The demand for plant-derived phytomedicines is increasing and, consequently, manufacturers are having to widen their sources of the plant extracts which are their raw materials
Many of these extracts are imported from overseas, particularly Asia, and quality is often variable depending on how the extraction step has been carried out.
In addition, extracts from one part of a plant may have different chemical properties to those taken from another part of the plant: for example, compounds extracted from the root of the ginseng plant have a much higher activity than those extracted from the leaves.
Hence, a high quality assay of raw materials is vital in ensuring that quantities of active substances in the final phytomedical products are consistent, and that the products are efficacious. To assist analysts involved in identifying the authenticity of a plant or part of a plant, LGC Promochem has announced a new range of phytochemical reference standards manufactured by ChromaDex. Active phytochemical substances are often rare or difficult to extract, which makes them expensive.
Because they are also mainly used in small quantities, ChromaDex sought to develop a system for delivering standards more economically to a wider group of users and for this it turned to Cerilliant, a company with 20 years experience in the production of chemical reference materials, and the founder of the now well-established Snap-n-Shoot system of standards delivery.
The collaboration has led to the production of a range of Snap-n-Shoot ampoules of 0.01mg phytochemical reference standards in solution, offering reduced preparation time and increased testing consistency.
The ampoules are sealed, making the materials virtually contamination-proof.
Sealing under argon reduces the risk of degradation of air or moisture sensitive materials, while changes in concentration due to solvent evaporation are eliminated even if the ampoule is stored for an extended period.
The ampoules are silanised to minimise any interaction between the material and active sites on the glass, which is amber-coloured to prevent photo-degradation of light-sensitive materials.
