Herbal remedies not what they seem, say Canadian researchers

Billions of dollars are spent around the world each year on unproven herbal supplements that promise everything from fighting off colds to curbing hot flushes and boosting memory.

But now there is a new reason for supplement buyers to beware: DNA tests show that many pills labelled as healing herbs are little more than powdered rice and weeds.

Using a test called DNA barcoding, a kind of genetic fingerprinting that has also been used to help uncover labelling fraud in the commercial seafood industry, Canadian researchers tested 44 bottles of popular supplements sold by 12 companies.

They found that many were not what they claimed to be, and that pills labelled as popular herbs were often diluted - or replaced entirely - by cheap fillers such as soybean, wheat and rice.

Consumer advocates and scientists say the research provides more evidence that the herbal supplement industry is riddled with questionable practices. Industry representatives argue the problems are not widespread.

For the study, the researchers selected popular medicinal herbs, and then randomly bought different brands of those products from stores and outlets in Canada and the United States. They did not disclose any product names.