Herbal medicines are growing in popularity, use and commercial value; however, there remain problems with the quality and consequently safety of these products. Adulterated, contaminated and fraudulent products are often found on the market, a risk compounded by the fact that these products are available to consumers with little or no medical advice. Current regulations and quality control methods are lacking in their ability to combat these serious problems. Metabolomics is a biochemical profiling tool that may help address these issues if applied to quality control of both raw ingredients and final products. Using the example of the popular herbal medicine, ginseng, this essay offers an overview of the potential use of metabolomics for quality control in herbal medicines and also highlights where more research is needed.
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December 2016
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The metabolome consists of a collection of biomolecules present in cells, tissues, or body fl uids in a certain moment or physiological situation. It refl ects an individual’s genetic background and is modulated by environmental factors such as diet and physical activity. Metabolomics is the comprehensive study of the entire metabolome, made possible due to advances in the areas of mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance, allowing the systematic investigation of the metabolome in various biological specimens. Metabolic profi les generated through metabolomic approaches can offer insights into pathophysiological mechanisms associated with nutrient dependent dysfunction or disease and targeted therapeutic approaches. Image supplied by Philip Newsholme and Rodrigo Carless - PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
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Review Article|
December 15 2016
The application of metabolomics for herbal medicine pharmacovigilance: a case study on ginseng
Essays Biochem (2016) 60 (5): 429–435.
Article history
Received:
July 26 2016
Revision Received:
October 12 2016
Accepted:
October 14 2016
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