journal of food and drug analysis 21 (2013) 310e316

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Original Article Authenticating the use of dried in the traditional Chinese medicine market in using molecular forensics

Chia-Hao Chang a,b, Nian-Hong Jang-Liaw c, Yeong-Shin Lin b,d, Yi-Chiao Fang d, Kwang-Tsao Shao a,* a Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC b Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC c Department, Taipei Zoo, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC d Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC article info abstract

Article history: , which has a unique appearance and exhibits male pregnancy, is a useful Received 1 December 2012 component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). With the growing demand for TCM, vast Received in revised form amounts of seahorses are harvested from the wild every year and traded internationally. 23 January 2013 This study investigated 58 dried seahorse samples collected from 23 Chinese herbal Accepted 3 April 2013 medicine stores across Taiwan using molecular forensics. Results showed that eight sea- Available online 7 August 2013 horse species were present in the Taiwan TCM market. Among them, Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) has an endangered status according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, while the West African seahorse (Hippocampus algiricus), tiger tail seahorse (Hippocampus comes), thorny seahorse (Hippocampus histrix), Keywords: great seahorse (Hippocampus kelloggi), yellow seahorse (), hedgehog sea- IUCN Red List horse (Hippocampus spinosissimus), and three-spot seahorse (Hippocampus trimaculatus) have Molecular forensics vulnerable status. Seahorse Copyright ª 2013, Food and Drug Administration, Taiwan. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction suitable conditions [4]. This one-of-a-kind biological feature makes seahorses very appealing to the public, making it even Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.), one of the most appealing more important to conserve them [5]. groups of 300 known species in the family , are Seahorses that feature in traditional medicine, aquarium celebrated for their distinctive appearances [1]. They are display, and curiosities are internationally traded; the number found in wide longitudinal and latitudinal areas [2] and all of Hippocampus species that are traded in the global market exhibit male pregnancy [3]. After receiving eggs from females, annually has been estimated to be about 20 million [6]. Most of male seahorses fertilize eggs in specialized abdominal them are sold as dried traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pouches; the eggs develop into embryos therein, under materials rather than live as aquarium pets [7,8]. A clear

* Corresponding author. Ecology & Evolution Laboratory, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Sec. 2, Nankang Taipei 11529 Taiwan, ROC. E-mail address: [email protected] (K.-T. Shao). 1021-9498/$ e see front matter Copyright ª 2013, Food and Drug Administration, Taiwan. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2013.07.010 journal of food and drug analysis 21 (2013) 310e316 311

picture has emerged about the curative activities of seahorses was employed to identify the species of specimens because researchers have found out that, in addition to their obtained from the Taiwan market. traditional use in treating erectile dysfunction [6,9], seahorses also exhibit a