Distribution channel of Chinese herbal medicines has been changing. From Han to Ming Dynasty, Chinese herbal medicine were mainly trafficked to urban by dealers or farmers; From the Ming Dynasty to the foundation of new China, distribution channels are primarily intermediated with township "bazaar" and national distribution center with fixed place and regularly trading hours. In the planned economy period, the state-owned herbal medicine company was the sole medium with monopoly nature. From the mid1980s to the end of last century, planned economy and market economy have been co-existing. Stepping into 21st century, producing area highlighted in the distribution channels. Presence or absence and rise or fall of different types of distribution market went throughout the changing process of distribution channels, which became an important clue. Changes were motivated by economical consideration of channel subject, which originated from commodity characteristic and social environment changes.
Cities ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; economics ; supply & distribution ; Economic Development ; Marketing

Traditional Chinese medicine market is a typical market with information asymmetry, which may lead to "lemons" problem. Third-Party Certification is efficient path to solve the problem of information asymmetry. For this reason geo-authentic and commodity classes certification seems to be very important. But as we know, information asymmetry happen in the stages of traditional Chinese patent medicines market. So a signaling transfer mechanism, which can deliver the quality signal, is badly needed in TCM market. This paper analysis and design of signaling transfer mechanism based on Third-Party Certification, which called quality prestige index of TCM enterprises (QPITCM). QPITCM can display quality information as a signal run through the TCM market.
Certification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; economics ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; standards ; Quality Control

Standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica is an important way to solve the "Lemons Problem" of traditional Chinese medicine market. Standards of commodity classes are also helpful to rebuild market mechanisms for "high price for good quality". The previous edition of commodity classes standards of Chinese materia medica was made 30 years ago. It is no longer adapted to the market demand. This article researched progress on standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica. It considered that biological activity is a better choice than chemical constituents for standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica. It is also considered that the key point to set standards of commodity classes is finding the influencing factors between "good quality" and "bad quality". The article also discussed the range of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica, and how to coordinate standards of pharmacopoeia and commodity classes. According to different demands, diversiform standards can be used in commodity classes of Chinese materia medica, but efficacy is considered the most important index of commodity standard. Decoction pieces can be included in standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica. The authors also formulated the standards of commodity classes of Notoginseng Radix as an example, and hope this study can make a positive and promotion effect on traditional Chinese medicine market related research.
China ; Drug Industry ; economics ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; economics ; standards ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; methods ; standards ; Panax notoginseng ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; economics ; methods ; standards ; Plant Roots ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reference Standards ; Research ; trends

The complex production processes and long industrial chain in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) market result in difficulty in Chinese market microstructure research. Based on the defining the logical relationships among different concepts. This paper divides TCM market into two stages as Chinese materia medica resource market and traditional Chinese Patent Medicines market. Under this foundation, we investigated the supply capacity, approaching rules and motivation system of suppliers in TCM market, analyzed the demand situation in the perspective of demand side, and evaluated the purchasing power in terms of population profile, income, and insurance. Furthermore we also analyzed the price formation mechanism in two stages of TCM market. We hope this study can make a positive and promotion effect on TCM market related research.
Materia Medica ; economics ; supply & distribution ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; Statistics as Topic

A dispute about the decreasing-price problem of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has recently arisen. This article analyzes the statistical data of 1995-2011 in China, the results showed that the main responsibility of expensive health care has no direct relationship with the drug price. The price index of TCM rose significantly slower than the medicine prices, the production margins of TCM affected by the material prices has been diminishing since 1995, continuous price reduction will further depress profits of the TCM industry. Considering the pros and cons of raw materials vary greatly in price, decreasing medicine price behavior will force enterprises to use inferior materials in order to maintain corporate profits. The results have the guiding meaning to medicine price management.
Commerce ; economics ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Health Care Sector ; economics ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics

Pharmaceutical market is a typical market with information asymmetry, and which can lead to "lemons" problem. In all developed countries, firms must receive regulatory approval to market a pharmaceutical product. Such administrative department including SFDA, EMA, FDA and so on. Chinese materia medica is a special part of pharmaceutical market in China. The management of Chinese materia medica is a special challenge in China.
Accreditation ; Materia Medica ; economics ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; standards ; Reference Standards ; Social Control, Formal

OBJECTIVETo explore a new molecular method to authenticate Radix Trichosanthis.

METHODThree 20 mer primers based on the ITS sequence was designed. The PCR reaction system was optimized and applied to nineteen different sources of Radix Trichosanthis and nine adulterants and substitutes.

RESULTPolymorphic map of Radix Trichosanthis and its adulterants was obtained from primer TKS1-64. 560 bp and 960 bp bands were authentic markers for Radix Trichosanthis.

CONCLUSIONPrimer TKS1-64F possesses the advantages of good stability and reproducibility. This new method is named as anchored primer amplification polymorphism DNA(APAPD). It was a potential method to used in molecular identification of other meteria medica.

DNA Primers ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Trichosanthes ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Trichosanthin ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVESearching and identifying SNP in Panax species and using multiplex allele-specific PCR (MAS-PCR) to authenticate P. ginseng and P. quenquefolium.

METHODBased on genbank database of Panax species, using DNAMAN to align the sequences, identify SNP of P. ginseng and P. quenquefolium. Design allele-specific primers for P. ginseng and P. quenquefolium, optimize the PCR reaction system including the usage amount of Taq, dNTP, primer, etc. Optimized system was performed with the total DNA of 20 different sources of P. ginseng and P. quenquefolium.

RESULTWhen the annealing temperature was 66 'C, the template DNA of P. ginseng could be amplified 249 bp band whereas P. quenquefolium amplified 1 049 bp band.

CONCLUSIONThe MAS-PCR have the advantages of highly specific, good reproducibility and could be identify P. ginseng and P. quenquefolium in the same PCR tube. It was a potential method to use in the molecular identification of other meteria medica.

Alleles ; DNA Primers ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Genetic Markers ; Panax ; classification ; genetics ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Reproducibility of Results ; Species Specificity

To efficiently protect the endangered traditional Chinese medicine herbs is essential for the sustainable development of traditional Chinese medicine. On the bases of present species endanger and protection levels, problems in the traditional Chinese medicine herbs are analyzed. The endangered levels of traditional Chinese medicine herbs should refer to the standard of IUCN, and the protection levels should adopt qualitative and quantitative analysis based on the characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine herbs. Some qualitative and quantitative factors are discussed, some useful information was also provided for the establishment of protection levels of traditional Chinese medicine herbs.
Conservation of Natural Resources ; Ecosystem ; Pharmacognosy ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal