Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is enjoying increasing popularity all over the world - to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars each year, making it Big Business.

Yet there are concerns. Two molecular genetics studies show that the treatments can be harmful, as well, because not all of their ingredients are listed, or even legal, some can cause cancer and proponents often simply do not know what they are doing when making combinations. 

Chinese medicine has benefits, obviously. Tu Youyou isolated artemisinin, which is now the world's most important malaria drug, from an ancient Chinese medicine. But critics have long warned that some mixtures can also contain naturally occurring toxins, contaminants like heavy metals, added substances such as steroids that make them appear more effective, and traces of animals that are endangered and trade-restricted.


Want some goat and sheep DNA with your critically endangered illegal Saiga antelope? Chinese medicine is for you! Credit: M. L. Coghlan et al., PLoS Genetics, 8 (April 2012)

Researchers at Murdoch University in Australia have investigated the problem using modern sequencing technology. The team, based at the university's Australian Wildlife Forensic Services and Ancient DNA Laboratory in Perth, analyzed 15 samples of traditional Chinese medicine seized by Australian border officials.

Kai Kupferschmidt at Science has the details.

Citation: Coghlan ML, Haile J, Houston J, Murray DC, White NE, et al. (2012) Deep Sequencing of Plant and Animal DNA Contained within Traditional Chinese Medicines Reveals Legality Issues and Health Safety Concerns. PLoS Genet 8(4): e1002657. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1002657