中藥材供健康食品使用之研究與基準之建立

陳易宏
元培科技大學護理系
隨著人類財富累積，生活改善，使得世界各國對醫藥養生更為重視，而因植物成份具有回歸自然概念，故以植物成份作為養生醫療蔚為風尚。積極規範與發展植物藥已是世界的趨勢，中藥為我國醫藥文化重要資源，歷經數千年而不衰，愈具開發價值。
目前世界各國對植物性成份的醫藥與養生功能較以往更為重視，對藥性溫和之中藥與天然物的需求更為增加，又民眾對於傳統中藥向來都有「藥食同源」的觀念，部份藥材常被當作一般食品烹調食用，此觀念也促進健康食品、功能食品及改善食品的風行。
然而，中醫藥典籍例如：『本草綱目』的制訂乃以藥為前提，而不是以食品為前提，因此若要將中藥材當成食品，仍應提出安全報告與科學論證較易獲得認同，也較能保障民眾安全。
先前的研究計畫已調查美國、英國、歐盟、紐西蘭、澳洲、日本與中華人民共和國有關可供食品使用之中藥材之相關規定，發現日本及中華人民共和國之衛生單位訂有中藥材可供食品使用之品項。我們也已依據國外對於新藥，植物性新藥，新穎性食品，健康食品及食品添加物之安全性評估原則，訂定「中藥材同時供食品使用之安全性評估基準」，並諮詢中醫藥、食品、藥理學、毒理學各界專家意見。對於神農本草經所定義之上品藥材，比較各國衛生單位對於該中藥材是否可供食用之管理情形，選出適合做為可供民眾食用之藥材。
關鍵字：中藥材；健康食品；安全性評估

The study for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products to be used as health foods and the establishment of guidelines

Yi-Hung Chen
Yuanpei University
People in the world have focused on how to keep health because of the wealth accumulation and life improvement. Herbs have the natural concept, so that using herbs to keep health is quite popular. Nowadays, every country dedicates to study and develop herbal medicines. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of healing that has long been utilized in the Chinese culture and is of great values in this regard.
In order to promote the safe use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and as suggested by the 23rd Science & Technology Advisory Board Meetings and Strategic Review Board (SRB) Meeting, Taiwan’s Department of Health is considering the possibility of allowing some TCMs to be used as foods. These will be gradually phased into use.
Our previous study investigated how international regulatory authorities regulate TCMs intended to be used as foods. We also analyze whether the most frequently used TCMs are suitable to be used as foods and we attempt to establish guidances for safety assessments.
關鍵字：Traditional Chinese Medicine；health food；safety assessment