Avaliação da qualidade de suplemento alimentar a base de cloreto de magnésio.

Abstract

Supplementation of some minerals has now been necessary for the proper functioning of the organism. In this context it is observed that the absence or the unsatisfactory quantity of the essential minerals in the feeding in a large part of the population and this can entail short-term and long-term functional losses. Magnesium acts as a cofactor in more than 300 metabolic reactions, playing a key role in glucose metabolism, insulin homeostasis, stability of the neuromuscular and cardiovascular membrane, maintenance of vasomotor tonus and as a physiological regulator of hormonal and immunological function. The quality control becomes fundamental to guarantee the safety of the product, through tests based on the legislation adopted. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality of food supplements based on magnesium chloride marketed in the pharmaceutical form capsules of four national brands marketed in pharmacies through physical-chemical quality control tests: average weight, disintegration, dosing and uniformity of content. It was observed after the tests that in the weight parameter only sample A was not in compliance with the official compendium, in the disintegration test, all the samples disintegrated in the established time. Only sample A has reached the content specified by most of the monographs of substances which are determined by the titration method. In the content uniformity test samples B, C and D presented uniformity and homogeneity of distribution of the supplement in individual doses. Thus, all samples analyzed presented some content-related nonconformity, which suggests an urgency in the implementation of specific regulation for this type of product.