- What Are You Swallowing?



	The California Department of Health Services, Food and Drug Branch, has released The Compendium of Asian Patent Medicines -- prepared by Richard Ko, Pharm.D., Ph.D and Alice Au, Ph.D. Using atomic absorption analysis and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, 261 Chinese medicines have already been tested, with another 340 to follow. Conclusion: Close to 25% contained heavy metal contamination and/or western pharmaceuticals. This test concerned purity only, remember, and didnít involve the other big issue -- dilution of potency due to faulty processing. It is worth noting that only one company was mentioned positively -- Mayway Corp., the Chinese company whose U.S. subsidiary imports its Plum Flower brand. The compendium pointed out that Mayway voluntarily offers its products to the FDA for testing, and for the past five years has been the only company urging higher standards in the herbal industry.