Analysis of Herbal Medicines by ICPE-9000

Introduction

The use of herbal medicines as an alternative to traditional western medicine has been increasing, and consequently this trend has been accompanied by heightened interest and concern regarding the quality and safety of herbal medicines. Herbal medicines— medicinal products that naturally contain a variety of flora and fauna, bacteria, minerals, etc—are currently utilized as medications (over-the-counter drugs), foods, functional foods, and dietary supplements without purification of their active ingredients. Herbal medicines that are used as pharmaceuticals are subject to standards associated with their behavior, chemical properties, and safety as specified in official regulations, including the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. Safety is assessed using limit testing, including heavy metals testing and arsenic limit testing. However, since the biological effects of heavy metals vary depending on the metal, testing of metal content is required for each metal. Here, we present the results of our analysis of herbal medicines using the Shimadzu ICPE-9000 multi- type ICP emission spectrometer.

November 9, 2012 GMT