Zhao Zhongzhen
Keynote: Nat Prod Chem Res
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a quintessence of Chinese culture, has earned worldwide recognition for its efficacy. As TCM undergoes rapid globalization, the safety of Chinese medicinal is drawing international concern. Chinese medicinal authentication is thefirst and the key step for standardizing Chinese medicinal for global marketsand research. Authentication methods include origin identification, macroscopic identification, microscopic identification, physical/chemical identification, and molecular biological identification. Many issues related to authentication have remained unresolved since ancient times. Determining the authenticity and quality of Chinese medicinal remains as much a frontier as it is an essential science in guaranteeing the safety and efficacy of Chinese medicinal in clinical use. Authentication is directly connected to the clinical effectiveness of TCM. This can be a matter of life and death in clinical practice and will almost certainly influence the fate of Chinese medicinal. The School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) is one of the HKSAR University Grants Committee-funded tertiary institutions that provide a full-time tertiary education degree program in TCM. SCM has been striving to promote the modernization and internationalization of Chinese medicine in its teaching, research, clinical service, consultancy service and technology transfer. In the past 15 years, SCM has laid a solid foundation in the field of Chinese medicinal authentication and has made major impacts at home and abroad in this capacity. As an international trade center, Hong Kong is the source of most Chinese medicinal materials reaching international markets. The quality of Chinese medicinals in Hong Kong directly reflects the status of oversea herbal markets. SCM at HKBU will continuously make great efforts to the promotingthe Chinese medicinal authentication and the development of medicinal resources, which will in turn further strengthen the competiveness and influence of Chinese medicinal in the international community.
Zhao Zhongzhen, Associate Dean and Chair Professor of SCM, HKBU, is currently the Advisor on traditional medicines for the West Pacific Region of the World Health Organization and US Pharmacopeia. He is a member of the International Advisory Board of Hong Kong Standard of Chinese MateriaMedica. He is also a member of the Chinese Pharmacopeia Commission.
