Setting the standard

The first international standard for mugwort was released during a meeting of the International Organization for Standardization early this month, according to the South Central University for Nationalities, which led the formulation of the standard.

The standard was based on studies and tests of more than 60 mugwort samples collected from countries including China, South Korea and Japan, the university, in Wuhan, Hubei province, said. Dried mugwort leaves are used in traditional Chinese medicine for purposes such as repelling mosquitoes and sterilization and are rolled into sticks for use in moxibustion.

The standard includes methods to test the level of active ingredients in the herb and stipulates limits to provide a basis for quality control, the university said.

Some other universities and institutes, such as Hong Kong Baptist University and Hubei University of Chinese Medicine also participated in the research, it said.

China is the world’s major producer of mugwort and demand for the herb for healthcare is increasing at home and abroad, the university said. The international standard will promote the improvement of mugwort quality and the development of related healthcare services and exports, it said.

The standard is the second international standard for TCM released by China, the university said. The first was for sanqi, the root of a herb, which is widely used in TCM to stop bleeding and relieve pain.