Metabolism of IBU in Cowpea

Abstract

The potential for pharmaceutical to influence plants ¿including those used for food¿ is becoming increasingly relevant, particularly as waste management systems are unable to remove many compounds from the sewage. Drugs for human use make their way into soil through a number of routes, including the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer and wastewater for irrigation. The general objective of this study looked at the impacts of the ibuprofen (IBU) ¿non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)¿ on the edible crops cowpea. This study required the development and validation of a liquid chromatography¿high resolution-tandem mass spectrometric (LC¿HR¿MS/MS) method for determining IBU, 1 hydroxyIBU, 2-hydroxyIBU and carboxyIBU in plants. Then, the metabolism, uptake, and translocation of IBU in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) was studied. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the identification of IBU and its main metabolites in roots, shoot, and seeds of cowpea This plant is well-adapted to the drier regions of the tropics, where other food legumes do not perform well, then, the study has also an unquestionable interest from a food safety point of view.