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Experts have used DNA barcoding to determine herbal drugs’ composition.
STATES CHRONICLE – Authorities are analyzing herbal drugs after experts have discovered that part of these pills doesn’t even contain herbs. Eric Schneiderman, an Attorney General from New York, claimed that he, together with NBTY, made a pact, trying to reveal if their herbal supplements really include plants and herbs. The NBTY’s products were thoroughly evaluated to assure consumers that they detain the natural properties they are claimed to have. NBTY’s cornerstone is in Ronkonkoma, New York. This company has over 10 thousand employees in the whole world. The centers responsible for packaging, manufacturing, distribution and warehouse are placed in the US and Canada.
US Today publishes the information regarding Schneiderman’s sponsoring of the study from 2015 which revealed the composition of various herbal drugs. The experiment made use of DNA testing and the information that was unveiled was disappointing. Those medicines that were tested showed that the herbs available on their label were not also available in their substance. The companies used as stuffing powdered rice which took the place of other much more effective herbs. On supplements’ label, there were attested various herbs like Ginkgo Biloba, ginseng, and other 22 thousand plants which were not at all in the composition. These products become available on the market in shops like Walgreens, Target, GNC, and Walmart.
Stratis Philippis, the general counsel of NBTY, assured USA Today that DNA technology is new and it is thought to suffer an improvement, becoming completely trustworthy in the future when testing the authenticity of herbal drugs. He also argued that his pharmaceutical company did not fail to meet FDA requirements or other criterion imposed by this industry. NBTY managed to reach an agreement with Schneiderman, the Attorney General.
Through this new technology recently revealed by scientists, DNA barcoding is assumed to become an important way of determining whether a pill contains allergens or other ingredients which are not specified on their label.
Schneiderman asserts that herbal drugs’ consumers need to be reassured through this test that whatever is written on the bottle it can also be found in the composition of the meds. Some pharmaceutical companies need to gain back their customer’s trust.
Do you believe that this new DNA barcoding technology will drive some pharmaceutical companies to bankruptcy? How natural do you think those herbal drugs are compared to what the producers state?
Image source: pixabay
