ROCKVILLE, Md.--The U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)
established the USP Botanical Advisory Panel to advise its Dietary Supplements
Botanicals Expert Committee (DSBEC) on the development of information on
botanicals to supplement the standards in the USP-NF (USP-National
Formulary). The panel will also explore the feasibility of developing Authentic
Plant Reference Materials.
"With the formation of the advisory panel, we will be able
to obtain and disseminate information on how to improve the quality of
botanicals," said David B. Roll, director of dietary supplements at USP (www.usp.org).
"Historically, USP has created standards for botanical products; however,
we have never looked at factors that favor optimal growth, handling and storage
of botanicals."
The panel includes 12 members from academia, government and
industry, and is headed by William F. Popin, director of research and
development for Young Living Essential Oils and a member of the DSBEC. Other
members of the panel include: Rudolf Bauer, professor, Institut fuer
Pharmakognosie; Mark Blumenthal, executive director, American Botanical Council;
Ezio Bomabardelli, Indena S.p.A.; John Cardellina, vice president, Council for
Responsible Nutrition; Edward Fletcher, Strategic Sourcing Inc.; James Miller,
curator, Missouri Botanical Garden; Simon Mills, professor, University of
Exeter; Kathy Sharpless, NIST; Greg Pennyroyal, president, Growing Medicine
Inc.; Amala Raman, senior postgraduate tutor, King's College; and Roy Upton,
executive director, American Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
The panel held its first meeting in November, when it agreed to
focus its efforts on black cohosh, ginger, saw palmetto and valerian, which also
have USP monographs. The panel also planned to create additional information
chapters in the USP-NF.
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