AHPA Launches Wiki Site for Authentication

SILVER SPRING, M.D.American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) launched a new Wiki-based website to help authenticate botanical materials. The site, AHPA Botanical Authentication Wiki, contains examples and techniques used for authentication. The site, which has more than 120 botanicals so far, is part of AHPA's Botanical Authentication Program.

The functional, beta website includes botanical microscopy images, high-performance thin-layer chromatography techniques, organoleptic properties, a discussion of potential adulterants. Through the AHPA's expert advisory panel, users can provide feedback and form requests to add to entries and create new ones.

"The wiki is an evolving tool that can help make professionals more efficient at authenticating herbal ingredient identity and respond to changing industry conditions to provide timely and relevant information, unlike other, relatively static authentication reference resources," said Merle Zimmermann, Ph.D., AHPA information analyst, who oversees the project.

On Oct. 16, AHPA received the Patient Partnership Award from Americans for Safe Access (ASA). For more information about AHPA's recent news, visit INSIDER's AHPA topic feed.