[Advances in identification of Chinese medicines by NIRS]

This review addresses the latest situations and advances of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in which detection of counterfeits and imitations, as well as monitoring origin and quality of Chinese crude drugs and Chinese patent medicines (CCDM) through consultation and summarization of relative literatures. On the one hand, NIRS gradually reveals its advantages and discriminating ability in the ways of nondestructive, rapid, simple, easy, and handy assessment. However NIRS still has some problems in representative samples and models stability for practice of CCDM. In order to keep up with popularization of NIRS in other areas, applications in detection of precious and/or priceless herbals, on-line quality control of valuable herbs, and screening of some chemicals illegally mixed into herbal preparations may be focused preferentially.