11.01.13
The American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP) has endorsed the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program. This is an educational program designed to increase the herb, dietary supplements and natural products industries’ awareness of the need for enhanced scrutiny via laboratory analysis of herbal raw materials, extracts and essential oils that may be accidentally or purposefully adulterated with lower-cost, non-disclosed ingredients. The program is headed by three non-profit groups focused on research and education on medical herbs and other beneficial plants: the American Botanical Council (ABC), the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) and the National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR) at the University of Mississippi.
ASP is North America’s leading organization of scientists involved with research on medicinal plants, fungi, marine organisms and other natural materials used in the production of new medicines, comprising the essence of the science of pharmacognosy.
Bradley Moore, PhD, president of ASP and a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego, wrote in a letter to American Botanical Council Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal, “ASP is making this endorsement in recognition of the laudable goals and purpose of the program that has helped increase the quantity and quality of scientific information on the relatively widespread problem of adulteration of botanical raw materials, botanical extracts, essential oils and other plant-derived materials, which are used in dietary supplements and possibly in therapeutic products like non-prescription medicines.
“As a society, we recognize the paramount importance of the proper identification and authentication of medicinal materials and that they be adulterant free. Such materials are regularly used for research purposes and as ingredients in consumer-based products that promote health and remedy disease.
“We further recognize that the history of pharmacy and pharmacognosy acknowledges many cases in which natural products used for medicinal purposes have been adulterated, either by accident due to inadequate quality control measures, or intentionally by fraudulent sellers. Such practices are contrary to the goals of responsible pharmacy, medicine and public health education practices.”
Guido Pauli, PhD, associate professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy and treasurer of ASP, wrote, “Botanical adulteration is one of the reasons why botanical research can sometimes be difficult to be reproduced. The [ABC-AHP-NCNPR] program will raise awareness of the topic, and many global experts in this area are ASP colleagues, so it is only logical for our society to endorse this welcome effort.”
ASP joins more than 100 non-profit organizations, independent laboratories, industry members, trade associations and others that are financially underwriting and/or endorsing the Botanical Adulterants Program. These groups are located in the U.S. and abroad, reflecting the global nature of the botanical material supply chain.
“Those of us working on the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program are especially honored by ASP’s recognition of the value and significance of our work in this vitally important area,” said Mr. Blumenthal. “We hope to continue to merit the trust and confidence that ASP has placed in the program as we continue to publish extensively peer-reviewed articles and laboratory guidance documents to help members of the industry deal with this serious problem.”
According to AHP Executive Director Roy Upton, “It is wonderful to have the endorsement of ASP, as it was yesteryear’s classical pharmacognosists who were primarily responsible for ensuring that adulteration did not occur. Botanical pharmacognosy skills are exactly what are needed to ensure botanical supplement quality control.”
ASP is North America’s leading organization of scientists involved with research on medicinal plants, fungi, marine organisms and other natural materials used in the production of new medicines, comprising the essence of the science of pharmacognosy.
Bradley Moore, PhD, president of ASP and a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego, wrote in a letter to American Botanical Council Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal, “ASP is making this endorsement in recognition of the laudable goals and purpose of the program that has helped increase the quantity and quality of scientific information on the relatively widespread problem of adulteration of botanical raw materials, botanical extracts, essential oils and other plant-derived materials, which are used in dietary supplements and possibly in therapeutic products like non-prescription medicines.
“As a society, we recognize the paramount importance of the proper identification and authentication of medicinal materials and that they be adulterant free. Such materials are regularly used for research purposes and as ingredients in consumer-based products that promote health and remedy disease.
“We further recognize that the history of pharmacy and pharmacognosy acknowledges many cases in which natural products used for medicinal purposes have been adulterated, either by accident due to inadequate quality control measures, or intentionally by fraudulent sellers. Such practices are contrary to the goals of responsible pharmacy, medicine and public health education practices.”
Guido Pauli, PhD, associate professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy and treasurer of ASP, wrote, “Botanical adulteration is one of the reasons why botanical research can sometimes be difficult to be reproduced. The [ABC-AHP-NCNPR] program will raise awareness of the topic, and many global experts in this area are ASP colleagues, so it is only logical for our society to endorse this welcome effort.”
ASP joins more than 100 non-profit organizations, independent laboratories, industry members, trade associations and others that are financially underwriting and/or endorsing the Botanical Adulterants Program. These groups are located in the U.S. and abroad, reflecting the global nature of the botanical material supply chain.
“Those of us working on the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program are especially honored by ASP’s recognition of the value and significance of our work in this vitally important area,” said Mr. Blumenthal. “We hope to continue to merit the trust and confidence that ASP has placed in the program as we continue to publish extensively peer-reviewed articles and laboratory guidance documents to help members of the industry deal with this serious problem.”
According to AHP Executive Director Roy Upton, “It is wonderful to have the endorsement of ASP, as it was yesteryear’s classical pharmacognosists who were primarily responsible for ensuring that adulteration did not occur. Botanical pharmacognosy skills are exactly what are needed to ensure botanical supplement quality control.”