Accelerated Development of Quality Standards in the Herbal Medicine Industry

In recent years, the herbal medicine industry has placed increasing emphasis on scientific quality control of medicinal materials, with the establishment of quality standards becoming a key focus. Medicinal herbs often feature strong regional characteristics, diverse species, and complex processing methods. The lack of unified evaluation criteria has long resulted in inconsistent quality across the market, raising concerns over efficacy and safety. In response, efforts are underway to construct and refine comprehensive quality standard systems that include detailed specifications for appearance, physicochemical properties, and impurity limits. Some regions are also experimenting with development models that blend local standards for geo-authentic herbs with enterprise-specific guidelines. The integration of laboratory testing and modern analytical techniques has added scientific rigor and practicality to these standards. A robust quality standard system not only supports unified management throughout the supply chain but also lays the groundwork for global recognition of traditional medicine. Looking forward, quality standards in herbal medicine are expected to evolve toward greater institutionalization, transparency, and international compatibility.