Traditional Chinese Medicine Samples Research Articles

Multi-residue analysis of plant growth regulators and pesticides in traditional Chinese medicines by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

A multi-residue method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 24 plant growth regulators (PGRs) and 11 representative pesticides that were widely applied in plants used in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The method was validated taking into consideration EU guidelines; calibration curves for all of the targeted analytes showed correlation coefficients (γ2) higher than 0.9901. The limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.2 to 8μg/kg. The average recovery for all analytes in spiked samples ranged from 63.18 to 127.23%, with a relative standard deviation of ≤ 15%. The proposed method has been applied to 480 batches of TCM samples, including 34 species of medicinal plants, from the TCM market. The results showed that 14 PGRs and 5 pesticides were detected, including choline chloride, chlormequat, paclobutrazol, uniconazole, phoxim, etc. Among them, there were high detection rates for chlormequat (40%), choline chloride (100%), atonik (73.75%), abscisic acid (80.83%), and indole-3-acetic acid (41.25%). The residual level of paclobutrazol in Ophiopogonis radix exceeded the recommended maximum residue limits (MRLs) according to GB 2763-2016. In addition, 14 agrochemicals used in TCM planting were collected and detected; the result showed various PGRs were detected in samples registered as fertilizer. These results indicate that PGRs and pesticides were widely used in the cultivation of medicinal plants, especially for radix and rhizome herbs. The residue of targeted PGRs and pesticides in TCM samples from this study have a high frequency and high level. Graphical abstract.

Simultaneous Extraction and Determination of Compounds With Different Polarities From Platycladi Cacumen by AQ C18-Based Vortex-Homogenized Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion With Ionic Liquid.

This study presented a rapid, simple and environmentally friendly method of employing AQ C18-based vortex-homogenized matrix solid-phase dispersion with ionic liquid (AQ C18-IL-VHMSPD) for the extraction of compounds with different polarities from Platycladi Cacumen (PC) samples by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with PDA detection. AQ C18 (aqua C18) and ionic liquid ([Bmim]BF4) were used as the adsorbent and green elution reagent in vortex-homogenized MSPD procedure. The AQ C18-IL-VHMSPD conditions were optimized by studying several experimental parameters including the type of ionic liquid, the type of adsorbent, ratio of sample to adsorbent, the concentration and volume of ionic liquid, grinding time and vortex time. The recoveries of the target compounds were in the range of 96.9–104% with relative standard deviation values no more than 2.8%. The limits of detection and limits of quantitation were in the range of 0.2–1.2 and 1.0–5.4 ng mL-1, respectively. Compared with the traditional ultrasonic-assisted extraction, the developed AQ C18-IL-VHMSPD method required less sample, reagent and time. It was concluded that the AQ C18-IL-VHMSPD method was a powerful method for the extraction and quantification of the high polarity and low polarity compounds in traditional Chinese medicines samples.

Simultaneous determination of chlorogenic acid and cynaroside contents in Lonicerae Japonica Flos by high resolution sampling two-dimensional liquid chromatography

An innovative analytical method based on high resolution sampling two-dimensional liquid chromatography (HiRes 2D-LC) was established for determination of chlorogenic acid and cynaroside in Lonicerae Japonica Flos. A C18 column was used in the first dimension (1D)-LC separation with acetonitrile and 0.4% (v/v) phosphoric acid aqueous solution as mobile phases. Five heart cuts of chlorogenic acid and four heart cuts of cynaroside were stored in 2D-LC interface, which was a 5-position-10-port valve equipped with two multiple heart-cutting valves. The stored cuts were sequentially separated in the second dimension (2D)-LC. The 2D separation was carried out on an SB-Phenyl column with acetonitrile and 0.5% (v/v) acetic acid aqueous solution as mobile phases. The results showed that chlorogenic acid peaks in the 1D were well separated, whereas cynaroside peaks in the 1D were co-eluted with interferences. The above two targets were accurately quantified through a high resolution sampling mode based on continuous slice cuts of the whole target peaks. The method had good linearity, recovery and repeatability. The HiRes 2D-LC system could be used to improve separation and quantification of (un)targets in traditional Chinese medicine samples.

Identifying the Species of Seeds in Traditional Chinese Medicine Using DNA Barcoding.

Seed is not only the main reproductive organ of most of herbal plants but also an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Seed TCMs possess important medicinal properties and have been widely used as components of pharmaceutical products. In parallel with the increasing popularity and accessibility of seeds as medicinal products in recent years, numerous substitutes and adulterants have also appeared on the market. Due to the small volume and similar appearances of many seed TCMs, they are very difficult to accurately identify the constituent plant species through organoleptic methods. Usage of the wrong herb may be ineffective or may worsen the condition and even cause death. Correct identification of seed herbal medicines is therefore essential for their safe use. Here, we acquired 177 ITS2 sequences and 15 psbA-trnH sequences from 51 kinds of seed TCMs belonging to 64 species that have been described in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Tree-building analysis showed that the ITS2 sequences of 48 seed TCMs can be differentiated from each other, and they formed distinct, non-overlapping groups in the maximum-likelihood tree. Furthermore, all of the sequences acquired in this study have been submitted to the public DNA barcoding system for herbal medicine, and this integrated database was used to identify 400 seed TCM samples purchased from medicinal markets, drug stores, and the Internet, enabling the identification of 7.5% of the samples as containing non-declared species. This study provides a brief operating procedure for the identification of seed TCMs found in herbal medicine. In the future, researchers and traditional herbal medicine enterprises can use this system to test their herbal materials.

Dual-Readout Immunochromatographic Assay by Utilizing MnO2 Nanoflowers as the Unique Colorimetric/Chemiluminescent Probe.

Manganese dioxide nanoflowers (MnO2 NFs) were synthesized and used as a dual readout probe to develop a novel immunochromatographic test strip (ITS) for detecting pesticide residues using chlorpyrifos as the model analyte. MnO2 NFs-labeled antibody for chlorpyrifos was employed as the signal tracer for conducting the ITS. After 10 min competitive immunoreaction, the tracer antibody was captured by the immobilized immunogen in the test strip, resulting in the captured MnO2 NFs on test line. The captured MnO2 NFs led to the appearance of brown color on the test line, which could be easily observed by the naked eye as a qualitative readout. Due to the very slight colorimetric difference of chlorpyrifos at trace concentrations, the semiquantitative readout by naked eyes could not meet the demand of quantitative analysis. MnO2 NFs showed a significant effect on the luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescent (CL) system, and the CL signal driven by MnO2 NFs were used to detect the trace concentration of chlorpyrifos quantitatively. 1,3-Diphenylisobenzofuran quenching studies and TMB-H2O2 coloration assays were conducted for studying the enhancing mechanism of MnO2 NFs, which was based on the oxidant activity to decompose H2O2 for forming reactive oxygen species. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of chlorpyrifos was 0.1-50 ng/mL with a low detection limit of 0.033 ng/mL (S/N = 3). The reliability of the dual-readout ITS was successfully demonstrated by the application on traditional Chinese medicine and environmental water samples. Due to the simultaneous rapid-qualitative and sensitive-quantitative detection, the dual-readout protocol provides a promising strategy for rapid screening and field assay on various areas such as environmental monitoring and food safety.

Colorimetric and chemiluminescent dual-readout immunochromatographic assay for detection of pesticide residues utilizing g-C3N4/BiFeO3 nanocomposites

Graphitic carbon nitride/bismuth ferrite nanocomposites (g-C3N4/BiFeO3 NCs) were synthesized by a facile one step sol-gel combustion method and employed as a peroxidase-like catalyst. Based on the catalytical activity on the luminol-H2O2 reaction, the nanocomposites were utilized as a colorimetric/chemiluminescent dual-readout immunochromatographic assay (ICA) for the multiplexed detection of pesticide residues by utilizing chlorpyrifos and carbaryl as the model analytes. In the proposed protocol, chlorpyrifos antibody and carbaryl antibody were tagged to g-C3N4/BiFeO3 NCs for developing the spatially-resolved multianalyte ICA. After two competitive immunoreactions completed on the ICA test strip, the tracer antibodies were captured by the immobilized antigens on two test lines. The accumulation of g-C3N4/BiFeO3 NCs led to the appearance of brown color, which were observed as a colorimetric and semi-quantitative signal. Furthermore, the g-C3N4/BiFeO3 NCs-driven generation of CL signal was collected as a sensitively quantitative signal after initiating the luminol-H2O2 reaction on the test lines. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of detection of chlorpyrifos and carbaryl were both 0.033ng/mL. The dual-readout ICA was successfully used to detect chlorpyrifos and carbaryl spiked in environmental water and traditional Chinese medicine samples with acceptable recovery values of 80–119% and 90–118%. Due to many advantages including low cost, time efficiency, high sensitivity and good portability, the novel ICA showed great potential in many areas such as drug safety, environmental monitoring and clinical diagnosis.

In-Syringe Binary-Solvent Liquid-Phase Microextraction for the Preconcentration of Cinnamic Acid Derivatives in Traditional Chinese Medicine Samples

An in-syringe binary-solvent liquid-phase microextraction (in-syringe BSLPME) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC/DAD) has been established and applied for the determination of four cinnamic acid derivatives (caffeic acid, p-hydroxycinnamic acid, ferulic acid, and cinnamic acid) in traditional Chinese medicine samples. In this method, 70 µL of n-pentanol/n-hexanol (5:5, v:v) mixture as extractant were added to the surface of a solution containing target analytes in a disposable syringe and the solution was manually shaken for a desired time. After the re-aggregation of binary-solvent droplets, the extraction phase was impelled out of the syringe for HPLC analysis. The variables influencing in-syringe BSLPME, such as extraction solvents (types, volume ratios, and volumes), extraction time, sample phase pH, ionic strength, sample volume, and disperser solvent, were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection were between 0.2 and 1.3 ng mL−1 with enrichment factors from 28 to 58. The calibration graphs were linear in the range of 1.0 × 10−2–7.0 µg mL−1 for caffeic acid, 1.3 × 10−3–1.9 µg mL−1 for p-hydroxycinnamic acid, 2.8 × 10−3–4.1 µg mL−1 for ferulic acid, and 2.7 × 10−3–4.1 µg mL−1 for cinnamic acid, with r 2 better than 0.9912. The precision expressed as relative standard deviation varied between 1.4 and 9.6%. In-syringe BSLPME was verified reliable for the determination of cinnamic acid derivatives in Chinese herbal medicines with recovery values from 94.2 to 106.7%. The proposed method was compared with other dispersive liquid-phase microextraction methods. Results showed that the developed method was easy-to-handle, efficient, and rapid for the analysis of active constituents in Chinese medicine samples.

Fibroin/dodecanol floating solidification microextraction for the preconcentration of trace levels of flavonoids in complex matrix samples.

A new fibroin/dodecanol floating solidification microextraction, coupled with high performance liquid chromatography, was developed and applied for enrichment and quantification of the trace flavonoids in traditional Chinese medicine and biological samples. Also, fibroin sensibilization mechanism was described, and influence of sample matrix to enrichment factor was investigated. In this method, a homogeneous fibroin/dodecanol of dispersed solution was employed as microextraction phase to flavonoids (myricetin, quercetin, isorhamnetin, chrysin, kaempferide), the several critical parameters affecting the performance, such as organic extractant, amount of fibroin in organic extractant, volume of extraction phase, dispersant, salt concentration, pH of sample phase, stirring rate, extraction time, and volume of sample phase were tested and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, enrichment factor of flavonoids ranged from 42.4 to 238.1 in different samples, excellent linearities with r2≥ 0.9968 for all analytes were achieved, limits of detection were less than or equal to 5.0ng/mL, average recoveries were 92.5% to 115.0% in different samples. The new procedure is simple, fast, low cost, environmentally friendly and high EF, it can also be applied to the concentration and enrichment of the trace flavonoids in other complex matrixes.

Highly sensitive determination of paeonol using porous alumina microfibers modified electrode

A kind of porous alumina microfibers was prepared via hydrothermal reaction, and then used to modify the carbon paste electrode (CPE). Compared with the unmodified CPE, the alumina microfibers modified CPE is more active for the oxidation of paeonol, and greatly increases the oxidation signals of paeonol. The oxidation mechanism of paeonol on the alumina microfibers modified CPE was studied. The oxidation process involves one electron and one proton. Based on the remarkable signal enhancement effects of alumina microfibers, a highly sensitive electrochemical method was developed for the determination of paeonol. The linear range is from 10 to 1000nM, and the detection limit is 6.7nM. It was used in the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine samples. The results obtained by this method and high-performance liquid chromatography are in good agreement.

Trace determination of five triazole fungicide residues in traditional Chinese medicine samples by dispersive solid-phase extraction combined with ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and UHPLC-MS/MS.

A novel and reliable method for determination of five triazole fungicide residues (triadimenol, tebuconazole, diniconazole, flutriafol, and hexaconazol) in traditional Chinese medicine samples was developed using dispersive solid-phase extraction combined with ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction before ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The clean up of the extract was conducted using dispersive solid-phase extraction by directly adding sorbents into the extraction solution, followed by shaking and centrifugation. After that, a mixture of 400μL trichloromethane (extraction solvent) and 0.5mL of the above supernatant was injected rapidly into water for the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curves showed good linearity in the range of 2.0-400 (tebuconazole, diniconazole, and hexaconazole) and 4.0-800ng/g (triadimenol and flutriafol) with the regression coefficients higher than 0.9958. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for the present method were 0.5-1.1 and 1.8-4.0ng/g, respectively. The recoveries of the target analytes ranged from 80.2 to 103.2%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the analysis of five triazole fungicides in traditional Chinese medicine samples, and satisfactory results were obtained.

Exploration of rapidly determining quality of traditional Chinese medicines by (NIR) spectroscopy based on internet sharing mode

Because of the numerous varieties of herbal species and active ingredients in the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),the traditional methods employed could hardly satisfy the current determination requirements of TCM.The present work proposed an idea to realize rapid determination of the quality of TCM based on near infrared(NIR)spectroscopy and internet sharing mode. Low cost and portable multi-source composite spectrometer was invented by our group for in-site fast measurement of spectra of TCM samples. The database could be set up by sharing spectra and quality detection data of TCM samples among TCM enterprises based on the internet platform.A novel method called as keeping same relationship between X and Y space based on K nearest neighbors(KNN-KSR for short)was applied to predict the contents of effective compounds of the samples. In addition,a comparative study between KNN-KSR and partial least squares(PLS)was conducted. Two datasets were applied to validate above idea:one was about 58 Ginkgo Folium samples samples measured with four near-infrared spectroscopy instruments and two multi-source composite spectrometers,another one was about 80 corn samples available online measured with three NIR instruments. The results show that the KNN-KSR method could obtain more reliable outcomes without correcting spectrum.However transforming the PLS models to other instruments could hardly acquire better predictive results until spectral calibration is performed. Meanwhile,the similar analysis results of total flavonoids and total lactones of Ginkgo Folium samples are achieved on the multi-source composite spectrometers and near-infrared spectroscopy instruments,and the prediction results of KNN-KSR are better than PLS. The idea proposed in present study is in urgent need of more samples spectra, and then to be verified by more case studies.

Multiplexed immunochromatographic test strip for time-resolved chemiluminescent detection of pesticide residues using a bifunctional antibody

A novel bifunctional antibody (BfAb) that could recognize methyl parathion and imidacloprid simultaneously was prepared by a hybrid hybridomas technique. Using the BfAb as the sole recognition reagent, a multiplexed immunochromatographic test strip based on a time-resolved chemiluminescence (CL) strategy was developed for quantitative detection of pesticide residues. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were used as the CL probes to label the haptens of methyl parathion and imidacloprid, respectively. After the labeled haptens competed with methyl parathion and imidacloprid to bind with the BfAb immobilized on the test strip, the two CL reactions catalyzed by the enzymes were triggered simultaneously by coreactants injection. Due to the distinct CL kinetics characteristics of HRP and ALP, the signals for methyl parathion and imidacloprid detections were collected at 2.5s and 300s, respectively. The linear ranges for methyl parathion and imidacloprid were both 0.1–250ngmL−1, with detection limits of 0.058ngmL−1 (S/N=3). The whole assay process could be accomplished within 22min. The detection results for spiked traditional Chinese medicine samples demonstrated its application potential. The proposed method provided a low-cost, facile and rapid tool for multiplexed screening of pesticide residues using single antibody.

Analysis of aflatoxins in traditional Chinese medicines: Classification of analytical method on the basis of matrix variations.

A classification system for analytical methods was developed for the first time to determine the presence of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) based on different matrix types using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A useful characteristic of the approach was that the TCMs could be systematically divided into four categories (i.e., volatile oils, proteins, polysaccharides and fatty oils) depending on the matrix types. The approach concluded that different types of TCMs required different optimal sample preparation procedures. Based on the optimized analytical conditions, the limits of detection and quantification, average recoveries and linearity of four aflatoxins were determined and conformed to research limits. Of 22 TCMs samples, 14 samples were contaminated with at least one type aflatoxin at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 7.5 μg/kg, and the average contents of aflatoxins were significantly different for the different matrix types. Moreover, we found a potential link between the contamination levels of aflatoxins and matrix types. TCMs containing fatty oils were the most susceptible to contamination by aflatoxins and followed by TCMs containing polysaccharides and proteins; TCMs containing abundant amounts of volatile oils were less prone to contamination.

An ultra-facile and label-free immunoassay strategy for detection of copper (II) utilizing chemiluminescence self-enhancement of Cu (II)-ethylenediaminetetraacetate chelate

The establishment of facile, rapid, sensitive and cost-effective protocols for the detection of heavy metals is of great significance for human health and environmental monitoring. Hereby, an ultra-facile and label-free immunoassay strategy was designed for detecting heavy metal ion by using Cu (II) as the model analyte. Cu (II) reacted previously with ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) was captured by immobilized monoclonal antibody for Cu (II)-EDTA chelate. Then Cu (II) was detected based on the self-enhancing effect of Cu (II)-EDTA chelate to luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescence reaction. The CL intensity is linear relative with Cu (II) concentration in a very wide range of 1.0–1000ng/mL, with a detection limit of 0.33ng/mL (S/N=3). Since the specificity of this proposed strategy relied on both the specificity of monoclonal antibody and the specificity of luminol-H2O2 system, it could avoid interference from most common ions. The proposed method was used successfully to detect Cu (II) in traditional Chinese medicine and environmental water samples with acceptable recovery values of 82–113%. This proof-of-principle work demonstrated the feasibility of the label-free immunoassay for heavy metal ions, and opened a new avenue for rapid screening and field assay for drug safety, environmental monitoring and clinical diagnosis.

Exploring bitterness of traditional Chinese medicine samples by potentiometric electronic tongue and by capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography coupled to UV detection

Instrumental bitterness assessment of traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCM) preparations was addressed in this study. Three different approaches were evaluated, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to UV detector (HPLC), capillary electrophoresis coupled to UV detector (CE) and a potentiometric multisensor system – electronic tongue (ET). Most studies involving HPLC and CE separations use these as selective instruments for quantification of individual substances. However we employed these techniques to provide chromatographic or electrophoretic sample profiles. These profiles are somewhat analogous to the profiles produced by the ET. Profiles from all instruments were then related to professional sensory panel evaluations using projections on latent structures (PLS) regression. It was found that all three methods allow for bitterness assessment in TCM samples in terms of human sensory panel with root mean squared errors of prediction ca. 0.9 within bitterness scale from 0 (no bitterness) to 6 (maximal bitterness).

Evaluation of the effects of active fractions of chinese medicine formulas on IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α release from ANA-1 murine macrophages

Ethnopharmacological relevanceYaotongning (YTN) is a traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that contains ten component medicinal materials (CMMs) and uses Chinese rice wine as a vehicle to enhance its efficacy. YTN has been used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment in China for decades and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, as well as to strengthen the immune system. Aim of the studyThe present work quantitatively evaluated the in vitro effects of active fractions from the ten CMMs that make up YTN and eight additional herbs commonly used in TCM formulas for RA treatment, as well as different combinations of these active fractions, on cellular immune response; the findings were used to determine which active fractions are responsible for promoting an immune response, and to assess whether YTN is superior to other similar formulas and whether YTN can be improved by simplifying its formula from the point of its cellular immunomodulatory activity. Materials and methodsUsing the YTN formulation principles and some concepts in combinatorial chemistry, 27 TCM samples were designed by combining some or all of the active fractions of YTN and other eight herbs used for RA treatment. Release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) from ANA-1 murine macrophages was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The immunoregulatory effects of the TCM samples were evaluated by comparing their half-effective concentrations (EC50) for stimulating the release of these cytokines. ResultsAmong the investigated active fractions, the flavonoids from Carthamus tinctorius (Fct), Davallia mariesii (Fdm), and Cinnamomum cassia Twig volatile oils (Vca) from the eight selected herbs effectively promoted IL-1β and IL-6 release from ANA-1 cells. Saponins from the YTN CMM Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Sgu) were the most potent promoters of IL-1β and TNF-α release. The aqueous extract of YTN CMM Eupolyphaga sinensis (Ves) strongly enhanced the release of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α from ANA-1 cells. The EC50 values for stimulating the secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α could be determined for only six samples. The full YTN formula and the sample containing 50% Glycyrrhiza uralensis saponins, 25% of the mixture of alkaloids, and 25% of the mixture of all flavonoids exhibited good comprehensive cellular immunomodulatory activity. The immunomodulatory activity of the complete YTN formula was better than that of the sample containing all active fractions of YTN without Chinese rice wine (the YTN vehicle). ConclusionsSgu and Ves are the primary active fractions of YTN involved in stimulating immune responses. The YTN prescription was reasonably effective at promoting cellular immune responses. Chinese rice wine, the YTN vehicle, strengthened the immunoregulatory activity of YTN. The results of this study demonstrate that the YTN recipe could be improved by reducing the number of CMMs and altering some active fractions without reducing its activity to promote cellular immune responses.

Integration of hydride generation and photochemical vapor generation for multi-element analysis of traditional Chinese medicine by ICP-OES

A dual-mode chemical vapor generation (DM-CVG) sample introduction system that integrates hydride generation (HG) and photochemical vapor generation (PVG) was coupled to a commercial inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) for simultaneous multi-element analysis of traditional Chinese medicine samples for trace hydride-forming elements and non–hydride-forming elements. Three hydride-forming elements (Cd, As, and Ge) and two non–hydride-forming but photochemical vapor–generating elements (Co and Ni) were selected as target elements to validate the proposed method. Optimum experimental conditions for DM-CVG-ICP-OES were carefully investigated, and satisfactory limits of detection (LODs), 0.2–1.4μgL−1, and relative standard deviations (RSDs), 1.3%–4.6%, were obtained for these target elements. A certified reference celery sample (GBW10048) was used to investigate the feasibility of the proposed method for real analysis. Strong suppression on the PVG efficiency occurred either when little nitric acid residue or some unknown coexisting materials remained in the sample solutions. Complete acid-evaporation/catching and moderate dilution of the digests could effectively alleviate this negative effect. Four different acid-evaporation/catching methods were performed and compared. Catching acid by adding an appropriate volume of formic acid gave the best signal response and the results agreed well with the certified values. Satisfactory analytical results were also obtained in real sample analysis of TCM Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C. Ling.

Preparation of fluorine functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for fast extraction and analysis of perfluorinated compounds from traditional Chinese medicine samples

Magnetic solid-phase extraction for the enrichment of PFCs from sample solution.

The HTS barcode checkerpipeline, a tool for automated detection of illegally traded species from high-throughput sequencing data

BackgroundMixtures of internationally traded organic substances can contain parts of species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). These mixtures often raise the suspicion of border control and customs offices, which can lead to confiscation, for example in the case of Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). High-throughput sequencing of DNA barcoding markers obtained from such samples provides insight into species constituents of mixtures, but manual cross-referencing of results against the CITES appendices is labor intensive. Matching DNA barcodes against NCBI GenBank using BLAST may yield misleading results both as false positives, due to incorrectly annotated sequences, and false negatives, due to spurious taxonomic re-assignment. Incongruence between the taxonomies of CITES and NCBI GenBank can result in erroneous estimates of illegal trade.ResultsThe HTS barcode checker pipeline is an application for automated processing of sets of 'next generation’ barcode sequences to determine whether these contain DNA barcodes obtained from species listed on the CITES appendices. This analytical pipeline builds upon and extends existing open-source applications for BLAST matching against the NCBI GenBank reference database and for taxonomic name reconciliation. In a single operation, reads are converted into taxonomic identifications matched with names on the CITES appendices. By inclusion of a blacklist and additional names databases, the HTS barcode checker pipeline prevents false positives and resolves taxonomic heterogeneity.ConclusionsThe HTS barcode checker pipeline can detect and correctly identify DNA barcodes of CITES-protected species from reads obtained from TCM samples in just a few minutes. The pipeline facilitates and improves molecular monitoring of trade in endangered species, and can aid in safeguarding these species from extinction in the wild. The HTS barcode checker pipeline is available at https://github.com/naturalis/HTS-barcode-checker.

Evaluation of the mutagenicity of a traditional Chinese medicine Radix isatidis root by modified Ames tests, SOS/umu and SOS/rec tests

Radix isatidis root (RIR), the root of plant Isatis indigotica Fort., is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been commonly used in China to control upper respiratory tract infections. However, the genetic toxicity of RIR has not been well studied and is the focus of this paper. RIR gave positive results in the Ames test at some doses; and gave positive results in modified Ames tests at a few doses. RIR gave negative results in SOS/umu-lacZ tests. In addition, RIR gave negative results in the mammalian bone marrow chromosomal aberration test and TK gene mutation test. Because the concentrations of RIR in the above tests were all greatly higher than the commonly clinical dose, it could be summarized that at the commonly used clinical dose, RIR showed a negative response in the Ames test, the umu/lacZ test, the TK gene mutation test and the mammalian bone marrow cell chromosomal aberration test. Moreover, different tests sometimes gave conflicting results which may be due to their different sensitivities. This suggests that it is important to choose the appropriate test method when assessing the mutagenicity of traditional Chinese medicine samples.