title: Authentication is fundamental for standardization of Chinese medicines.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, PR China. zzzhao@hkbu.edu.hk
authors.forename: Zhongzhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yani
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zhitao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jessie Pui-Sai
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Kelvin Sze-Yin
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D002965:Classification / Q000379:methods; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000145:classification / Q000592:standards*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D009626:Terminology as Topic
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal