Factors to Consider When Deciding On a Chinese Herbs Supplier

Ensuring the safety of the herbal products you purchase should be your first priority.  There are a few different indicators that you can use to determine the safety of the product you are buying.

Choosing which Chinese herbal medicine supplement brand to trust can be a daunting decision, as there are so many different brands out there.  Determining whether or not the products are safe is one of the biggest factors to consider when purchasing herbal supplements, whether you are an Acupuncturist, Herbalist or a consumer.  Here are 3 things you must know about before you purchase.

#1. Which factory is manufacturing the products and where are they located (US or abroad)?  For safety concerns, herbal supplement factories should be GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) compliant facilities.  In the US, the FDA oversees “dietary supplement " regulations which require manufacturers of herbal supplements to evaluate their products through testing for identity, purity, strength and composition, along with many other regulations regarding processing and facility sanitation.  These regulations ensure consistent safety and quality and are all part of GMP.

GMP standards are essential. The rules apply for both domestic and foreign manufacturers.  Some companies are secretive

about where their Chinese herbs are manufactured and whether they are GMP compliant.  If your herbal supplier is not forthcoming with their factory location or GMP rating, how can you trust anything about their products?

#2.  Where are the herbs from and are they tested for impurities?

The simple rule is:  a manufacturer that tests their herbs disclose this information.  A manufacturer that does not test, does not tell. The FDA regulations for dietary supplements, which include Chinese Herb products, fall under a different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products.  At the time of printing of this article, herb manufacturers are not required to disclose this information on their labels. Some countries have much stricter laws regarding Chinese herbal supplements and the best herb companies willingly disclose this information.

#3.   Does your supplier use Certificates of Analysis?  This important document certifies the purity, species and potency of a particular batch of herbs.  Manufacturers who use Certificates of Analysis are at the forefront of herbal medicine.   Food processing laws require all processed foods to have batch numbers, processing dates, ingredient verification, etc.  Why shouldn’t herbal products be held to the same standard?  We ingest these herbs just like any other food product.

A Certificate of Analysis provides a batch number that can be traced to a finished product.  Tests, such as HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography), test to ensure that active herbal ingredients are at consistent levels and are performed in high tech laboratories.  Another test is Gas Chromatography, which determines residues of insecticides and other contaminants.  Since many plants and roots look alike, TLC,  or Thin Layer Chromatograms, are conducted to make sure that the wrong herb species doesn’t end up in the final formula  (TLC tests give a chemical fingerprint unique to each species).  Serious ramifications may result if a herb was incorrectly labeled and that herb species has toxic side effects.  Among the top herb manufacturers, only when a raw batch of herbs passes all these tests does the batch move on to the next step of processing.  These Certificates of Analysis give the consumer the confidence the herbs are safe for consumption. 

Unfortunately, not all manufacturers can disclose this pertinent information. Many are not equipped for expensive testing, nor do they have a laboratory in place to provide a report card such as a Certificate of Analysis.  If you are to truly know whether your herbal supplements are free from heavy metals, pesticides, bugs, dirt, bacteria, and other contaminants, be sure your  herbal supplier uses Certificates of Analysis.

#4.   There is more you should know.  For example, how much filler (inert product) is added to your supplements?  What is the cooking process and the concentration ratios of your products?  Why shouldn’t you cook raw herbs yourself?  What is the difference between alcohol extracts, capsule products and liquid plastic packets of herbs?  These questions and more are all answered in a free report you can download from the PAC Herbs website.

I hope you’ll be an educated consumer when it comes to purchasing your Chinese herbal medicine supplements.