In this work, samples of the medicinal plants: Boldo (Peumus boldus), Castanha da Índia (Aesculus hippocastanum), Chá Verde (Camelia sinensis), Erva Cidreira (Melissa officinalis), Espinheira Santa (Maytenus ilicifolia), Guaraná (Paullinia cupana), Maracujá (Passiflora sp.), Mulungu (Erythrina velutina), Sene (Cassia angustifolia) and Valeriana (Valeriana officinalis) were evaluated BY using the Neutron Activation Analysis technique (NAA-k 0 ) in order to determine the levels of metals and other chemical contaminants. The results showed the presence of non essential elements to the human body. The diversity of chemical impurities found even at low concentration levels, considering the potential for chronic toxicity of these elements, reinforces the need to improve the implementation of good practices by growers and traders, and the hypothesis of lack of quality control in plant products. (AAN-k 0 ), a fim de se determinar os teores de metais e outros elementos químicos contaminantes. Os resultados revelaram a presença de elementos não essenciais ao organismo humano. A diversidade de impurezas químicas encontradas, mesmo em níveis de baixa concentração, considerando o potencial de toxicidade crônica desses elementos, reforça a necessidade de melhorias na aplicação de boas práticas pelos produtores e comerciantes e a hipótese de falta de controle de qualidade nos produtos vegetais.Unitermos: Análise por ativação neutrônica/análise quantitativa. Plantas medicinais. Metais/determinação em plantas medicinais. Contaminantes químicos/determinação em plantas medicinais. Produtos vegetais/ controle de qualidade.

Resumo Em 82 exames parasitológicos de fezes realizados pelo método de sedimentação espontânea, em indivíduos moradores em ruas da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, foram encontrados ovos de Ascaris lumbricoides em 40 (48,8%), de Trichuris trichiura em 27 (32,9%) e ancilostomídeos 7 (8,5%). Palavras-chaves: Helmintoses intestinais. Geo-helmintoses. Inquérito coproscópico. Ascaris lumbricoides. Trichuris trichiura. Ancilostomídeos.Abstract Stool examination by sedimentation method in 82 homeless individuals living in the streets of Rio de Janeiro City, revealed Ascaris lumbricoides eggs in 40 (48.85%), Trichuris trichiura in 27 (32.9%) and hookworm in 7 (8.5%).

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The media claims for the consumption of natural resource-based food have gradually increased in both developing and developed countries. The interest in the safety of these products is partially due to the possible presence of toxigenic fungi acting as mycotoxin producers, such as aflatoxins produced during the secondary metabolism of Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius. Aflatoxins, mainly aflatoxin B 1 , are directly associated with liver cancer in human beings. This paper is aimed at evaluating the presence of aflatoxin B 1 in a few vegetable drugs, dried plant extracts and industrialized products traded in 2010 in the city of Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The method used for the quantification of aflatoxin B 1 was based on extraction through acetone:water (85:15), immunoaffinity column purification followed by separation and detection in high efficiency liquid chromatography. Under the conditions of analysis, the Limits of Detection and Quantification were 0.6 µg kg -1 and 1.0 µg kg -1 respectively. The complete sets of analyses were carried out in duplicate. Aflatoxin B 1 was noticed in a single sample (< 1.0 µg kg -1 ). The results revealed low aflatoxin B 1 contamination in the products under analysis. However, it is required to establish a broad monitoring program in order to obtain additional data and check up on the actual extension of contamination.

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