Biologic fingerprinting as a novel approach for the authentication of medicinal plants
Peptides and proteins have long been neglected as putative active ingredients in herbal medicine. Many believe that they are susceptible to denaturation during the decoction process and digestion by gastrointestinal enzymes. Thus, few understand the role of plant peptides beyond nutrition. Howeve...
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| Format: | Theses and Dissertations |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10356/55775 |
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| Institution: | Nanyang Technological University |
| Language: | English |
| Summary: | Peptides and proteins have long been neglected as putative active ingredients in herbal medicine. Many believe that they are susceptible to denaturation during the decoction process and digestion by gastrointestinal enzymes. Thus, few understand the role of plant peptides beyond nutrition.
However, the discovery of cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) in plants suggests otherwise. Owing to the structural stability provided by multiple disulfide linkages, CRPs exhibit considerable tolerance to heat and enzymatic degradation, suggesting that they may be unexplored active ingredients in herbs.
My hypothesis is that the CRP profiles of plants are unique and can be used as biologic fingerprints for the identification and authentication of herbal medicine. Using mass spectrometry, over 332 plants and herbal products were screened. The results presented demonstrate how this novel approach can be used to identify and distinguish between commonly mistaken herbs. |
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