The rise of traditional Chinese medicine and its materia medica: A comparison of the frequency and safety of materials and species used in Europe and China

Abstract

Very few of the species used to prepare CMM in the EU in this study give rise to safety concerns from what is known from the scientific and other literature, and in China only a few toxic CMM appear to be commonly used, some of them only after processing and mainly for serious disorders. The main cause for concern is likely to be interaction with prescribed medication, especially in central nervous system and cardiovascular conditions where drug interactions have previously been reported most frequently and which would currently be more applicable in China than Europe.

UHPLC-MS for the analytical characterization of traditional Chinese medicines

“…TCM preparations are becoming increasingly popular in Europe and USA [108][109][110][111], so analytical tools to assure their efficacy, safety and consistency are in great demand.…”

Good Quality and Clinical Practices for the Future Development of Herbal Medicines

“…However, because of the global rise in the use of TCMs and Chinese Materia Medica (medicinal materials), there is a great deal of concern about their evidence base, safety/possible toxicity, questionable quality, and use of endangered species of both animals and plants in other countries [29]. The potential toxicity of many TCMs is well recognized, and to reduce risks, the use of some herbs is restricted while for others specific processing methods have been developed to modify the activities/toxicity of these plants [30]. However, many adverse reactions and drug interactions have been reported.…”

“…However, many adverse reactions and drug interactions have been reported. Many of these problems have been associated with the misuse or abuse of Chinese medicine; however, there are also many cases where these products have been adulterated with pharmaceuticals for weight loss or erectile dysfunction [30]. As the use of TCM worldwide continues to grow, improved pharmacovigilance and pharmacoepidemiology are needed to contribute valuable safety information that will be relevant to clinical use.…”

Non-European traditional herbal medicines in Europe: A community herbal monograph perspective

“…Traditional Chinese herbal products could be widely purchased as over-the-counter products from high street retail outlets before the enforcement of Directive 2004/24/EC (Lida Teng et al, 2008). A substantial number of Europeans use these products for medical purposes, including obstetric/gynaecological, dermatological, gastrointestinal, respiratory, psychiatric, stressrelated, and allergic disorders (Lida Teng et al, 2008;Williamson, et al, 2013). However, to date, only two products derived from non-European traditions have been registered under Directive 2004/24/EC, while more than 1000 products from European traditions have been approved (Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board, 2012a; Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, 2013; European Medicines Agency, 2011).…”