Author: Shennong from: Dandelion
Since last year, various provinces have successively issued notifications regarding the discontinuation of certain varieties included in their local processing standards, primarily focusing on powdered Chinese medicines.
This wave of actions has drawn significant attention from the Chinese medicine community; a phased rectification of powdered Chinese medicines is inevitable. Looking ahead, whether this will lead to a complete ban, I believe there is no need for undue worry. Some varieties have been streamlined while others have been retained. For instance, Yunnan still retains powdered American ginseng (Xi Yang Shen), powdered Salvia miltiorrhiza (Dan Shen), and powdered Gastrodia elata (Tian Ma); Sichuan retains powdered American ginseng and powdered Gastrodia elata.
In light of the rectification of powdered Chinese medicines, I would like to share some insights.
Past Life: Chinese Medicine Powder Formulations;
Present Life: Current Situation of Powdered Chinese Medicines.
The Past Life of Powdered Chinese Medicines
Chinese Medicine Powder Formulations
Currently, what we refer to as powdered Chinese medicines is actually categorized as directly consumable medicinal pieces in the realm of Chinese medicinal slices; and in the realm of Chinese patent medicines, it is referred to as Chinese medicine powders. One item, two identities. Directly consumable medicinal pieces is a modern term, so let’s discuss the past life, which is the Chinese medicine powder formulations.
Chinese medicine powder formulations are powdered preparations made from one or more Chinese herbs that have been crushed and mixed, hence also referred to as “medicinal powder” or “medicinal granules.” Powder formulations are one of the five traditional forms of Chinese medicine preparations, which include decoctions, powders, pills, pastes, and elixirs. Depending on their use, they can be divided into internal and external powder formulations. Among internal uses, there are distinctions between adjusting powders and decocting powders. Adjusting powders are taken by mixing the powder with water, wine, honey, or other medicinal liquids; decocting powders can be taken as a decoction or as coarse powder after straining. External powder formulations are used for local application, hence the term “powder” means to sprinkle.
Powder formulations are one of the oldest forms of Chinese medicine preparations, with a clinical application history of over a thousand years.
Warring States Period: The “Fifty-Two Disease Formulas” contains records related to powder formulations.
Late Eastern Han Dynasty: The book “Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases” first proposed the term “powder”; powder formulations were used for numerous diseases, applicable in acute conditions and for gradual recovery, both for internal and external use.
Jin Dynasty: Many formulas in “Emergency Prescriptions for Emergency Situations” were designed for treating acute and critical conditions, with powder formulations being one of the most frequently mentioned forms.
Sui and Tang Dynasties: During the late Tang and Five Dynasties, due to years of warfare and scarcity of medicinal materials, many physicians advocated for decocting powders to conserve resources. Sun Simiao in the Tang Dynasty first used the term “decocting powder” in his book “Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergency Situations.”
Song Dynasty: Under official promotion, powder formulations reached their peak. In the “Taiping Huimin Heji Bureau Formulas,” powder formulations accounted for about half, with many being decocted powders, consumed powders, and external powders.
Ming and Qing Dynasties: The application of powder formulations was primarily external, especially in the late Qing Dynasty, when social unrest and continuous warfare led to the emergence of many powdered Chinese medicines for treating injuries, such as the ice borax powder for clearing heat and reducing swelling, and the nine-part powder for invigorating blood and reducing swelling.
Looking at the history of powder formulations, due to their simple preparation, convenient consumption, and quick efficacy, they have consistently focused on emergency treatment, resource conservation, and have been recognized and developed in line with historical progress.
Among Chinese medicine powder formulations, famous formulas have emerged repeatedly. Examples include “Nitre and Alum Powder,” “Angelica and Peony Powder,” “Chuanxiong Tea Powder,” “Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Powder,” “Ren Shen Ling Bai Zhu Powder,” “Xiao Yao Powder,” “Liu Yi Powder,” “Yu Ping Feng Powder,” “Yin Qiao Powder,” “Xikui Powder” for throat conditions, and “Qi Li Powder” for injury treatment, which have been used for thousands of years without decline, demonstrating their long history, wide application, and confirmed efficacy.
Decline Under Modern Formulations
Continuous Decline of Chinese Medicine Powder Formulations
In the 1950s and 1960s, over 40 types of internal powder formulations and more than 10 types of external powder formulations were circulating in the market; in addition, there were also self-made prescriptions from Chinese medicine hospitals. Today, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia lists only about 50 varieties of powder formulations, with no increase in varieties through various revisions.
From the actual market perspective, in the modern Chinese medicine formulations, tablets, granules, capsules, and injections dominate the market, with almost no trace of powder formulations, and their market share is negligible. Furthermore, self-made preparations from Chinese medicine hospitals have also largely disappeared.
Interestingly, while powder formulations have virtually disappeared from the mainland market, they still exist in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even some Southeast Asian countries; particularly in Guangdong and Fujian, people often have relatives and friends bring back medicines from Hong Kong, such as Bao Ying Dan, Xing Jun San, Clam Shell Stomach Powder, Zhu Po Hou Zao San, Zhu Po Qi Li San, and He Ji Gong Pain-Relieving and Fever-Reducing Powder.
▍The reasons for this are mainly three:
First: Primitive Formulations, Considered “Backward” Under Modern Formulation Impact: Chinese medicine powder formulations involve grinding medicinal materials into coarse or fine powders, with simple processes; in contrast to modern formulations like tablets and capsules, they have become synonymous with “backward” Chinese medicine due to the lack of technological sophistication; coupled with modern trends that risk and diminish traditional Chinese medicine, “backward” traditional powder formulations are unpopular.
Second: Lack of Mystery, Market Marketing Actively Kills It Off. As mentioned, Chinese medicine powder formulations are technically very simple, anyone can do it, with no barriers; everyone knows that they lack the mystique of miraculous medicines. This also results in a lack of highlights, technical points, and operational price space in market marketing; profit margins are not large. Consequently, the entire marketing focus inevitably neglects them.
Third: Poor Consumption Experience, Not Suitable for Storage: Chinese medicine powder formulations retain the bitterness and complexity of traditional Chinese medicine; although they are more convenient to consume compared to decoctions, the taste experience is not good, and the saying “good medicine is bitter” has not been recognized. Additionally, powders are easily affected by moisture and mold, and their storage quality deteriorates after opening.
The Rise of Powdered Medicinal Pieces
Flourishing
While Chinese medicine powder formulations have declined, powdered medicinal pieces have flourished. Starting around 2007, single herb powders gradually entered the public eye and have entered a prosperous period in recent years. Initially, varieties such as Sanqi powder (San Qi), powdered American ginseng, and powdered Salvia miltiorrhiza began to emerge; now, virtually every variety is available.
Amidst the frenzy of the entire industry, according to incomplete statistics, the market scale of various powdered Chinese medicines has reached approximately 8-10 billion, truly flourishing. Of course, behind the frenzy, chaos has re-emerged, followed by strict regulations.
▍The rise of powdered medicinal pieces can be attributed to several factors:
1. Improvement in Powdering Technology, Market Promotion Highlights: The ultra-micro powdering technology of Chinese medicine emerged in the late 1990s; ultra-micro powdering and wall-breaking powdering technologies have become product highlights under marketing packaging; manufacturers have engaged in extensive promotional bombardment, creating marketing hotspots that have garnered public enthusiasm.
2. The Rise of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Preservation, Meeting Public Health Demands: With the continuous improvement of social living conditions and increased life expectancy, complex diseases such as tumors and cancers have become focal points, while Western medicine often falls short in addressing these diseases. In this context, the preventive approach of traditional Chinese medicine has regained attention, providing a revival opportunity for the increasingly declining traditional Chinese medicine. The public has gradually begun to try and accept traditional Chinese medicine, learning about its cultural heritage.
3. Some Varieties Have Proven Effective: As mentioned, a significant advantage of powder formulations is their good absorption and efficacy. Some varieties, such as Sanqi powder and powdered Salvia miltiorrhiza, have indeed gained recognition among populations with high blood lipids and hypertension, solidifying their customer base (Note: Specific usage should follow medical advice; the views in this article are not recommendations for use).
4. Wild Growth, Regulatory Blind Spots.In the face of new phenomena, policies are always lagging; the wild growth of powdered Chinese medicines has not been met with timely and effective standards and regulations. The market is essentially in a state of neglect.
After the Frenzy, Strict Regulations
Initiating Rectification
Not all Chinese medicines are suitable for powdering: For example, those containing volatile oils or fibers.
However, under excessive market hype, the variety of powdered medicinal pieces has expanded chaotically, disrupting the clinical usage habits of Chinese medicine; at the same time, some enterprises have used inferior medicinal materials for powdering, leading to adulteration and inconsistent quality, resulting in the current strict regulatory situation.
From last year to now, various provinces have successively issued notifications regarding the discontinuation of certain varieties included in their local processing standards, primarily focusing on powdered Chinese medicines.
In fact, this action has been planned by the state for some time, as detailed in the “Notice on the Quality Concentrated Rectification Work Plan for Chinese Medicinal Slices” issued by the National Medical Products Administration (National Drug Supervision [2018] No. 28) (revising provincial processing standards according to the technical guidance principles for revising provincial Chinese medicinal slice processing standards). For powdered medicinal pieces, except for those with recognized clinical usage history, they should not be included as standard varieties.
Factors prompting the state to take action include market chaos and, objectively speaking, the efforts of professional counterfeiters who have reported extensively on the standards and compliance issues of powdered Chinese medicines, consuming a significant amount of administrative resources and forcing the promotion of strict policies.
Postscript
The standards have just been organized and issued, and the real strict regulations have only just begun. Industry enterprises must adjust their products promptly according to the provincial standard discontinuation notifications to avoid violations and losses.
Regarding powdered Chinese medicines, everyone can carefully study the varieties that have been discontinued in various provinces; it is not as severe as many people say, with a complete ban; it is merely a matter of streamlining and rectification.
Specifically, everyone can research which powdered varieties remain in the provincial processing standards aside from those that have been discontinued; these varieties are either habitually used in local medicine or have reached an economic scale, and may represent new opportunities under strict regulations, which are worth paying attention to.
When I have time, I will organize the specific directory and share it with everyone.
