk and
the substitution of high priced medicinal plants by other closely
related/similar species should be considered [2,3]. In both cases,
namely adulterations or unintentional swap of plants, the PFS
integrity might be compromised by the introduction of unknown
phytochemicals arising from the unlabeled plant(s), which can
directly affect the PFS efficacy [4]. Furthermore, the safety of these
products is also jeopardized since cases of possible health risks
resulting from undeclared plants in PFS have already been reported