Occurrence and health risk of pesticide residues in Chinese herbal medicines from Shandong Province, China.

Pesticide residue was one of the stress factors affecting quality and safety of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs). The present study was designed to investigate the occurrence and dietary exposure of 70 pesticide residues in 307 samples of CHMs, including 104 American ginseng, 100 Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum), and 103 Dendrobium officinale (D. officinale) in Shandong Province, China. The study revealed that a total of 29 pesticides were detected in the majority (92.5%) of samples, and the pesticide residues of 85 (27.7%) samples exceeded the maximum residue levels (MRLs). Particularly, the maximum concentration of chlorpyrifos was 23.8 mg kg-1, almost 50 times of the MRLs in food in GB 2763-2021, while there's no standard restrictions specified in CHMs in China. The chronic, acute, and cumulative risk assessment results indicated that risk exposure of the three types of CHMs were unlikely to pose a health risk to consumers. However, more attention should be paid to the multiple residues with the presence of four or more pesticides in one sample and high over-standard rate of pesticides. The pesticide users and the government should pay more attention to the pesticides used in CHMs and regularly monitor the presence of these compounds. The study recommended the MRLs of these pesticides in CHMs should be established and perfected by the relevant departments in China.

Exposure assessment of aflatoxins and zearalenone in edible vegetable oils in Shandong, China: health risks posed by mycotoxin immunotoxicity and reproductive toxicity in children.

Human exposure to aflatoxins (AFs) and zearalenone (ZEA) has not been sufficiently investigated. Here, we analyzed the exposure level and health risks posed by AFs (B1, B2, G1, G2) and ZEA through cooking oil consumption in Shandong, China. The individual daily consumption of cooking oil was calculated through 2745 questionnaires during 2017-2019. The average contamination levels of mycotoxins were estimated by examining 60 cooking oil samples. For the peanut oil, AFs ranged from <0.2 to 274 µg/kg, with a positive rate of 66.6% (20/30). Average levels of 36.62 µg/kg AFB1 and 44.43 µg/kg total AFs were found. Over-the-limit level (20 µg/kg) of AFB1 was detected in 8/30 samples. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and margin of exposure (MOE) for age-stratified population groups showed that children are facing highest adverse health risk with AFB1 (MOE 5.88-6.39). The liver cancer incidences attributable to AFB1 exposure are non-negligible as 0.896, 0.825, and 0.767 cases per 100,000 for 6-14 age group, 15-17 age group, and adult labor-intensive workers. Over-the-limit level (60 µg/kg) ZEA contamination was detected in 25/30 corn oil samples with a 50th percentile value of 97.95 µg/kg. Our health risk assessment suggested significant health risks of enterohepatic (inflammation and cancer), reproductive, and endocrine systems posed by AFs and ZEA. However, the health risk of immunotoxicity is unclear because currently animal study data are not available for the immunotoxicity induced after long-term exposure. In general, the health risks posed by mycotoxins are non-negligible and long-term mycotoxin surveillance is necessary.

Phenolic alkaloid oleracein E attenuates oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in AlCl3-treated mice.

AIMS: Chelation therapy and antioxidant supplements have been demonstrated to be useful in ameliorating aluminum (Al) induced neurotoxicity. Oleracein E (OE) is a phenolic antioxidant alkaloid which possesses a rare tetrahydroisoquinoline/pyrrolidone tricyclic skeleton and a catechol moiety. The aim of this study was to investigate whether OE can chelate with Al and alleviate AlCl3-induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. MAIN METHODS: Kunming mice were administered AlCl3 (40mg/kg/d, i.p., 28days), with co-administration of OE (3mg/kg/d, 15mg/kg/d, i.g.) and the positive control piracetam (PA, 400mg/kg/d, i.g.). The Al contents in the brain and plasma were determined using ICP-MS. Al chelating ability of OE was assayed using UV spectroscopy. MDA, GSH, SOD or CAT, in the brain or plasma were determined. HE staining was used to examine hippocampal morphology alterations. IHC staining was employed to measure the expression of apoptotic-related proteins Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3. KEY FINDINGS: AlCl3 remarkably increased the brain and plasma Al contents, increased lipid peroxidation and induced hippocampal neuronal damage. OE chelated with Al to form a stable complex. An increase in brain Al content by OE (15mg/kg) likely occurred through chelating with Al, which reduced the toxicity of free Al ion in the brain. OE significantly decreased MDA by regulating some antioxidant biomarkers. Furthermore, OE significantly ameliorated the protein expression changes in some apoptotic indices induced by AlCl3. SIGNIFICANCE: The phenolic alkaloid OE, as an antioxidant, Al chelator and apoptosis inhibitor, alleviates oxidative stress and neurotoxicity induced by AlCl3.