Analysis of pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements seized from the black market among bodybuilders.

This study focuses on analysis of pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements seized from the black market among bodybuilders.. The research employs high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques to address analytical challenges in the pharmaceutical field. Substandard/counterfeit drugs are a growing global problem. According to the World Health Organisation, counterfeit medicines are medicines that are mislabelled deliberately and fraudulently regarding their identity and/or source. In high income countries, drugs seized are mainly represented by performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs). The aim of this study was... Research Background and Significance The proliferation of substandard and counterfeit pharmaceuticals is a critical global health issue, with severe implications ranging from therapeutic failure to adverse health effects. The World Health Organization defines counterfeit medicines as those deliberately mislabelled in terms of identity or source, posing significant risks to patient safety and public health. In high-income countries, a significant proportion of seized illicit drugs are performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs), widely used by bodybuilders and athletes. This study targets the analytical challenge posed by these black market products, which often contain undeclared or falsified active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The research leverages high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to develop robust analytical approaches for identification and quantification of pharmaceutical compounds and dietary supplements seized from illicit sources. The significance of this work lies in establishing reliable, validated chromatographic protocols to detect counterfeit products, thereby supporting forensic investigations and regula