Rapid identification and detection of aristolochic acids in the herbal extracts by Raman spectroscopy

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Vol. 300; p. 122918
• Main Authors: Lin, Chin-Chung, Lin, Pei-Ying, Han, Zhenyuan, Tsai, Chen-Yu, Beck, David E., Hsieh, Shuchen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 05.11.2023
• Subjects: Aristolochic acids; Herbs; Silver nanoparticles; Surface-enhanced Raman scattering; Herbs; Aristolochic acids; Surface-enhanced Raman scattering; Silver nanoparticles
• ISSN: 1386-1425; 1873-3557
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122918

[Display omitted] •Ag-APS nanoparticles identify and quantify aristolochic acid I (AAI) in herbal extracts.•This method is applicable to traditional Chinese herbal extracts.•Detection limit of AAI using SERS is 40 nM. Herbs containing aristolochic acids (AAs) have already been proven to be highly carcinogenic and nephrotoxic. In this study, a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) identification method was developed. Ag-APS nanoparticles with a particle size of 3.53 ± 0.92 nm were produced by combining silver nitrate and 3-aminopropylsilatrane. The reaction between the carboxylic acid group of aristolochic acid I (AAI) and amine group of Ag-APS NPs was used to form amide bonds, and thus, concentrate AAI, rendering it easy to detect via SERS and amplified to obtain the best SERS enhancement effect. Detection limit was calculated to be approximately 40 nM. Using the SERS method, AAI was successfully detected in the samples of four Chinese herbal medicines containing AAI. Therefore, this method has a high potential to be applied in the future development of AAI analysis and rapid qualitative and quantitative analysis of AAI in dietary supplements and edible herbs.