Application of a Smartphone Metabolomics Platform to the Authentication of Schisandra sinensis.
BACKGROUND
Herbal medicines have been used for a long time all around the world. Since the quality of herbal preparations depends on the source of herbal materials, there has been a strong need to develop methods to correctly identify the origin of materials.


OBJECTIVE
To develop a smartphone metabolomics platform as a simpler and low-cost alternative for the identification of herbal material source.


METHODS
Schisandra sinensis extracts from Korea and China were prepared. The visible spectra of all samples were measured by a smartphone spectrometer platform. This platform included all the necessary measures built-in for the metabolomics research: data acquisition, processing, chemometric analysis and visualisation of the results. The result of the smartphone metabolomics platform was compared to that of NMR-based metabolomics, suggesting the feasibility of smartphone platform in metabolomics research.


RESULTS
The smartphone metabolomics platform gave similar results to the NMR method, showing good separation between Korean and Chinese materials and correct predictability for all test samples.


CONCLUSIONS
With its accuracy and advantages of affordability, user-friendliness, and portability, the smartphone metabolomics platform could be applied to the authentication of other medicinal plants. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
College of Pharmacy, Natural Product Research Institute, Seoul National University, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Hyuk Nam
HN
Kwon
College of Pharmacy, Natural Product Research Institute, Seoul National University, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Hong-Duc
HD
Phan
College of Pharmacy, Natural Product Research Institute, Seoul National University, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Wen Jun
WJ
Xu
National Centre for Inter-University Research Facilities (NCIRF), Seoul National University, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Yoon-Joo
YJ
Ko
College of Pharmacy, Natural Product Research Institute, Seoul National University, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Sunghyouk
S
Park
D002681:China; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D007723:Korea; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011786:Quality Control; D032141:Schisandra / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068997:Smartphone
D010936:Plant Extracts
NMR; Schisandra sinensis; UV-vis; metabolomics; smartphone