Clinical Evaluation of Urinary Detection of WADA-Prohibited Substances from Herbal Prescriptions

Abstract

Some athletes consume herbal preparations for purposes such as recovery, injury treatment, or health promotion, often without awareness of the potential risks associated with prohibited substances. Previous cases have raised concern that such products may lead to unintentional doping, particularly when complex formulations influence the metabolism and persistence of prohibited compounds in the body. To address these concerns and provide scientific evidence, this study was designed to systematically evaluate the risks associated with herbal medicine consumption in athletes. Five commercially available herbal preparations containing representative WADA-prohibited components such as Ephedra (Ma-huang), Pinellia (Ban-ha), Aconite (Buja), Asarum (Sesin), and Lindera (Oyak) were selected. The formulations were administered to human volunteers according to recommended dosages, and urine samples were collected nine times over a 7-day period. Samples were prepared by solid-phase extraction and analyzed using LC–MS/MS to screen more than 400 prohibited substances and their metabolites. This research aims to clarify the potential for unintentional doping through herbal medicine consumption and to provide a scientific basis for preventive measures. By combining analytical toxicology with clinical evaluation, the study is expected to contribute to athlete health protection, the standardization of herbal medicine, and the development of evidence-based anti-doping policies.