In
a quality control study, random samples of herbs made in the US, Taiwan
and mainland China were analyzed with astonishing results. The herbs
tested included Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui) (hereinafter referred to as DG) from 4 suppliers and Ginseng & Astragalus Combination (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang) (hereinafter referred to as BZYQT) from 6 suppliers. The results are listed in the two tables with the following explanation.
Analysis of the Study
- Loss on drying
This
test determines the amount of moisture present in the herb. This number
is derived by measuring the decrease in weight after it is completely
dried under a heating device. The percentage listed represents the
weight of water in the herb. An acceptable range for loss on drying is
less than 8%. Products that contain more than 8% moisture are at higher
risk of breakdown, growth of fungus or bacteria, and have less active
ingredients. The higher the percentage on loss of drying, the less
effective the products. For DG, 3 out of 4 products tested passed the
test. For BZYQT, all 6 products passed.
- Total ash content
This
number represents the percentage of inactive material, such as raw herb
fiber. The higher the number, the more inactive material it contains. A
true herbal extract should contain no more than 8% of total ash
content. Products that contain more than 8% total ash content generally
are made from raw herbs ground into powder and pressed into tablets.
The higher the total ash content, the less potent the product becomes
because of the high fiber content. In BZYQT #2, the total ash content
is an astonishing 22.74%! This means 1/5 of the herb is completely
useless as fiber cannot be absorbed. For DG, all 4 products passed the
test. For BZYQT, only 3 out of 6 products passed.
- Acid insoluble ash content
This
number represents the percentage of inactive debris that is not part of
the herb and cannot be broken down by strong acid. Such debris include
sand, heavy metal, and dirt. A high number here indicates that the dirt
and sand particles were not thoroughly washed off of the herbs. Unlike
fiber, which is just inactive, these particles that are not soluble in
acid are harmful to the body. A pharmaceutical product should not
contain more than 2% of acid insoluble content. Products made following
food GMP are likely to fail this test due to lack of stringent quality
control. For DG, all 4 products passed the test. For BZYQT, only 3 out
of 6 products passed.
- HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography)
This
number indicates the total amount of active constituents. The marker
used in these tests was ferulic acid. Once again, the higher the HPLC
percentage, the better the therapeutic effect. Evergreen products contained the highest level of bio-active ingredients for both Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui) and Ginseng & Astragalus Combination (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang).
- Expiration date and lot number
Both
of these numbers must be listed according to GMP guidelines. Some
manufacturers did not list the expiration date and the lot number.
Table I. Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui) - Comparison & Contrast Between 4 Manufacturers |
| COMPANY |
Loss on Drying (1) |
Total Ash Content (2) |
Acid Insoluble Ash Content (3) |
HPLC (4) |
Expiration Date (5) |
Lot Number (6) |
| (acceptable range in parentheses) |
(< 8%) |
(< 8%) |
(< 2%) |
(0.04-0.06%) |
|
|
| #1 Evergreen Herbs Extract |
5.31% |
4.53% |
1.22% |
0.04% |
Listed |
Listed |
| #2 Angelicae Sinensis (DG) |
9.27% |
6.10% |
1.66% |
0.03% |
Listed |
Listed |
| #3 Angelicae Sinensis (DG) |
4.66% |
6.35% |
1.74% |
0.01% |
Listed |
Listed |
| #4 Angelicae Sinensis (DG) |
3.90% |
4.67% |
1.49% |
0.02% |
Not listed |
Not listed |
| . |
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| Table II. Ginseng & Astragalus Combination (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang) - Comparison & Contrast Between 6 Manufacturers |
| COMPANY |
Loss on Drying (1) |
Total Ash Content (2) |
Acid Insoluble Ash Content (3) |
HPLC (4) |
Expiration Date (5) |
Lot Number (6) |
| (acceptable range in parentheses) |
(< 8%) |
(< 8%) |
(< 2%) |
(0.04-0.06%) |
|
|
| #1 Evergreen Herbs Extract |
6.05% |
3.41% |
0.53% |
0.010% |
Listed |
Listed |
| #2 BZYQT |
6.36% |
22.74% |
7.65% |
0.004% |
Listed |
Listed |
| #3 BZYQT |
5.37% |
15.58% |
3.07% |
0.007% |
Listed |
Listed |
| #4 BZYQT |
5.58% |
11.82% |
9.61% |
0.010% |
Not listed |
Listed |
| #5 BZYQT |
7.75% |
6.42% |
2.17% |
0.001% |
Not listed |
Listed |
| #6 BZYQT |
5.51% |
5.35% |
2.06% |
0.010% |
Listed |
Listed |
| . |
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|
 Certificate of Analysis (COA) for Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. |
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Purity, Potency, Safety
Make no compromises. |
. |
 Certificate of Analysis (COA) for Dang Gui. |
| . |
We
guarantee purity, potency and safety on each and every batch of our
herbs with a certificate of analysis. Our herbs are manufactured under
the most stringent pharmaceutical GMP guidelines. At Evergreen Herbs, we believe that Chinese herbs must be made with pharmaceutical precision to attain desired therapeutic results.
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