Species-origin identification of the deer in the Purtier Placenta Live Stem Cell Therapy by DNA typing

Purtier Placenta Live Stem Cell Therapy is a food supplement by Riway Singapore Pte. Ltd., claimed to contain living deer placenta stem cells together with 11 other active ingredients. It is also promoted as maintaining health and youthfulness and as being supported by numerous patents and research trials. Individual ingredients are accompanied by many other statements implying that Purtier Placenta can alleviate or cure diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, none of these claims is traceable in clinical trial registries, and the mechanism allowing stem cells to be alive in the capsule and be effectively delivered to the body via the digestive tract does not seem plausible. Consequently, authorities in the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, and Singapore have issued public warnings or imposed penalties in relation to misleading claims. Nevertheless, the product has gained popularity among Czech oncological patients, who perceive it as a magic cure. This paper describes a three-stage testing process designed to verify the species origin of the declared main ingredient. Using barcoding primer mixes, melting analysis, and Sanger sequencing with species-specific primers against seven reference species, we tested whether the capsule content corresponded to the red deer (Cervus elaphus) depicted on the official website (https://www.officialpurtier.com). Our analysis identified that DNA extracted from the 6th Edition capsule was primarily Rusa unicolor/timorensis, with minor components of Dama dama and Cervus elaphus. Although the main component was confirmed to be of deer origin, the lack of specific information and the wording of the marketing materials may be misleading.