Bio: A. Nursen Basaran worked as a lecturer and professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Hacettepe University, Department of Toxicology for 43 years and since 2022 she has started to work as a professor of toxicology in Baskent University. She has served as a member of numerous scientific commissions of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkiye. She served as an executive committee member (1991-1996), treasurer (1996-2001), and the president (2001-2006 and 2018-2024) in Turkish Society of Toxicology. In EUROTOX, she served as the chair of the EUROTOX Specialty Section of Carcinogenesis (2005-2011), chair of the EUROTOX Subcommittee of Education (2008-2013), Executive Committee Member of EUROTOX (2008-2014). She chaired the EUROTOX Basic and Advanced Toxicology.

Abstract: The lack of sufficient study on the efficacy and toxicity, and inadequate controls of their availability reduce the safety of herbal products. Adulteration of herbal products is described as intentional substitution with another plant species or intentional addition of a foreign chemical to increase the potency of the product or to decrease its cost. Adulteration can pose a significant risk to consumers, as the ingested amounts of drugs are uncontrolled and may lead to overdose, or allergic reactions to undisclosed ingredients. Analgesic drugs such as metamizole, diclofenac sodium, and prednisone were commonly found in herbal medicines to reduce pain. With some types of herbal products, e.g., those for weight loss, sexual and athletic performance enhancers, it is common to find undeclared synthetic substances and banned active synthetic drugs. Anti-obesity drugs such as orlistat, and sibutramine or analogs have been found in many herbal weight-loss supplements. Insomnia, nervousness, tremor, headaches, hypertension, seizures, arrhythmias, heart attack, stroke and even death have been reported in people using these products. Serious adverse effects including death resulting from adulterations of herbal products with steroids and PDE-5 inhibitors to increase the sexual performance have also been commonly reported.