TY - JOUR
T1 - Authentication is fundamental for standardization of Chinese medicines
AU - ZHAO, Zhongzhen
AU - Hu, Yani
AU - LIANG, Zhitao
AU - Yuen, Jessie Pui Sai
AU - JIANG, Zhi Hong
AU - LEUNG, Kelvin S Y
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2011 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2006/8
Y1 - 2006/8
N2 - Chinese medicines (CMs) are being used more and more widely throughout the world. Since there are many poisoning incidents caused by misuse or confusion of CMs, their safe use has become a critical issue internationally. In this paper, based on the investigation of the current market of CMs, reasons for various confusions of Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) are analyzed and clarified, such as herbs with multiple sources, regional custom-herbs, confusion in nomenclature, similarity in appearance, and complexity of processed products. Authentication of plant material is critical to the safe and effective use of CMM. In this paper, several authentication methods, such as taxonomy, morphology, microscopy, physical and chemical authentication, DNA molecular biology and their advanced applications in this area, are introduced. Furthermore, it is proposed that an authority on the authentication of CMM be established, as a physical institution and/or as an electronic database.
AB - Chinese medicines (CMs) are being used more and more widely throughout the world. Since there are many poisoning incidents caused by misuse or confusion of CMs, their safe use has become a critical issue internationally. In this paper, based on the investigation of the current market of CMs, reasons for various confusions of Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) are analyzed and clarified, such as herbs with multiple sources, regional custom-herbs, confusion in nomenclature, similarity in appearance, and complexity of processed products. Authentication of plant material is critical to the safe and effective use of CMM. In this paper, several authentication methods, such as taxonomy, morphology, microscopy, physical and chemical authentication, DNA molecular biology and their advanced applications in this area, are introduced. Furthermore, it is proposed that an authority on the authentication of CMM be established, as a physical institution and/or as an electronic database.
KW - Authentication
KW - Chinese medicines
KW - Herbal medicines
KW - Identification
KW - Standardization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33748704528&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1055/s-2006-947209
DO - 10.1055/s-2006-947209
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 16902852
AN - SCOPUS:33748704528
SN - 0032-0943
VL - 72
SP - 865
EP - 874
JO - Planta Medica
JF - Planta Medica
IS - 10
ER -