Analysis of products suspected of containing Aristolochia or Asarum species

1. Analysis of products suspected of
containing
Aristolochia or Asarum species
Nornaimah Binti Asem

2. 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

3. Objectives
 To identify the presence of aristolochic acid I
and II compounds in the products that are
available at the websites.

4. 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.

5.  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.

6. 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

7. Results & Discussion

10. 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.

11. Suggestion
 As a consumer, we need to aware the
products label before and after purchased
from the online sources.

12. Thank you