Top 10 Chinese Herbal Medicine Companies: Origins, Therapeutic Focus & Highlights

Top 10 Chinese Herbal Medicine Companies: Origins, Therapeutic Focus & Highlights

The global herbal medicine market is booming, and at its heart lies Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). From 500-year-old apothecaries to modern publicly listed pharma giants, China has mastered the art of blending ancient wisdom with modern biotech and clinical research.

In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at 10 of China’s top herbal medicine companies. You’ll learn about their origins, their key therapeutic focuses, and the fascinating milestones that have helped them shape the TCM industry.

Whether you’re in pharma, business development, or just curious about herbal medicine, this guide shows who’s leading the way.

Snapshot Table – The Top 10 Companies at a Glance

Company	Founded	Focus Area	Unique Highlight
Beijing Tong Ren Tang	1669	General TCM	Imperial supplier for 188 years
Yunnan Baiyao Group	1902/1971	Wound healing	Baiyao powder used by soldiers
Tasly Pharmaceutical	1994	Cardiovascular	First TCM IPO
CR Sanjiu	1999	Cold/flu, respiratory	“999” brand fame
Jiangzhong Pharmaceutical	1969	Digestive	Monkey Mushroom oral liquid
Guangyuyuan	1541	Gynecology, tonics	500-year legacy
Harbin Pharmaceutical	1954	Anti-infective	Partnered with Pfizer
Tianjin Zhongxin	1953	Cardio, liver	Angong Niuhang Wan
Shanghai Pharmaceuticals	1994	Multi-TCM	Vast herbal network
Shandong Buchang	1993	Cardiovascular	FDA-trailed TCM

The Top 10 Chinese Herbal Medicine Companies

Let’s keep it real simple. China has a bunch of herbal medicine giants that basically mix ancient roots with modern science. Some of them have been around since emperors ruled, others popped up in the 1900s and now trade on stock exchanges.

Together, they make everything from cold granules to heart tonics, from mushroom drinks to healing powders. These ten companies are the big bosses of Chinese herbal medicine — running the show both at home and abroad.

1.Beijing Tong Ren Tang (Founded 1669)

This one’s the grand old master of Chinese medicine. Beijing Tong Ren Tang has been making herbal formulas since way before modern pharma even existed.

It started during the Qing Dynasty and somehow still runs huge factories and wellness centers today. People trust it because it’s all about traditional recipes, tonics, and natural health — basically, ancient vibes with modern packaging.

Category	Details
Therapeutic Focus	General TCM, tonics and wellness
Highlight	Was the official supplier to the Qing Dynasty’s imperial court for nearly 200 years.
Insight	A heritage brand that proves ancient formulas can still rule modern markets

2.Yunnan Baiyao Group (Founded 1902 / 1971)

This brand started with battlefield medicine — literally. Yunnan Baiyao became famous for its secret herbal powder that soldiers used to stop bleeding fast.

Over time, it turned that formula into a full healthcare empire, making everything from sprays and capsules to toothpaste and skincare. It’s one of those rare TCM companies that successfully jumped from hospitals to supermarket shelves.

Category	Details
Therapeutic Focus	Wound healing, pain relief
Highlight	Its Baiyao powder was used by soldiers in wars for rapid wound healing
Insight	One of China’s first TCM brands to expand into cosmetics and consumer healthcare

3.Tasly Pharmaceutical (Founded 1994)

Tasly is like the modern go-getter of Chinese herbal medicine. They don’t just stick to old-school tonics, they tackle big health issues like heart problems, cancer support, digestion, and metabolism.

What’s cool? They were the first TCM company to go public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange back in 1996. Tasly shows that herbal medicine can be both traditional and totally business-savvy, aiming for big markets at home and abroad.

Category	Details
Therapeutic focus	Cardiovascular, cancer. GI, medicine
Highlight	First TCM firm to IPO on Shanghai Stock Exchange (1996)
Insight	Pioneer in standardizing herbal formulas for international markets

4.CR Sanjiu (Sanjiu Medical) (Founded 1999)

CR Sanjiu is the company behind that famous little pack of “999 Cold Remedy Granules” everyone knows in China.

They’re not just about colds, though, they also cover digestion, heart health, and respiratory care. Basically, they mix old-school remedies with some modern R&D to stay relevant in both pharmacies and hospitals.

Category	Details
Therapeutic Focus	Cold flu, GI, cardio, respiratory
Highlight	“999 Cold Remedy Granules”, a household name across China
Insight	Balances OTC dominance with expanding R&D in immune and respiratory care

5.Jiangzhong Pharmaceutical (Founded 1969)

Jiangzhong is all about keeping your stomach happy and your lungs working. Their claim to fame? The “Monkey Mushroom Oral Liquid,” which is basically a tasty way to support digestion and overall wellness.

They’re kind of pioneers, mixing edible mushrooms with traditional Chinese medicine to make functional health products that feel modern but still herbal.

Category	Details
Therapeutic Focus	Digestive, respiratory, nutrition
Highlight	Known for its “Monkey Mushroom Oral Liquid”
Insight	Combines food-granule fungi with TCM which is a leader in functional health products

6.Guangyuyuan (Founded 1541)

Guangyuyuan is basically the grandpa of Chinese herbal medicine. They’ve been around for nearly 500 years, focusing on women’s health, tonics, and detox remedies.

What’s cool is they take these super old recipes and make them in modern, clean factories, so you get tradition without the weird old-school mess.

Category	Details
Therapeutic Focus	Gynecology, tonics, detox
Highlight	One of China’s oldest TCM brands (since 1541)
Insight	Combines ancient prescriptions with modern GMP manufacturing

7.Harbin Pharmaceutical Group (Hayao) (Founded 1954)

Harbin Pharma is the company that helped China play in the big pharma league early on. They focus on anti-infectives and traditional herbal formulas.

Back in the 1980s, they teamed up with Pfizer, one of the first Sino-foreign pharma partnerships. Basically, they show how Chinese herbal companies can mix local tradition with global moves.

Category	Details
Therapeutic focus	Anti-infectives, TCM formulas
Highlight	Partnered with Pfizer in the 1980s
Insight	Symbol of China’s early globalization in pharma

8.Tianjin Zhongxin Pharmaceutical (Founded 1953)

Tianjin Zhongxin is the go-to company if you want old-school formulas with a brainy twist. They make Angong Niuhuang Wan, a classic remedy for stroke and fever, and they also focus on heart, liver, and women’s health. They’re basically taking ancient recipes and giving them a modern spin with neurological research.

Category	Details
Therapeutic focus	Cardiovascular, liver, gynecology
Highlight	Producer of the classic Angong Niuhang Wan for stroke and fever
Insight	Combines heritage formulas with modern neurological studies

9.Shanghai Pharmaceuticals (Herbal Division) (Founded 1994)

Shanghai Pharma’s herbal division is like a one-stop shop for TCM. They cover a bunch of therapeutic areas and wellness products, and they run one of China’s biggest distribution networks.

Basically, they don’t just make the herbs, they make sure those herbs actually get to stores and clinics all over the country.

Category	Details
Therapeutic Focus	Multi-TCM areas, wellness
Highlight	Operates one of China’s largest TCM distribution networks
Insight	Acts as both a manufacturer and supply-chain integrator

10.Shandong Buchang Pharmaceuticals (Founded 1993)

Shandong Buchang is the company showing that old-school TCM can play by Western rules. They focus on heart and brain health, and their famous Danshen Dripping Pills even went through FDA clinical trials. Basically, they’re proving traditional Chinese formulas can get the stamp of modern science.

Category	Details
Therapeutic Focus	Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular
Highlight	Danshen Dripping Pills underwent FDA clinical trials
Insight	A strong case of traditional formulas meeting western validation

Conclusion

These 10 Chinese herbal medicine companies show how centuries-old wisdom can thrive in the modern world. Some, like Guangyuyuan and Beijing Tong Ren Tang, have been around for hundreds of years, carrying heritage formulas into today’s markets. Others, like Shandong Buchang and Tasly, are bridging traditional medicine with clinical trials, international standards, and biotech innovations.

Together, they highlight a few key trends: rising consumer trust in TCM, growing validation through clinical studies, and smarter supply chains powered by technology. They’re not just making herbs—they’re shaping how traditional medicine integrates with modern healthcare. For anyone in pharma, investment, or business development, understanding these players is crucial.

Clival Database gives you the tools to track herbal product pipelines, explore licensing opportunities, and monitor supplier intelligence in real time, making it easier to make informed decisions in the rapidly evolving herbal medicine market.