ActivateQi Quality Control of Raw Herb Materials

At ActivateQi, we take purity and safety extremely seriously, and that's why we’ve partnered with one of the most respected and rigorously controlled pharmaceutical grade herb manufacturers in the world.

In fact, the same manufacturer supplies the majority of hospitals and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinics in China, which means they are required to meet the rigorous standards of the Chinese Pharmacopeia (ChP) — the national legal standard for herbal medicine in China.

Chinese Pharmacopeia Standards:

The Chinese Pharmacopeia sets stricter safety and quality benchmarks than what’s required for supplements under U.S. FDA guidelines. These standards include:

  • Identity verification of raw herbs using botanical, microscopic, and chemical analysis.
  • Limits on heavy metals, pesticide residues, and microbial contamination that are often tighter than U.S. requirements.
  • Quantitative measures of active compounds to ensure therapeutic consistency.
  • Prohibition of adulterants and unauthorized substances commonly found in lower-grade herbal products.

Not Standards That Meet - Standards That Exceed

The ActivateQi supplier doesn't just meet these standards — they’ve gone above and beyond by investing heavily in proprietary extraction and granulation technologies, many of which are protected by international patents. These processes help preserve the herbs’ full-spectrum chemistry while ensuring batch-to-batch consistency and purity that’s unmatched in the industry.

We know there’s a wide range of quality when it comes to herbs sourced from China — and we completely agree that this is a concern. That’s why our lead Practitioner, and our head of Quality Control, strictly vets our suppliers and does not allow us to work with any company that doesn’t meet her extremely high standards. Many companies source herbs from open herb markets, where quality can vary significantly and traceability is nearly impossible.

Here's how we ensure purity:

  • Source Transparency: All herbs are grown on GAP-certified (Good Agricultural Practices) plantations across China.
  • These are carefully selected for soil, climate, and purity to ensure clean, potent raw materials from the start.
  • Seed-to-Harvest Oversight: Maintains full traceability — from seed selection, cultivation, and harvest to processing — so every step is monitored for quality.
  • Independent Third-Party Testing: Yes — each batch undergoes independent lab testing for heavy metals, pesticide residues, sulfur dioxide, and microbial contaminants.
  • Testing is conducted both in China and the U.S. to meet international standards.
  • Authenticity Testing: Advanced technologies like HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) and microscopy are used to confirm botanical identity and active compound levels.
  • GMP Manufacturing: The herbs are processed using Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) in state-of-the-art facilities that prevent cross-contamination and preserve the integrity of the herb.

In short, you’re getting formulas made from herbs that are clean, tested, and traceable all the way back to the field where they were grown.

At ActivateQi, we only work with suppliers that provide full traceability and transparent testing documentation. Our goal is to ensure that what ends up in your hands is safe, effective, and exactly what it claims to be — every single time.

If you'd like, we’re happy to share a sample Certificate of Analysis (COA) or walk you through our process in more detail!