Scope: An herbal extract should be made by using “Herbal Standards for Extractions”. This age old process is time consuming and expensive. The higher the % of standardization, the more costly the product. (Ex. Typically herbs standardized to 1% are less expensive than herbs standardized to 20%, in the same species).
The Problem: With the dramatic growth in the botanical industry over the past 10 years, suppliers and manufactures have fought to gain the competitive advantage. Their solution was to illegally spike or adulterate herbs with synthetic drugs that matched the active constituent of the standardized herb.
Examples:
| Herb & Active: | Drug Used: |
|---|---|
| Ma Haung standardized to ephedrine | Ephedrine HCL |
| Pseudoephedrine | |
| Kola Nut standardized to caffeine | Caffeine Anhydrous |
| Guarana standardized to caffeine | Caffeine Anhydrous |
| Sida Cordifolia standardized to ephedrine | Ephedrine HCL |
| Others: | Added Constituent: |
| Garcinia Cambogia Extract standardized to hydroxycitric acid |
Citric Acid |
| White Willow Bark Extract standardized to sallins |
Sialic Acid |
The Danger: Synthetic drugs act differently in the body than do the naturally occurring constituents.
These active drugs that are being added to herbs are addictive, dangerous and may cause death. Consumers are trusting that when they buy a herbal product from a health store that they are getting a safe effective tool for improving the quality of their life. These herbal products are supposed to be an alternative to drugs. BUT ARE THEY?
Dr. Jeff Golini, the Executive Scientist at BioCeuticals Research & Development Analytical Laboratory (division of All American Pharmaceutical) discovered in 1993, that many herbs were being spiked. After this amazing discovery, Dr. Golini went to work on developing a sophisticated testing method to be able to achieve 100% validation in detecting those herbal products which are adulterated with undisclosed and unwanted synthetics. Dr. Golini utilizes High Performance Liquid Chromatography, UV Visibility, and high-powered Electric Microscopes, to start off the examination. To determine, quantify, qualify, and detect those nasty unwanted synthetics, Dr. Golini relies on Bran+Luebbe’s Patented Fourier Transform High Performance Crystal Spectroscopy equipment; utilizing the advanced science of Near InfraRed (NIR).
Dr. Jeff Golini has pioneered and been labeled the ‘Founding Father’ of NIR in the Nutraceutical Industry. Using a Bran + Luebbe FTNIR InfraProver II for his analytical research, cluster models were developed to test for these unwanted impurities and spiked drugs. Utilizing the BOM Cluster Analysis, each and every molecule is checked to determine if the herb is completely of botanical origin. Many scientist throughout the world have called this BOM Cluster Analysis the greatest analytical breakthrough since the development of the science of Near InfraRed itself. The scientist and his analysis are only as good as the technology behind them. Dr. Golini’s BOM Cluster Analysis matched with a Bran+Luebbe InfraProver II, is what makes the whole thing work.
Bran+Luebbe uses crystal technology, the patented InfraProver optics utilizes the birefringent properties of crystal wedges combined with polarization techniques to create a unique Fourier Transform Near Infrared (FT-NIR) analyzer. This unique optics design replaces grating technology. With crystal FT-NIR, both components of light travel through exactly the same optical path length, eliminating the error due to recombining beams observed with traditional FT systems.
Dr. Golini states, “Getting back to what God intended us to do with his natural herbal creations, provide safe and natural alternatives to dangerous drugs, is our goal. With our discovery and research, consumers can now feel safe about the herbs they consume.”