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From James:

 

...Do you think this variability of seasons and different growing areas

is a good argument to standardize any individual herbs?

 

 

There can even be substantial variations in quality within the same farming

operation. Recently we were sourcing some hou pu from Sichuan and obtained

several samples of material from the same grower. Our analytical lab in

Beijing found significant difference in the level of certain chemical

components. It turned out that the lower content material was from younger

trees that the grower had planted about 4 years ago and the higher content

material was from trees that were a minimum of 8 years old. The material

looked quite similar. In terms of standardization, that's a very

complicated subject. I have been Chairing a committee within AHPA that has

recently completed a White Paper on Standardization. It is quite

comprehensive and well worth reading. In fact Todd was one of the

reviewers, so you can ask his opinion on its value. It can be purchased

from the AHPA.

 

Aside from that (sorry if that sounded like a commercial pitch), I would say

that it is not possible to fully standardize most herbs. The ones for which

it is possible are likely candidates for drugs because they have one or two

specific chemical components that are responsible for their bioactivity. Or,

at least that is how it appears when evaluated under certain research

designs. So the goal for standardization needs to be defined.

Standardization has become most relevant to clinical research since one

wants to be able to quantitatively and/or qualitatively compare the research

material to the material that later becomes commercially available since its

sellers will likely be making claims based on the benefits demonstrated by

study subjects who took the research material. Partial standardization by

chemical analysis, wherein you quantify one or more chemical components,

regardless of whether it has been demonstrated that the components have

relevant bioactivity, can be very useful in developing reference points to

which raw material sources and manufacturing protocols can be comparatively

assessed.

 

Maybe a better question for this group would be what approaches to and what

degree of standardization would be appropriate, or should be expected, from

companies that supply medicinal herb materials to TCM practitioners in the

US.

 

Stephen Morrissey

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Ramholz [jramholz]

Wednesday, September 11, 2002 5:08 PM

 

Re: cooking

 

 

Stephen:

 

Good point; that well may be part of it, too. This probably helps

create the confusion in various texts about taste and meridian

induction.

 

But when experimenting with or adjusting different combinations or

amounts of individual herbs in a formula, I track the effectiveness

in the pulses and the sensation of how the formula moves through

different meridians in my body. Then give the formula to a student

so they can do the same; then we compare notes. So even the same

bottle of individual herbs, when used in a different ratio, can also

create the difference I'm talking about.

 

Working this way has made me fond of sometimes using the Fibonacci

series of numbers (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 . . .) when putting together an

herbal formula.

 

Do you think this variability of seasons and different growing areas

is a good argument to standardize any individual herbs?

 

 

Jim Ramholz

 

 

 

 

, " stephen " <stephen@b...> wrote:

> Jim, I would guess that it could be because the encapsulation of

the herbs preserves them better than being exposed to the air from

repeatedly opening and closing the source jar. If that or something

like it is not the case then I would assume that a varying quality

of raw materials were used in the different batches, something that

is quite common to see when companies source from different growing

areas and at different times of year.

 

 

 

 

Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare

practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing

in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services,

including board approved online continuing education.

 

 

 

 

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, " stephen " <stephen@b...>

wrote:

>

I have been Chairing a committee within AHPA that has

> recently completed a White Paper on Standardization. It is

quite

> comprehensive and well worth reading.

 

I reviewed this paper before publication and had some of my

comments incorporated into the final draft. I must highly

recommend this paper to anyone who is interested in the issue

of standardization. this is the most thorough and balanced

discussion of the subject I have ever seen. It clarifies many

misconceptions and illuminates several important points of

contention.

 

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> , " stephen " <stephen@b...>

> I have been Chairing a committee within AHPA that has

> > recently completed a White Paper on Standardization. It is

> quite comprehensive and well worth reading.

 

 

Stephen:

 

Was this paper published, or is there a link to it?

 

 

Jim Ramholz

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>

> Was this paper published, or is there a link to it?

>

> Jim Ramholz

I believe Stephen said it was for sale.

Todd

 

Jim, sorry I must have missed your original email. AHPA sells this

document, along with some other Guidance Documents on the Manufacture and

Sale of Botanical Extracts. This is far from a money making venture, in

fact it costs the association many thousands of dollars to get these doc

out. If you're interested, AHPA can be reached at 301-588-1171.

 

Stephen Morrissey

 

 

 

 

Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare

practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing

in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services,

including board approved online continuing education.

 

 

 

 

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Dear Stephen and list...

 

 

I am also wondering where can one get hold of the white paper on standardization and natural drugs? (herbs...)

 

This would be very interesting to see and useful, hence any chance of obtaining the paper via e-mail?

 

or web site?

 

 

Marco Bergh

 

 

 

-

Simon

Monday, September 16, 2002 1:45 AM

AW: Re: cooking / standardization

Where can I get a copy of this White Paper on Standardization? Is it on theinternet? Can somebody e-mail me a copy (s.becker).Thanks.

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Simon,

I checked today and the Standardization White Paper has not made it to the

printers yet. It is 35 pages long and the American Herbal Products

Association will be selling it by November, I estimate. I don't know the

price, in fact they haven't set the price yet, although I'll say that they

are hoping to break even. AHPA can be contacted via their website at

www.ahpa.org Perhaps I will send out a notice via CHA when the document is

available if that would be of interest.

Stephen

 

 

 

Simon [s.becker]

Monday, September 16, 2002 12:46 AM

 

AW: Re: cooking / standardization

 

Where can I get a copy of this White Paper on Standardization? Is it on the

internet? Can somebody e-mail me a copy (s.becker).

Thanks.

 

 

Simon Becker

 

 

Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare

practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing

in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services,

including board approved online continuing education.

 

 

 

 

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Bluepoppy.com has one translation of Ye Tianshi's work on this topic.

 

Will

Does anybody have a full list of herbs as they pertain to extra channels and or that enter the extra channels

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