The Company
Phytax Ltd. (formerly Sinecura Analysen Ltd.) was founded in 1998 by Doctor Severin Bühlmann in Aarau Switzerland. Our laboratory is in Zürich. Our range of analyses is specifically targeted towards the quality control of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM). Phytax Ltd. employs highly qualified personnel such as physicians, botanists, biologists, chemists, environmental natural scientists and skilled laboratory assistants. Phytax Ltd. is an independent laboratory and works on a mandate basis.
 

Identity of TCM-Remedies
Phytax Ltd. is expert in identity testing of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Traditional Chinese Medicine uses primarily defined botanical parts such as leaves, roots or flowers. Seldom are mineral and animal constituents practiced. We test, macroscopic and microscopic, the identity of dried, open remedies and when the specifications demand, the identity will be determined through the use of thin layer chromatography and/or other methods. For extracts, the analyses begin with thin layer chromatogram.
 

Specific Compounds
Phytax Ltd. also offers the analysis of specific compounds. For certain traditional Chinese medicines, the detection of so-called secondary compounds is important. In Aconitum remedies, the aconitine content is of interest. In Stephaniae tetrandrae, one wants to be able to eliminate the occurrence of aristolochic acids, because falsely under this pharmaceutical name also Aristolochia species are handled. Phytax Ltd. already offers these tests and is working hard on modern methods to determine additional specific substances.
 

Impurities
Phytax Ltd. is dedicated to the best possible quality of remedies of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Hence, we take provisions for you which detect heavy metals, pesticides, and other environmental contaminants, as well as aflatoxins and microbiological contamination.
 

Certificate of Analyses
Phytax Ltd. puts at your disposal the analyses results in certificate form, which is valid in all member states of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention (PIC) with your choice of PDF or hard copy format. (Example)
 

Research and Development
Since its founding, Phytax Ltd. maintains its own Research and Development department. Several hundred material monographs pertaining to the macroscopic and microscopic determination of identity of remedies were compiled with the inclusion of standard works of the Chinese flora, pharmacopoeia and Materia Medica, as well as many other relevant works.
Parallel to R & D, Phytax Ltd. has at its disposal today an in-house Herbar which is comprised of thousands of references and fake herbs. In addition to the morphological testing, our own TLC-fingerprint reference database enables us to chromatographically identify hundreds of remedies.
 

GMP-Certification
Phytax Ltd. possesses authorization from the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, Swissmedic, and is in accordance with the guidelines of PIC and the WHO in that Phytax Ltd. is GMP certified in the realm of analyzing drugs and extracts as well as Chinese medicinal granules. In Switzerland, the GMP confirmation is generally achieved through the Regional Medicines Inspectorate (RFS) as the executive power of the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, Swissmedic. Phytax Ltd. is periodically inspected by the Cantonal Office for the Control of Regional Medicines Inspectorate of Eastern and Central Switzerland.
 

Quality Management System
Phytax Ltd. is based on and organized in accordance to the ISO 9001:2000 system and is aiming for a certification in the near future.