Call for stricter control on import of herbs

Be careful what you buy: A side-by-side comparison of the raw herb mutong (bottom) and its adulterated cousins guan mu tong and chuan mu tong (top).

PETALING JAYA: A traditional Chinese medicine expert wants the Health Ministry to implement stricter control on the import of herbs, saying his research has found that Chinese medicine halls are selling adulterated raw herbs.

Dr Yam Mun Fei, a pharmacologist who is a member of the Federation of Chinese Physician and Medicine Dealers Association, studied more than 130 herb samples collected from medicine halls in all 13 states.