Research progress on quality markers of traditional Chinese medicine.

The quality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the lifeline for the development of TCM industry, but research work on this topic is seriously fragmented due to the lack of systematic thinking. Quality markers (Q-markers) are a new concept in TCM quality control. According to the characteristics of TCM system, such as biological attributes, manufacturing process, and compatibility theory, these markers take into account the correlation among effectiveness, material basis, and quality control landmark components and create a new model of TCM quality research. This paper reviews the research pathway and practice on TCM Q-markers in recent years and reports selected examples of case studies. It discusses the application of Q-markers to TCM quality traceability system and industry supervision. Results will provide references for further in-depth research on Q-markers to improve the whole-process quality control level of TCM.