Perkin Elmer has announced that its inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) technology can help ensure that traditional Chinese herbal medicines comply with safety guidelines.
Perkin Elmer said that traditional Chinese herbal medicines are generally perceived by consumers as being natural and having few side effects.
Due to the complexity of the medicinal plants, their inherent biological variation and environmental influences, including water sources, soil conditions, fertilisers and manufacturing processes, it is essential to evaluate the safety, efficacy and quality of these herbal ingredients to ensure consumer safety.
Awareness of the potential for contamination has led to the increased demand for quantitative evaluation of inorganic impurities.
The Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010 (CP 2010) guidelines, due to take effect later this year, will set legal limitations on the levels of certain critical elements, including lead and arsenic, in medicinal products intended for frequent use by infants and the elderly.
Perkin Elmer's range of Elan ICP-MS instruments, as well as the Nexion 300 ICP-MS, which are claimed to combine superior detection limits with high sample throughput, can help to assess traditional Chinese herbal ingredients for CP 2010 compliance.
Designed for the quantification of elemental isotopic concentrations and ratios, Perkin Elmer's Elan ICP-MS range offers multi-element capacity, allowing the detection of multiple analytes per sample to enable quicker analysis.
Operating at or below the parts-per-trillion detection range, Elan ICP-MS systems can provide the levels of sensitivity and reproducibility necessary for the accurate determination of the inorganic profile of Chinese herbal medicines.
