Table 1.
Top 21 common adulterants detected in the proprietary Chinese medicines (pCMs)/health products
| Ranking | Adulterant | Frequency of detection | Percentage in all adulterants | Percentage in all pCMs/health products |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sibutramine | 155 | 12.6% | 31.8% |
| 2 | Phenolphthalein | 88 | 7.1% | 18.1% |
| 3 | Glibenclamide | 61 | 4.9% | 12.5% |
| 4 | Diclofenac | 60 | 4.9% | 12.3% |
| 5 | Prednisone acetate | 56 | 4.5% | 11.5% |
| 6 | Sildenafil | 54 | 4.4% | 11.1% |
| 7 | Chlorpheniramine | 49 | 4.0% | 10.1% |
| 8 | Piroxicam | 49 | 4.0% | 10.1% |
| 9 | Indomethacin | 46 | 3.7% | 9.4% |
| 10 | Dexamethasone | 44 | 3.6% | 9.0% |
| 11 | Paracetamol | 36 | 2.9% | 7.4% |
| 12 | Phenformin | 35 | 2.8% | 7.2% |
| 13 | Ibuprofen | 32 | 2.6% | 6.6% |
| 14 | Hydrochlorothiazide | 31 | 2.5% | 6.4% |
| 15 | Animal thyroid tissue | 26 | 2.1% | 5.3% |
| 16 | Dexamethasone acetate | 24 | 1.9% | 4.9% |
| 17 | Phenylbutazone | 14 | 1.1% | 2.9% |
| 18 | Metoclopramide | 14 | 1.1% | 2.9% |
| 19 | Betamethasone | 12 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| 20 | Fenfluramine | 12 | 1.0% | 2.5% |
| 21 | Cimetidine | 12 | 1.0% | 2.5% |