Herbal monographs from the European Medicines Agency

The European Medicines Agency Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) is responsible for establishing Community herbal monographs. These will have relevance for the registration as well as the authorisation of herbal medicinal products.

A Community herbal monograph comprises the Committee’s scientific opinion on a given herbal medicinal product, based on its evaluation of available scientific data (well-established use) or on the historic use of that product in the European Community (traditional use). For some herbal medicinal products, the Community monograph covers both well-established use and traditional use.

The Community herbal monographs provide a harmonised approach to the scientific assessment of herbal medicinal products in the EU, and the Member States take them into account when they examine an application relating to a product for which a Community monograph has been established.

When the HMPC has produced a draft monograph it is released for public consultation. The comments received are subsequently reviewed and the final version of the herbal monograph is published.

The Community herbal monographs provide a harmonised approach to the scientific assessment of herbal medicinal products in the EU.  Regulators in  Member States (in UK, the MHRA) take them into account when they examine an application relating to a product for which a Community monograph has been established.


Monographs


Monographs

Aloe   Aloe barbadensis Miller
Aniseed   Pimpinella anisum L
Artichoke - globe Cyanara scolymus L
Birch leaf  Betula pendula Roth
Black cohosh  Cimicifuga racemosa Nutt
Black current  Ribes nigrum L
Boldo leaf   Peumus boldus Molina
Butcher's broom  Ruscus aculeatus L
Calendula   Calendula officinalis L
Caraway seeds  Carum carvi L
Centaury   Centaurium erythraea Rafn
Dandelion  Taraxacum officinale
Devil’s claw root Harpagophytum procumbens DC
Echinacea  Echinacea angustifolia DC
   Echinacea pallida
   Echinacea purpurea L
Elder    Sambucus nigra L
Ginger   Zingiber officinale Roscoe
Ginseng - Siberian Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim
Goldenrod  Solidago virgaurea
Hawthorn  Crataegus oxyacanthoides Thuill
Hops   Humulus lupulus L
Horse chestnut seed Aesculus hippocastanum L
Horsetail  Equisetum arvense L
Marshmallow root Althaea officinalis L
Melilot   Melilotus officinalis Willd
Mullein flower  Verbascum thapsus
Nettle    Urtica dioica L
Oat    Avena sativa L
Peppermint leaf  Mentha x piperita L
Polypody   Polypodium vulgare L
Primula   Primula veris L
Rosemary  Rosmarinus officinalis L
Sage   Salvia officinalis
St. John's Wort  Hypercium perforatum L
Thyme   Thymus vulgaris L
Witch hazel  Hamamelis virginiana L

Wormwood   Artemisia absinthium L

For detailed information, see the European Medicines Agency HMPC website.