Survey on the Current Advertising and Sales of <i>Mucuna pruriens</i> in Consumer-to-consumer Internet Trading in Japan

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  • Sato Kenichiro
    Unit for Early and Exploratory Development, The University of Tokyo Hospital Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
  • Hida Ayumi
    Department of Neurology, Meirikai Tokyo Yamato Hospital Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association, Japan
  • Niimi Yoshiki
    Unit for Early and Exploratory Development, The University of Tokyo Hospital
  • Iwata Atsushi
    Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital
  • Iwatsubo Takeshi
    Unit for Early and Exploratory Development, The University of Tokyo Hospital Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo

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Other Title
  • ハッショウマメ（<i>Mucuna pruriens</i>）の個人間インターネット取引での広告・販売の実態に関する調査
  • ハッショウマメ(Mucuna pruriens)の個人間インターネット取引での広告・販売の実態に関する調査
  • ハッショウマメ(Mucuna pruriens)ノ コジン カン インターネット トリヒキ デ ノ コウコク ・ ハンバイ ノ ジッタイ ニ カンスル チョウサ

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Abstract

<p>Mucuna pruriens (MP) is leguminous plant which contains 5% of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (levodopa) in its seeds. It may have a potential to be used as an alternative therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Meanwhile, there is a concern in terms of public health that MP products can be overused by patients with PD. As an entry for patients with PD to acquire MP products in Japan, they are often purchased via internet auctions or free markets. MP products are not reagrded as ‘pharmatheutical’ by Japanese law as long as the specific legal requirements on advertisements are met, so that the MP products can be advertised or sold without any permission from the authorities. In this study, we aimed to conduct internet survey as to the complianse status of these legal requirements. Several major internet auction or free market websites in Japan were surveyed in May–June 2023 by the authors, and 1157 MP product pages were examined. We found approximately 30–40% of the MP products were suspected to have potential legal risks in terms of their advertisements in their website descriptions, such as claiming pharmatheutical efficacy or describing pharmatheutical-like dosages. In addition, approximately 30–40% of the MP products also did not refer to cautions not to take MP products excessively because of the levodopa ingredients. Current study suggested the need of careful description of the MP products in the auction or free market websites for the MP products exhibitors or sellers, in order to fullfill legal requirements as well as to prevent MP abuse.</p>

Journal

  • YAKUGAKU ZASSHI

    YAKUGAKU ZASSHI 143 (12), 1057-1067, 2023-12-01

    The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

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