Standardization paves way for traditional Chinese medicine's global rise

Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group's astragalus coffee attracts significant interest from international buyers at the 61st Paris International Agricultural Show. [Photo/ourjiangsu.com]

The Astragalus coffee from Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group received notable attention from international buyers at the 61st Paris International Agricultural Show. This innovative beverage, which blends Eastern herbal knowledge with coffee culture, has emerged as fresh representation of traditional Chinese medicine gaining recognition worldwide.

Since its market debut last year, astragalus coffee has achieved sales of 7.2 million yuan ($988,838) and has entered markets across Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Behind its impressive market performance is a strict, full-chain quality control system.

"Astragalus and coffee are not simply mixed together. Every step, from astragalus cultivation to coffee production, must follow standardized and regulated management to ensure both medicinal efficacy and taste," said Yu Xiaoyan, deputy director of Jiangsu Longfengtang Traditional Chinese Medicine, a subsidiary of Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group. "Even the astragalus grown at our production base must undergo more than 50 tests before it can be used."

Several decades ago, the production of traditional Chinese medicine still faced challenges such as rough techniques and loose quality control. "Western skepticism about the quality and safety of Chinese medicine largely stemmed from the lack of validation through scientific methods recognized by the global medical community," she noted.

With guidance from the local market regulation authority, Yangtze River Pharmaceutical established an expert team for TCM standards research. By integrating five major international standard systems with China's Good Manufacturing Practice of Medical Products (GMP), the group has developed over 3,000 technical and management standards, paving the way for Chinese medicine to go global.

"We plan to promote the establishment of a standard innovation consortium for the TCM industry," revealed Yao Yi, director of the standardization division at the Taizhou market regulation bureau. Taizhou will continue supporting the development of new Chinese medicines and encourage in-depth cooperation between TCM enterprises, universities, and research institutes, aiming to build a modern TCM industrial park.