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AHP-Verified Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs)

Home AHP-Verified Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs)

AHP-Verified Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs)–Look for the AHP Seal!

Botanical Reference Materials (BRMs) are critical to botanical testing. When properly prepared, they provide analysis with a baseline for determining identity, and in some cases, constituent profile. Numerous guidance documents of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recommend that reference materials be used in testing. AHP provides more than 300 authenticated botanical reference materials, including Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Western botanicals, for use in routine quality control testing.

AHP-Verified™ Botanical Reference Materials are sold vacuum-sealed in quantities of 5g, 10g, and 20g. CLICK HERE to see the AHP-Verified™ Botanical Reference Material list and prices. Please CONTACT US for availability and ordering specifications.
Why AHP-Verified BRMs?

Not all BRMs are created alike. AHP goes to great lengths to procure botanicals that reflect properly wildcrafted, cultivated, and processed materials, and that provide the quality and purity expected. Some botanicals must be harvested at certain times of the year (flowers in bloom or prior to bloom, roots in fall or spring, leaves prior to flowering and in the middle of the day, etc.) or must be a certain age prior to harvest (e.g. dong quai [Angelica sinensis] and Asian ginseng [Panax ginseng]). With BRMs, verification of identity is not enough. Botanicals must also be properly dried to ensure preservation of the constituent profile, which is reflected in the aroma, color, flavor, and constituent profile. They must also be free of foreign matter and filth, to levels that are accepted by national pharmacopoeias.

The AHP-Verified™ Guarantee

If for any reason, an AHP-Verified™ BRM does not perform as it is expected to perform, we will immediately replace it, provide a refund, or help troubleshoot the issue. In our 15 years of providing BRMs, out of tens of thousands of samples processed, there have been only a few rare materials that were questioned, and in all cases, we were able to quickly reconcile the discrepancy.

Where Does AHP Get Its BRMs?

AHP-Verified™ BRMs are sourced from a multitude of sources, that include wildcrafters, botanists, farms (usually organic), and from authentication experts worldwide. AHP also has a National Wildlife Federation-Certified Wildlife Habitat and garden in which we grow 100–150 botanicals (depending on the year) that we prepare as AHP-Verified™ BRMs.

How Are AHP-Verified™ BRMs Authenticated?

Each AHP-Verified™ BRM is authenticated via a variety of methods, including botanically, macroscopically, organoleptically, chemically, or molecularly, typically utilizing a suite of different techniques, which provides the greatest level of confidence for authenticity. This orthogonal approach is critical, as botanical vouchers may not always be available or accurately identified, not all chemical fingerprints or flavor profiles are unique to a species, and genetics alone cannot identify a plant part, which is a legal requirement for dietary supplements. In many cases, multiple species of a particular genus (e.g. willow bark [Salix spp.]) are acceptable, however individual species may be difficult to discern, even by trained botanists. Other species hybridize, making botanical, chemical, or genetic characterization very difficult. A fundamental part of AHP’s job, is to ensure that any material prepared as an AHP-Verified™ BRM represents authentic material that would be in compliance with any pharmacopoeial or internal identity standard.

Each AHP-Verified BRM is a Custom Order

AHP-Verified™ BRMs are not individually stocked items ready to ship. Because the potency of herbs fades with time, AHP-Verified™ BRMs are stored in vacuum-sealed bags protected from air, light, moisture, insect infestation, and excessive heat. Each BRM is individually prepared so that a final real-time inspection of the material can be made before it is shipped.

Can’t Find a Specific BRM?–Ask Us!

While AHP has an extensive list of offerings, we also have access to many more materials than we routinely stock. If there is a particular botanical that you need that is not in our current inventory, ask us. AHP maintains a large network of resources, including some that are very obscure, which regularly provide assistance in fulfilling special requests.

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