Welcome to Pharmacina DHAO Traditional Chinese Medicine Laboratory

A family-run laboratory of masterful preparations of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Laboratory

The PharmaCina DHAO company was established in 2000 from a project between a pharmacist and a Chinese medical expert, who wished to create a professional structure to serve the good practice of Chinese medicine. All its activities are, for this reason, driven by the desire to foster the development of safe and quality Chinese medicine.

The import of herbs: quality - purity - freshness

All of our suppliers of medicinal herbs are selected very carefully by following very strict quality criteria. The first factor we refer to is the origin of the raw material "the best plant from the best region", combined with the requirement of freshness "always from the last harvest".

After proper on-site preparation and transportation, all products are subjected to numerous analyses to scientifically test their quality and purity, especially with regard to the examination of identity, the presence of heavy metals, pesticide and mold in accordance with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and European standards. Each plant is guaranteed by a certificate of examination and analysis.

Storage: rotation-stability

The herbs are carefully stored in air-conditioned storage, protected from light, at stable and controlled temperature and relative humidity. The stock is constantly adapted to our needs and is regularly checked, in order to exclude the presence of insects or mold growth and avoid aging of the herbs.

The laboratory: quality - control - safety

The preparation of raw materials in their prepared forms (roasted, with wine, with vinegar,...) is carried out following the techniques and recipes typical of Chinese medicine, in accordance with the standards of the official Chinese Pharmacopoeia and in compliance with the norms of good manufacturing patica.

The laboratory is equipped with stainless steel apparatus, whose characteristics meet European and Swiss pharmaceutical and food safety standards, to grind and micronize herbs.

All preparations are produced using well-known raw materials, so that the properties of the plants remain intact and manipulations that could diminish or denature their original energy and quality are avoided.

The preparation of remedies, under prescription, is ensured by the laboratory and is carried out under the responsibility of its technical manager (pharmacist with federal FPH diploma) and is supported by a permanent external scientific advisory service. In our laboratory we only process prescriptions from prescribers with credible and proven training in Chinese medicine and herbal medicine.

The mixtures for decoctions are carefully packaged and take into account the different cooking times of the plants, are accompanied by a detailed and personalized way of use.

We have adopted manufacturing and preparation techniques typical of Chinese medicine, in accordance with the standards of the official pharmacopoeia of China and complying with the rules of good practice (GMP) peculiar to European requirements.

The years of activity and experience have enabled us to develop a manufacturing procedure and computer program that especially ensures:

• The reliable registration, release, storage, utilization and dispensation of all raw materials by means of a bar code system
• The management of stock and expiration dates
• A detailed report of every purchase and sale
• A threefold control during the execution of orders
• The control of the dosage of herbs

A traceability at any time of all raw materials dispensed, whether loose or present in mixtures

Products and Catalog

Herbs for decoctions

We have a wide range of products consisting of more than 400 raw (sheng) and treated (honey, wine, vinegar, roasted,...) plants. We work in compliance with CITES regulations, which prohibit the import of protected species, and Swiss regulations. Plants can be dispensed individually or in mixtures while respecting the cooking time of each plant.

Granulates

We have an ample repertoire of single granulates and mixtures of fixed formulas 

Honey pills

Honey pills are very ancient herbal preparations from Chinese medicine. They are finely chopped herbs mixed with honey and dried according to a special procedure. They are "fixed formulas" that cannot be altered. Keeping the same manufacturing techniques as in China, we have optimized the manufacturing procedure according to European quality requirements, modifying the galenic form of the products: they are conditioned in the form of grooved tablets, giving a more compact volume and allowing better storage and easy dosing (1 square = 1 pill = 3g of herbal mixture). Their composition is in accordance with the official Chinese state pharmacopoeia (2000 edition) and the criteria of university manuals and the great classics of China. In addition, we can prepare customized honey tablets.

Mix (infusettes) : Coarsely ground herbs

This galenic form has a low dosage and short cooking time as its main characteristic. For this reason, formulas containing herbs that require a long or extra long cooking duration cannot be prepared in this type of preparation. Outside of the classic formulas that we offer, any formula can be prepared on simple demand. They are delivered ready to cook in the form of large tea bags.

Fine powder (micronized powder)

• Ingestible powders
.

These are "fixed formulas" of micronized herbal mixtures, which are ingested after being mixed with hot water. These formulas correspond to the great classical formulas of Chinese medicine. The composition does not allow for modifications to be made.

• Customized  micronized powders 

These are "customized" mixtures of micronized herbs, prepared at the request of a therapist. 

• Single herbal powders
.

These are valuable herbs from the Chinese tradition that can be consumed individually. At the usual dosage all these herbs are considered superior and reliable foods. Under recipe we can provide such herbs in the form of 0.5g capsules (except Lingzhi, Ganoderma).

Dietetics

• Dietary Herbs

An important principle of Chinese tradition says: "foods and herbs have the same source." Thus a large number of medicinal herbs can be integrated into daily cooking as food, but with a surplus of health and well-being.

• Dietary teas

Dietary herbal teas useful for treating ailments. These are not medicinal preparations but a dietary accompaniment during a treatment. Regular intake of these remedies allows harmonizing the body, strengthening the immune system, regulating physiological functioning, and improving the patient's condition.