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Health See other Health Articles Title: DNA tests uncover hazards in Chinese therapies A host of potential toxins, allergens and traces of endangered animals showed up in DNA sequencing tests on 15 Chinese traditional medicines, researchers said on Thursday. Such therapies have been used in China for more than 3,000 years, but have risen in popularity outside Asia in recent decades and now amount to a global industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year, according to the study in PLoS Genetics. Despite their popularity, little scientific evidence exists to prove the benefits of Chinese traditional medicines (TCMs), and a growing body of research has begun to point to their potential dangers. The samples analyzed for this study included herbal teas, capsules, powders and flakes that were seized by Australian border officials and were subsequently tested by scientists at Australia's Murdoch University. Plant agents suspected of causing urinary tract and kidney cancer such as Aristolochic acid, as well as the potentially poisonous herb ephedra were among the dangerous elements found. "TCMs have a long cultural history, but today consumers need to be aware of the legal and health safety issues before adopting them as a treatment option," said lead researcher Michael Bunce, a Murdoch University Australian Research Council Future Fellow. Some of the 68 different plant families that were detected in the 15 samples can be toxic if taken in the wrong doses, but the packaging did not list the concentrations of the elements inside, he said. "We also found traces from trade restricted animals that are classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, including the Asiatic black bear and Saiga antelope" he said, adding that some contained ingredients that were not included on the label. "A product labeled as 100 percent Saiga antelope contained considerable quantities of goat and sheep DNA," he said. "Another product, Mongnan Tianbao pills, contained deer and cow DNA, the latter of which may violate some religious or cultural strictures." Performing any in-depth analysis of the biological elements contained in traditional therapies has been difficult in the past because the act of processing ingredients into powders and pills mingled the components too much. But the approach used by researchers for this study, described as second-generation, high throughput sequencing, was both efficient and cost-effective, said researcher Megan Coghlan. "The approach has the ability to unravel complex mixtures of plant and animal products," she said. "We found multiple samples that contained DNA from animals listed as trade-restricted according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Legislation. Put simply, these TCMs are not legal." Future tests could help customs officials track the illegal trade of endangered species as well as clamp down on dangerous ingredients, she added. Poster Comment: From among comments: Bill • This has nothing to do with China and everything to do with money $$$. Traditional oriental medicine has much to offer and yes, some of it like modern Prescription medicines does not work the way we would like. This attack is orchestrated by international Pharma giants like Pyzer, Lily, Glaxo, Novartis, Wyeth, who want to destroy their competition. They try to do this through baseless attacks or television commercials during the six oclock news. I have more faith in 5000 year old medicine than I do in the modern giants. Some things work for us and others do not. What do we support? The modern super corporations who sell drugs for a huge profit or traditional ways of creating better health? +5 Silveril • Phenix, Virginia • I disagree with this, I am a type two diabetic and rely on insulin, on my trip to China, my insulin got broken. After the third day there, I told my wife I needed to go to the hospital, her mother asked what was wrong, for she saw I was pale and getting sick, my wife translated to her mother about my insulin, she went out and purchased some dried bitter melon, made me a tea of it, after the second glass, my blood sugar level had dropped back to normal, I spent the whole month in China, drinking before and after each meal this tea, it controlled my blood sugar level better than my prescription insulin. When I got back to the USA, I told my Doctor what happen, he told me that it is against the law for any doctor to tell anyone about herbal remedy, whether they work or not, that he as a doctor has to proscribe a prescription medicine for any disease, or he can be kicked out of the medical profession Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
While you may be able to use a tea to control diabetes, that probably won't work for everyone. Finding out more about the ingredients of traditional Chinese medicines will help to determine what makes the effective ones work, which ones are ineffective, and will help to protect designated endangered species. There is nothing wrong with finding out more about the contents of medicines or any product.
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