[F1ANNEX I U.K. ANALYTICAL, PHARMACOTOXICOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS IN RESPECT OF THE TESTING OF MEDICINAL PRODUCTS

PART III U.K. PARTICULAR MEDICINAL PRODUCTS

4. HERBAL MEDICINAL PRODUCTS U.K.

Module 3 U.K.

The provisions of Module 3, including compliance with monograph(s) of the European Pharmacopoeia, shall apply to the authorisation of herbal medicinal products. The state of scientific knowledge at the time when the application is lodged shall be taken into account.

The following aspects specific to herbal medicinal products shall be considered:

(1) Herbal substances and herbal preparations U.K.

For the purposes of this Annex the terms herbal substances and preparations shall be considered equivalent to the terms herbal drugs and herbal drug preparations , as defined in the European Pharmacopoeia.

With respect to the nomencRlature of the herbal substance, the binomial scientific name of plant (genus, species, variety and author), and chemotype (where applicable), the parts of the plants, the definition of the herbal substance, the other names (synonyms mentioned in other Pharmacopoeias) and the laboratory code shall be provided.

With respect to the nomenclature of the herbal preparation, the binomial scientific name of plant (genus, species, variety and author), and chemotype (where applicable), the parts of the plants, the definition of the herbal preparation, the ratio of the herbal substance to the herbal preparation, the extraction solvent(s), the other names (synonyms mentioned in other Pharmacopoeias) and the laboratory code shall be provided.

To document the section of the structure for herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable, the physical form, the description of the constituents with known therapeutic activity or markers (molecular formula, relative molecular mass, structural formula, including relative and absolute stereo-chemistry, the molecular formula, and the relative molecular mass) as well as other constituent(s) shall be provided.

To document the section on the manufacturer of the herbal substance, the name, address, and responsibility of each supplier, including contractors, and each proposed site or facility involved in production/collection and testing of the herbal substance shall be provided, where appropriate.

To document the section on the manufacturer of the herbal preparation, the name, address, and responsibility of each manufacturer, including contractors, and each proposed manufacturing site or facility involved in manufacturing and testing of the herbal preparation shall be provided, where appropriate.

With respect to the description of manufacturing process and process controls for the herbal substance, information shall be provided to adequately describe the plant production and plant collection, including the geographical source of the medicinal plant and cultivation, harvesting, drying and storage conditions.

With respect to the description of manufacturing process and process controls for the herbal preparation, information shall be provided to adequately describe the manufacturing process of the herbal preparation, including description of the processing, solvents and reagents, purification stages and standardisation.

With respect to the manufacturing process development, a brief summary describing the development of the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable shall be provided, taking into consideration the proposed route of administration and usage. Results comparing the phyto-chemical composition of the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable used in supporting bibliographic data and the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s), where applicable, contained as active substance(s) in the herbal medicinal product applied for shall be discussed, where appropriate.

With respect to the elucidation of the structure and other characteristics of the herbal substance, information on the botanical, macroscopical, microscopical, phyto-chemical characterisation, and biological activity if necessary, shall be provided.

With respect to the elucidation of the structure and other characteristics of the herbal preparation, information on the phyto- and physicochemical characterisation, and biological activity if necessary, shall be provided.

The specifications for the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable shall be provided.

The analytical procedures used for testing the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable shall be provided.

With respect to the validation of analytical procedures, analytical validation information, including experimental data for the analytical procedures used for testing the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable shall be provided.

With respect to batch analyses, description of batches and results of batch analyses for the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable shall be provided, including those for pharmacopoeial substances.

Justification for the specifications of the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable shall be provided.

Information on the reference standards or reference materials used for testing of the herbal substance(s) and herbal preparation(s) where applicable shall be provided.

Where the herbal substance or the herbal preparation is the subject of a monograph, the applicant can apply for a certificate of suitability that was granted by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines.