Analysis of products suspected of

containing

Aristolochia or Asarum species

Nornaimah Binti Asem

Journal of Ethnopharmacology,

94 (2004) 245–249

Schaneberg, B. T. & Khan, I. A.

National Center for Natural Products

Research, Research Institute of

Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of

Pharmacy, Thad Cochran Research Center,

The University of Mississippi, University,

P.O. Box 1848, MS 38677, USA

Objectives

To identify the presence of aristolochic acid I

and II compounds in the products that are

available at the websites.

Introduction

Aristolochia species have been used in traditional

Chinese medicine (TCM) for centuries.

Today, these remedies become a problem resulted from

the incorrect identification of plant material.

They unable to distinguish the dried root between the

species (Aristolochia fangchi Wu (Aristolochiaceae) and

Stephania tetrandra S. Moore (Menispermaceae)).

Consumption of product containing dried root of

Stephania tetrandra can reducing weight.

After determining Aristolochia fangchi was an adulterant

that caused death due to renal failure in a number of

patients at a Belgian weight loss clinic, many countries took

steps to regulate products containing Aristolochia fangchi

as well as other Aristolochia species.

The US FDA issued a Consumer Advisory ‘advising

consumers to stop using any products that may likely

contain aristolochic acid’.

The Aristolochia and Asarum genera both have been found

to contain aristolochic acids.

Samples for analysis

- 25 products

Sample preparation

-Capsules and tablets

-Tinctures

Standard

compounds

-Aristochic acids I

-Aristochic acids II

Determination of toxic compounds

by:

- HPLC system

Materials & Methods

Results & Discussion

Conclusion

Six of the products are detected to contain

amounts of I and II.

Products contain aristolochic acid are still

present on the market for consumption.

It is noteworthy that label claims do not

match claims on product websites.

This could be due to a lack of ability to keep

the websites updated on regular basis.

Suggestion

As a consumer, we need to aware the

products label before and after purchased

from the online sources.

Thank you