Why is hopeopathy not used in health care systems?

Plant-based substances and preparations play a crucial role in healthcare systems worldwide. However, due to the wide variation in the origin, composition and processing procedures of these products, it is important to have appropriate methods of quality assessment. The majority of herbal substances are administered as multicomponent mixtures, especially in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, but also in finished pharmaceutical products. Quality assessment of complex mixtures of herbal substances using conventional methods is challenging. Therefore, this study was designed to focus on developing complementary methods to elucidate the composition of mixtures of herbal substances and finished herbal medicinal products.

Purpose of the study

A prerequisite for the safe and effective use of herbal medicines is the unambiguous identification of the medicinal plants used in them. In this context, we investigated the potential of three different PCR-related methods for the characterization and authentication of herbal substances.

Methods used
A multiplex PCR assay and a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay were developed to analyze defined mixtures of herbal substances such as Quercus cortex, Juglandis folium, Aristolochiae herba, Matricariae flos and Salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma as well as a finished herbal medicinal product. Furthermore, a standard cloning technique with universal primers targeting the ITS region was established to enable investigation of plant-based mixtures of unknown content.

Results
The cloning method had some limitations in the detection/recovery of the components of defined mixtures of herbal substances, but the complementary use of two sets of universal primer pairs increased the detection of components from the mixture. While multiplex PCR could not retrace all components of the defined mixtures of herbal substances, the established qPCR resulted in simultaneous and specific detection of the five target gene sequences in all defined mixtures.

Questions and Answers

Why is it important to assess the quality of herbal substances?

Answer: It is important because composition and how they are processed. Assessing the quality ensures that the products are safe and working as they should. Herbal products can vary greatly in their origin.

What challenges are there in assessing the quality of mixtures of herbal substances using traditional methods?

Answer: Traditional methods can have difficulty handling the complex mixtures often found in herbal products. It is difficult to accurately identify and measure all ingredients when there are many different components in a mixture.

What three methods were examined in the study to control herbal substances?

Answer: The study examined three methods: multiplex PCR, quantitative PCR (qPCR), and a cloning technique using universal primers.

What is a PCR analysis?

Answer: A PCR assay is a technique that makes many copies of a specific DNA sequence. It helps scientists identify and study small amounts of DNA by creating millions of copies of that particular piece of DNA.

What is a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay?

Answer: A quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay, or real-time PCR, is a technique that not only makes copies of DNA but also measures the amount of DNA produced in real time. This makes it possible to quantify, or count, the amount of specific DNA in a sample.

Why did the study use a cloning technique with universal primers?

Answer: The study used this technique to be able to investigate mixtures of herbal substances where the content is not known. Universal primers can identify many different plant components, making it easier to see what is in the mixture.

Which herbal substances were included in the mixtures analyzed in the study?

Answer: The mixtures analyzed contained Quercus cortex (oak bark), Juglandis folium (walnut leaves), Aristolochiae herba, Matricariae flos (chamomile flowers) and Salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma (sage root).

What problems did the cloning technique have in the study, and how did the detection of the components improve?

Answer: Cloning technology had trouble detecting and recovering all the components of the mixtures. Detection was improved by using two different sets of universal primers, which increased the chance of finding more components.

Why is it good to use several PCR-related methods at the same time to analyze herbal mixtures?

Answer: It is good to use several methods at the same time because they can complement each other and provide a more accurate and reliable identification of the medicinal plants in the mixtures. This ensures that the products are safe and effective to use.

Conclusion

These data indicate that for authentication purposes, complementary PCR-related methods are strongly recommended for the analysis of herbal mixtures in parallel. This study highlights the need to use multiple complementary techniques to ensure accurate and reliable identification of medicinal plants in complex herbal preparations, which is essential for their safe and effective use in healthcare systems.