INTRODUCTION

Identification of raw plant material intended for use in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, excipients, or dietary supplements is carried out by examining the morphological and histological features of the article under test and by performing diagnostic chemical tests on the article. The botanical and chemical characteristics of the test article are then compared to the known botanical and chemical characteristics of the plant species. Reference articles may be specified to assist in the proper botanical and chemical identification of the plant and plant part. A reference article may be either a USP Authenticated Reference Material, which may be used for both botanical and chemical identification, or a USP Reference Standard, which is used for chemical identification only.