Many herbal products mislabeled, contain allergens as fillers

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Many modern medicines are derived from plant products, with the active chemical components having been identified and made synthetically. But there are plenty of plants that have (or are thought to have) medicinal properties that haven't been turned into pharmaceuticals. That fact, along with a misguided sense that "natural" probably means "better," has helped turn herbal remedies and supplements into a multi-billion dollar business.

Unlike the strict regulatory oversight faced by the pharmaceutical industry, however, herbal products are a bit of a Wild West. Those selling them are simply forbidden from making specific medical claims. In light of that, a group of Canadian researchers have now confirmed that the results are exactly what one might expect: mislabeled products, lots of filler, and plant material that can be allergenic or cause reactions that can threaten health.

The researchers relied on a technique called DNA barcoding, which relies on finding genes that are highly conserved through evolution so that every organism has a copy that will be nearly identical. This technique enables the design of DNA primers that will allow the sequence to be amplified from just about any species out there. Sets of primers for plants, animals, fungi, etc. have all been designed.