medicinal herbs seed

of Herbal Products

➤

Wild harvested herbs

– Half of all medicinal plants on the market and two-thirds of all plant species

are harvested from the wild.

– For economic reasons, wild harvested herbs are preferably used in the cases

of certain slow-growing plants and of plants of which there is a naturally

abundant supply.

➤

Cultivated herbs

– Cultivated herbs are used when the natural supply is not sufficient to meet

demand or if a herb required for medicinal purposes is a protected plant

species, such as purple coneflower,

Echinacea purpurea,

and goldenseal,

Hydrastis canadensis

.

–

Advantages of controlled farming

•

Uniform seed material, optimal growing conditions and harvesting

times

•

Reduced risk of mistaken identity or adulteration

•

Reduction of impurities, microbial contamination, and residues from

pesticides and heavy metals (especially in plants imported from developing

countries)

–

Organic farming:

Ensures the maintenance of natural growing conditions

and is environmentally friendly.

➤

Cultivation of special crops

– Mainly used to enrich and optimize the primary constituents of medicinal

plants. A way of standardizing active constituent levels.

– Reduces the number and quantity of undesirable substances in the plants.

– Enhances the resistance of the plants to atmospheric influences, diseases,

and pests.

Quality Assurance

➤

Homogeneous starting materials

– Homogeneity is achieved by optimization and wide-scale standardization

of growing conditions (e. g., in cultures), and asexual propagation

Note

:

The concentrations of constituents in a given plant (e. g., ginseng or

arnica) tend to vary according to location of origin, season of harvesting,

and age.

➤

Standardized preparation process

– Manufacturers use exact specifications for analyzing parent substances—

meaning the herbs and their parts used—and herbal extracts made from

them, using solvents such as ethanol. Specifications for assaying the content

of target or primary constituents are just as exact and are designed to

ensure that the chemical composition of the herbal extracts remains consistent

from batch to batch.

– Standardization ensures that the quality of medicinal plants and extracts

made from them are reproducible and consistent.

– Minimum concentrations of active principles in raw (unprocessed) herbs

are specified in sources such as the German and European Pharmacopeias

and, lately, the US Pharmacopeia.