title: DNA barcode identification of black cohosh herbal dietary supplements.
abstract: Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) herbal dietary supplements are commonly consumed to treat menopausal symptoms, but there are reports of adverse events and toxicities associated with their use. Accidental misidentification and/or deliberate adulteration results in harvesting other related species that are then marketed as black cohosh. Some of these species are known to be toxic to humans. We have identified two matK nucleotides that consistently distinguish black cohosh from related species. Using these nucleotides, an assay was able to correctly identify all of the black cohosh samples in the validation set. None of the other Actaea species in the validation set were falsely identified as black cohosh. Of 36 dietary supplements sequenced, 27 (75%) had a sequence that exactly matched black cohosh. The remaining nine samples (25%) had a sequence identical to that of three Asian Actaea species (A. cimicifuga, A. dahurica, and A. simplex). Manufacturers should routinely test plant material using a reliable assay to ensure accurate labeling.
authors.affiliation: Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Dennis W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Damon P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Little
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D031885:Cimicifuga / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D009711:Nucleotides; D010936:Plant Extracts