2022 年 76 巻 1 号 p. 1-8
The Japan Kampo Medicines Manufacturers Association (JKMA) established "self-imposed limits of residual pesticides for Kampo products, conventional crude drug products, and crude drugs" in 1996 to ensure their safe use. The self-imposed limits were modified twice, and presently, organochlorine, organophosphorus, and pyrethroid classes of pesticides are being regulated. As reported previously, we have been regularly surveying the on-site implementation of self-imposed limits in member companies since 2005. This report presents the findings of our fourth survey for a one-year target period from April 2016 to March 2017. Consequently, the implementation rate of these limits in at least 13,927 samples was 80.0%. Furthermore, all the detected residual pesticides were within the limits. However, the detection values of chlorpyrifos, diphenylamine, linuron, and pentoxazone from crude drugs were beyond the self-imposed limits, and exceeded the maximum residue limit of the positive list under the Food Sanitation Law. However, considering the difference in water contents between fresh foods and crude drugs, the values, except for pentoxazone, were within the maximum residue limit of fresh foods. Moreover, the detection value of pentoxazone was higher than the maximum residue limit, while isofenphos-methyl had no reference value. Therefore, we estimated their safety based on their acceptable daily intake and daily dosages. Subsequently, these values were not problematic for crude drug users. Nevertheless, we will continue to regularly monitor these pesticides to prevent their contamination of crude drugs.
