TOXICOLOGICAL EXPERTISE OF MICROMYCETES, CONTAMINATING NONSTERILE HERBAL DRUGS (GENUS ASPERGILLUS AND PENICILLIUM)

Toxicity of 76 strains of 13 species of Aspergillus and Penicillium, o btained from 10 different drugs (tablets, briquetes, granules, extract s, oil), has been investigated. 46.1 % strains are found to be toxic w ith 21 % of them showing higher toxicity, 9.2 % - intermediate toxicit y and 15.7 % - low toxicity. The most toxicity revealed aspergilli and in particular Aspergillus niger. That might be connected with the nap hlo-y-pyrones production by this species. The variability in degree of toxigenic activity in strains of the same species (expressed stronger in aspergilli) is noted. Most frequently toxigenic strains have been isolated from Liv-52 (41.1 % are characterized by high and intermediat e toxicity), Senadexin, Flamin and Extractum Sennae.