Working with the natural complexity: Selection and characterization of black cohosh root extract for use in toxicology testing.

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.) is a botanical supplement marketed to women of all ages. Due to paucity of data to assess the safe use, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) is evaluating the toxicity of black cohosh. The use of an authentic, quality material is imperative to generate robust data. Because botanical materials are complex mixtures with variable composition, the selection of a material is challenging. We describe selection and phytochemical characterization of an unformulated black cohosh root extract (i.e., an extract that serves as source material for a formulated product) to be used in the NTP assessments. A material was selected using a combination of non-targeted and targeted chemical analyses, including confirmation of authenticity, absence of contaminants and adulterants, and similarity to a popular black cohosh product used by consumers. Thirty-nine constituents covering three major classes, triterpene glycosides, phenolic acids, and alkaloids were identified. Among constituents quantified, triterpene glycosides made up approximately 4.7% (w/w) with total constituents quantified making up 5.8% (w/w) of the extract. Non-targeted chemical analysis followed by chemometric analysis of various materials sold as black cohosh, and reference materials for black cohosh and other Actaea species further confirmed the suitability of the selected extract for use.

Stability Characterization of a Polysorbate 80-Dimethyl Trisulfide Formulation, a Cyanide Antidote Candidate.

Novel cyanide countermeasures are needed for cases of a mass-exposure cyanide emergency. A lead candidate compound is dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), which acts as a sulfur donor for rhodanese, thereby assisting the conversion of cyanide into thiocyanate. DMTS is a safe compound for consumption and, in a 15% polysorbate 80 (DMTS-PS80) formulation, has demonstrated good efficacy against cyanide poisoning in several animal models. We performed a stability study that investigated the effect of temperature, location of formulation preparation, and pH under buffered conditions. We found that while the stability of the DMTS component was fairly independent of which laboratory prepared the formulation, the concentration of DMTS in the formulation was reduced 36-58% over the course of 29 weeks when stored at room temperature. This loss typically increased with increasing temperatures, although we did not find statistical differences between the stability at different storage temperatures in all formulations. Further, we found that addition of a light buffer negatively impacted the stability, whereas the pH of that buffer did not impact stability. We investigated the factors behind the reduction of DMTS over time using various techniques, and we suggest that the instability of the formulation is governed at least partially by precipitation and evaporation, although a combination of factors is likely involved.