Isolation and structural elucidation of abietic acid as the main adulterant in an herbal drug for the treatment of psoriasis.

Abstract

An herbal drug for the treatment of psoriasis showed severe clinical adverse reactions. The main component of adulterant was isolated from the drug and its chemical structure was elucidated as abietic acid using NMR, HR-MS, and HPLC-DAD-MS. Although abietic acid had ever been used in clinical study for the treatment of psoriasis, it is not an approved drug. Its adulteration is very dangerous for the patients.

• Authors: Yi He, Yumei Zhang, Jing Lu, Ruichao Lin
• Journal: Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis (J Pharm Biomed Anal) Vol. 66 Pg. 345-8 (Jul 2012) ISSN: 1873-264X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22482903 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Abietanes
• Dermatologic Agents
• Plant Extracts
• abietic acid

Topics

• Abietanes (isolation & purification)
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid (methods)
• Dermatologic Agents (adverse effects, analysis, standards)
• Drug Contamination
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (methods)
• Mass Spectrometry (methods)
• Plant Extracts (adverse effects, analysis, standards)
• Psoriasis (drug therapy)