One of the issues that has plagued the herb industry for many years is the problem of establishing standards to determine the proper identity and purity of botanical materials used in commercial herbal preparations. Likewise, there are concerns among health professionals regarding the scientific basis for documenting the therapeutic benefits and potential risks of these products. The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia has done the American public an invaluable service by publishing its first monographs on three popular herbs, thereby providing authoritative information on the identity, purity, benefits and potential risks of these herbs. The publication of AHP monographs will help increase the quality of herbal products, plus increase the quality of information on their responsible use. These monographs will be valuable not only to the herb industry, but also to health professionals, regulators, industry, journalists, and the public.