Advances in the analysis of non-allowed pharmacologically active substances in cosmetic products

The state-of-the art analysis of non-allowed pharmacologically active substances in cosmetic products is here presented and a new methodology developed for this type of analysis is proposed. Cosmetic products released on the market should not cause damage to human health when applied under normal conditions of use. With respect to this condition, the definition of “cosmetic product” is reported according to the international and region specific regulatory requirements for the manufacturing and marketing and that of non-allowed substances with particular reference to pharmacologically active substances, with therapeutic indication. The existing methodologies for the analysis of non-allowed products in cosmetic preparations generally include some sort of sample treatment and/or extraction before the analytical step, which always include a separation by liquid chromatography (LC) at ambient temperature followed by detection with ultraviolet spectrophotometric detection or mass spectrometry. A systematic high throughput analysis of non-allowed pharmacologically active substances is finally proposed together with the results of such an analysis performed in the “Drug abuse and doping” Unit of the National Institute of Health in Rome.