Chinese herbs can look alike or even functionless plants, but a very keen trained eye can spot the difference. Attached are several examples of dopplegangers, and explain how detrimental they are to health.
I realized the quality of medicinated herbs are not gauranteed in Chinese cities because they do not offer a certificate. For instance, my family wanted to purchase hasma or true Asian frog’s ovaries as a natural source of estrogen, we were advised by a family friend to first check out Guangzhou’s most recognized and largest private pharmacy. They sold the hasma for over $1,500RMB ($244.60USD) per ounce. My family friend was shocked by the drastic increase in price just over the five years. After hearing the price, she told us that she’ll try to contact an old friend who sold Chinese herbs to double-check his price.
Overall, the factor that gauges the price is Chinese medicated goods is based on the level of difficulty in which they are cultivated. Let’s take detoxifying and cooling รฏยผหรฅยครฆลพยฏรจโฐรฏยผโฐ tea mixes for example. Three packages of sweetened tea with about 10 individual packets of premade tea costs $15RMB ($2.45USD). Hong Kong especially has lines of shops that sells medicated herbs and exotic animal products, but the prices are even higher because their quality is more trusted.
In Chicago, my uncle who owns a Chinese herbal shop and imports his supply of Chinese medicine and herbs from New York City because only this city suppliers.
