What’s in herbal remedies? Laboratory analysts from Viet Nam and Lao PDR learn to test for safety and quality

Participants learned the testing methods online, then practiced them in the laboratory.  

In the online phase of the course, 30 participants from Viet Nam and Lao PDR completed modules developed by WHO and NIKOM. Sixteen selected analysts then joined the on-site phase at NIDQC. They came from NIDQC, the Institute of Drug Quality Control Ho Chi Minh City, and the Institute of Traditional Medicine of Lao PDR.  

Hands-on training focused on two priority safety concerns: pesticide residues and mycotoxins. Pesticide residues are traces of chemicals used to protect crops from pests. Mycotoxins are toxins produced by moulds and include poisonous aflatoxins, which contaminate grains and nuts consumed by humans and animals and can cause acute poisoning or cancer.   

Guided by NIKOM experts, participants practiced each step of testing for these contaminants. They prepared samples, extracted the contaminants from the plant material, and measured them with laboratory instruments. For mycotoxins, they used high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). In this method, the sample is carried through the instrument in a liquid, which separates the toxins from other compounds. Each toxin then gives off a distinct fluorescent signal, which the instrument reads to detect and measure it. 

Participants also learned a faster way to prepare samples, known as the QuEChERS method, and how to troubleshoot and adapt existing procedures and equipment. Sessions covered the calculation methods and regulations used in quality control, and the standards in the Korean Pharmacopoeia, the Republic of Korea’s official compendium of standards for medicines. 

Participants discuss the results of hands-on practice in a group session during the TCIM laboratory training in September 2026. © NIDQC

Each participant left with a plan for their own laboratory. Thaun Do Thi Bich, a researcher at NIDQC said, “I want to keep exploring how we can improve recovery rates and increase the accuracy of our analyses.” The recovery rate measures how much of a substance in a sample is retrieved by a testing method. 

Thinh Nguyen, Head of the Department of Traditional Medicines – Medicinal Materials Testing at the Institute of Drug Quality Control Ho Chi Minh City, said, “I learned how to use trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) derivatization when the dedicated equipment is not available. I hope we can carry out additional experiments with the relevant equipment.” TFA derivatization is a chemical step that makes some compounds easier to detect.  

Alounny Kingkeo, a Technical Officer at the Institute of Traditional Medicine, Lao PDR, shared, “I feel excited and challenged to apply these learnings at the Institute of Traditional Medicine, Ministry of Health. By implementing modern analytical techniques and quality control frameworks, I will try to enhance the capacity of our technical staff and laboratory capabilities to raise safety standards for traditional medicine products.”

Participants analyze experimental results obtained with HPLC equipment during the TCIM laboratory training in September 2026. © NIDQC

Reliable laboratory testing helps ensure that the traditional medicines people use are safe and of good quality. Associate Professor Dr Doan Cao Son, Director General of NIDQC, said quality-assured, safe and evidence-based TCIM products contribute to public health and to fairer access to health services.  

Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Viet Nam said, “For many people, traditional medicine is not an alternative to health care. It is health care. Whether it is a herbal remedy passed down through generations or a traditional medicine product purchased today, people deserve to know it is safe and of good quality. Viet Nam’s National Strategy for the Development of Traditional Medicine to 2030 sets an ambitious vision for strengthening the role of traditional medicine in the health system. Building that future depends on strong science, skilled professionals and reliable quality assurance. By strengthening laboratory expertise, Viet Nam is helping ensure that traditional medicine remains a trusted and valuable part of a people-centred health system.”  

The course is part of the efforts toward meeting the goals of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 and the Regional Framework for Harnessing Traditional and Complementary Medicine for Achieving Health and Well-being in the Western Pacific.  

“Traditional and complementary medicine is part of the culture of communities across the Western Pacific, and many people use it for their daily health needs. They need to be able to trust that it is safe, and laboratory analysts play a crucial role in making that possible,” said Dr Genevieve Howse, acting Director of Health Systems and Services at WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific. “The Regional Framework gives countries a shared direction on safety and quality. This learning opportunity between laboratory analysts from Viet Nam and Lao PDR, and partners from the Republic of Korea, contributes to strengthening systems that ensure people’s well-being.”  

The partners also discussed a draft framework for assessing laboratory capacity and country-specific plans to build that capacity.