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Assessing
product adulteration in natural health products for laxative yielding
plants, Cassia, Senna, and Chamaecrista, in Southern India using DNA
barcoding.
Abstract
Medicinal
plants such as Cassia, Senna, and Chamaecrista (belonging to the family
Fabaceae) are well known for their laxative properties. They are
extensively used within indigenous health care systems in India and
several other countries. India exports over 5000 metric tonnes per year
of these specific herbal products, and the demand for natural health
product market is growing at approximately 10-15 % annually. The raw
plant material used as active ingredients is almost exclusively sourced
from wild populations. Consequently, it is widely suspected that the
commercial herbal products claiming to contain these species may be
adulterated or contaminated. In this study, we have attempted to assess
product authentication and the extent of adulteration in the herbal
trade of these species using DNA barcoding. Our method includes four
common DNA barcode regions: ITS, matK, rbcL, and psbA-trnH. Analysis of
market samples revealed considerable adulteration of herbal products:
50 % in the case of Senna auriculata, 37 % in Senna tora, and 8 % in
Senna alexandrina. All herbal products containing Cassia fistula were
authentic, while the species under the genus Chamaecrista were not in
trade. Our results confirm the suspicion that there is rampant herbal
product adulteration in Indian markets. DNA barcodes such as that
demonstrated in this study could be effectively used as a regulatory
tool to control the adulteration of herbal products and contribute to
restoring quality assurance and consumer confidence in natural health
products.
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Trop Doct. 2014 Oct;44(4):209-13. doi: 10.1177/0049475514543656. Epub 2014 Jul 31.
Wonder of Life (kalanchoe pinnata) leaves to treat diabetic foot infections in Trinidad & Tobago: a case control study.
Abstract
:
Wonder of Life (kalanchoe pinnata) leaves are commonly used to treat
diabetic foot infections. These patients are usually non-compliant with
conventional medical therapy. We surmised that these patients would have
a higher incidence of treatment failures. Patients admitted with
diabetic foot infections were separated into two groups: a Study Group
comprised patients who used topical kalanchoe pinnata and a Medical
Therapy Group contained patients who were compliant with conventional
treatment. The patients were observed over the course of their
hospitalisation.
RESULTS:
There
were 382 patients in the Medical Therapy Group and 96 in the Study
Group, who waited 9.21 ± 5.3 days (Mean ± SD) before seeking medical
attention. There were similar rates of all amputations (34.8% vs. 37.5%;
P = 0.643) and mortality (0.8% vs. 1.0%; P = 1.000) in the Study and
Medical Therapy groups.
CONCLUSIONS:
There may be value in the use of topical kalanchoe pinnata to treat diabetic foot infections.
© The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.
KEYWORDS:
Diabetes; amputation; infection; mortality; topical
- PMID:
- 25082340
- [PubMed - in process]
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