About 5,000 plants have been used in traditional folk medicine, with 500 commonly prescribed in modern times. Japan is at the forefront in the region despite an ongoing debate on whether to cover traditional medicines under the national health insurance scheme. Japan already has a sound foundation in natural product chemistry and pharmaceutical manufacture, Lee said. Taiwan follows closely with an ample knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, Western-trained technical staff and strong government support, Lee said. But the vast number of herbs in use combined with the potentially poisonous effects of similar-looking substitutes makes the management of supply and quality control vital.
Many people feel that herbal medicines are non-toxic.
That is not correct. Many are toxic, Lee said. To control it from the original site where the herb is produced is most important. Chan Soo Sen, the Singapore health ministry s senior parliamentary secretary, drew an analogy between herb harvesting and wine producing where geography and weather made a significant difference to the final product. With the increasing commercialization of traditional medicine, dispensers of the remedies need formal training to raise professional standards, he added.