An integrated system for identifying the hidden assassins in traditional medicines containing aristolochic acids.
Traditional herbal medicines adulterated and contaminated with plant materials from the Aristolochiaceae family, which contain aristolochic acids (AAs), cause aristolochic acid nephropathy. Approximately 256 traditional Chinese patent medicines, containing Aristolochiaceous materials, are still being sold in Chinese markets today. In order to protect consumers from health risks due to AAs, the hidden assassins, efficient methods to differentiate Aristolochiaceous herbs from their putative substitutes need to be established. In this study, 158 Aristolochiaceous samples representing 46 species and four genera as well as 131 non-Aristolochiaceous samples representing 33 species, 20 genera and 12 families were analyzed using DNA barcodes based on the ITS2 and psbA-trnH sequences. Aristolochiaceous materials and their non-Aristolochiaceous substitutes were successfully identified using BLAST1, the nearest distance method and the neighbor-joining (NJ) tree. In addition, based on sequence information of ITS2, we developed a Real-Time PCR assay which successfully identified herbal material from the Aristolochiaceae family. Using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (UHPLC-HR-MS), we demonstrated that most representatives from the Aristolochiaceae family contain toxic AAs. Therefore, integrated DNA barcodes, Real-Time PCR assays using TaqMan probes and UHPLC-HR-MS system provides an efficient and reliable authentication system to protect consumers from health risks due to the hidden assassins (AAs).
1] Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China [2] College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.
Lan
L
Wu
Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Wei
W
Sun
Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences &Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Bo
B
Wang
Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Haiyu
H
Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China.
Yaoli
Y
Li
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China.
Shaoqing
S
Cai
Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Li
L
Xiang
Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Yingjie
Y
Zhu
Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences &Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Hui
H
Yao
Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences &Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jingyuan
J
Song
Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Yung-Chi
YC
Cheng
Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Shilin
S
Chen
D029065:Aristolochiaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D034341:Aristolochic Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / Q000379:methods*; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000379:methods; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D018511:Systems Integration; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods
D034341:Aristolochic Acids; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C000228:aristolochic acid I