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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Composition and Methods Development Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266416
Title: A flow-injection mass spectrometry fingerprinting method for authentication and quality assessment of Scutellaria lateriflora-based dietary supplements

Author
item SUN, JIANGHAO - Johns Hopkins University
item Chen, Pei

Submitted to: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/6/2011
Publication Date: 7/25/2011
Citation: Sun, J., Chen, P. 2011. A flow-injection mass spectrometry fingerprinting method for authentication and quality assessment of Scutellaria lateriflora-based dietary supplements. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 401:1577-1584.

Interpretive Summary: Scutellaria lateriflora, commonly known as skullcap, is used as an ingredient in numerous herbal products and dietary supplements. However, it has been occasionally adulterated/contaminated with Teucrium canadense and/or Teucrium chamaedrys, commonly known as germander. Germander looks so similar to skullcap that even botanist have difficulties distinguishing between the 2 species. Moreover, germanders are known toxic plants that may damage the liver if ingested. Despite this, analytical methodologies for the authentication and quality assessment Scutellaria lateriflora based dietary supplements have not been reported. I'm addition, there is no data on the qualities of Scutellaria lateriflora based dietary supplements sold in US.

Technical Abstract: Scutellaria lateriflora, commonly known as skullcap, is used as an ingredient in numerous herbal products. However, it has been occasionally adulterated/contaminated with Teucrium canadense and/or Teucrium chamaedrys, commonly known as germander, due to the morphological similarities between the two genera. Despite the potential hepatotoxic diterpenes of germander , analytical methodologies for the authentication and quality assessment Scutellaria lateriflora based dietary supplements have not been reported. In this study, a flow injection electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (ESI/MS) fingerprinting method in combination with principal component analysis (PCA) was used to survey Scutellaria lateriflora based dietary supplements sold in the US to ensure public safety.