Like all herb companies, Tianjiang employs trained herbalists using organolepic techniques to authenticate herbs. However, Tianjiang also developed hundreds of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) botanical fingerprint identification standards in order to verify authenticity with absolute certainty. 

Chromatography-based fingerprint identification is the gold standard for authentication of botanical products.  It is widely used to verify the authenticity of frequently counterfeited foods, including herbs, mushrooms, and honey.

Since Tianjiang developed TLC identification standards for its own use, the same standards have been adopted industry-wide by the China Food and Drug Administration.  This means that all other suppliers of Chinese herbs must strive to meet our supplier's standards for botanical authenticity.

TLC Bu Gu Zhi

TLC chemical signatures for Bu Gu Zhi full-spectrum extracts (1-8), Bu Gu Zhi raw herb samples (9-10), isolated Psoralen (11), and isolated Isopsoralen (12).

The TLC Atlas of Concentrated Granule [Herbs] for Prescription based on Tianjiang TLC botanical standards.

Learn how our authentic ingredients are processed into herbal extracts here.