Log on / register
BioMed Central home | Journals A-Z | Feedback | Support | My details
Open AccessHighly AccessReview

Chemical markers for the quality control of herbal medicines: an overview

Songlin Li email, Quanbin Han email, Chunfeng Qiao email, Jingzheng Song email, Chuen Lung Cheng email and Hongxi Xu email

Chinese Medicine Laboratory, Hong Kong Jockey Club Institute of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, PR China

author email corresponding author email

Chinese Medicine 2008, 3:7doi:10.1186/1749-8546-3-7

Published: 28 June 2008

Abstract

Selection of chemical markers is crucial for the quality control of herbal medicines, including authentication of genuine species, harvesting the best quality raw materials, evaluation of post-harvesting handling, assessment of intermediates and finished products, and detection of harmful or toxic ingredients. Ideal chemical markers should be the therapeutic components of herbal medicines. However, for most herbal medicines, the therapeutic components have not been fully elucidated or easily monitored. Bioactive, characteristic, main, synergistic, correlative, toxic and general components may be selected. This article reviews the effective use of chemical markers in the quality control of herbal medicines including the selection criteria considering the roles and physicochemical factors which may affect the effective use of chemical markers.


© 1999-2010 BioMed Central Ltd unless otherwise stated. Part of Springer Science+Business Media.