Plantas medicinales

Most Japanese medicinal plants in this catalog (yomogi, dokudami, kuko-no-mi) are food-classified when sold as teas, extracts, or supplements without medical claims. They become OTC/prescription drugs only when used in registered kampo formulations or with medical claims. Buyers should verify final-product claim positioning for their target market.

Many shared species exist between Japanese kampo and Chinese TCM, but Japanese cultivation often emphasizes lower pesticide load, cleaner growing regions (e.g., Hokkaido, Iwate), and stricter curing standards. Japanese-grown crude drugs typically command 2–5x the price of Chinese-imported equivalents.

Most are compliant when used with appropriate claim restrictions. EU Novel Food status should be checked for less common species (e.g., specific kampo crude drugs not common in Europe). US DSHEA generally accommodates traditional Japanese herbs with documented use history. China NMPA has separate approval pathways for medicinal plants used in cosmetics or supplements.

Standard kampo crude drugs (dried whole or sliced) ship in 5–10 kg minimums. Concentrated extracts (5x–20x) typically start at 1–5 kg. Premium organic-certified or GAP-grown materials may have higher minimums and longer lead times (8–12 weeks).