THERE was a time when taking traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) meant imbibing some pungent-smelling brew, but today you can just pop a pill or capsule, or stir some granules into water, thanks to technology.

TCM physician Seah Ai Wei, who practises at Raffles Hospital, notes that TCM medicine has undergone a facelift. 'Other than the raw herbs, Chinese medicine is now being formulated into powder, micro-capsules (a finer version of powder), pills/tablets/capsules and syrups, much like western medicine. Most herbs and formulas are now available in powder and micro-capsule form, in fact,' she says.

And while China is still the supplier of raw ingredients for TCM, well-established TCM companies are manufacturing medication under strict quality controls, they say. TCM supplement and medicine sold in Singapore also go through stringent screening by the Health Sciences Authority before they are allowed for sale in Singapore, assure TCM sellers and practitioners.

Borsch Med is one of the latest Singapore companies to tap into the growing modern TCM market. The Singapore company is the new nutrition and healthcare division of Goh Joo Hin Pte Ltd, which is best known for their New Moon abalone brand. 'We decided to go into this market because we ourselves have seen it work,' says Wayne Goh, chief operating officer of Goh Joo Hin and Borsch Med.

He says that since key members of the company started taking lingzhi supplementation during the SARs period a few years ago, they've seen a general improvement in health with less susceptibility to colds and flus.

This led to the interest in traditional supplements, and Borsch Med was set up recently with the aim of providing TCM products which are manufactured in Singapore under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

The 100 per cent Lingzhi Cracked Spores Powder Capsule and the 100 per cent Cordyceps Sinensis Powder Capsule are its two products for now, while it's awaiting approval from the Health Sciences Authority for its other products.

Recent technological advances have found a way for the spores of the lingzhi, a type of reishi mushroom, to be first broken open in order to be better absorbed in the body. Spores are the most effective part of the lingzhi mushroom. Each of Borsch Med's lingzhi cracked spores powder capsules contains 200mg of the powder, which comprises active ingredients like polysaccharides, triterpenes compounds, amino acids, essential minerals, protein, vitamins and enzymes.

Borsch Med's newest product - the cordyceps sinensis powder capsule - too, uses raw ingredients from China, while being manufactured here. Because of the difficulty in finding wild cordyceps in the highlands today, Borsch Med's cordyceps are farmed using bioengineering technology, and each capsule contains 500mg of 100 per cent cordyceps sinensis mycelium powder.

'We chose to launch the brand with these two products because these are already very well-known and widely accepted in TCM as being good for boosting the immune system,' explains Mr Goh. Borsch Med products are available at Watsons and Guardian.

At Eu Yan Sang, the leading TCM brand also source its raw materials from China, but all processing is done in its Good Manufacturing Practices-certified factory in Hong Kong. 'Also, with our scientific methodology used in our laboratory we can finger-print every single herb to test its authencity and grades so giving consumers the added confidence that herbs and products from EYS are genuine and safe for consumption,' explains Joanna Wong, its communications manager.

Is TCM more potent in its raw form or in pills? Brewed versions of these medicines are still the best and most authentic whereby the active ingredients are really extracted from the dried herbs, says Ms Wong. 'However, with granulation (extract form) consumers can be assured of getting the most active ingredients too.'

Raffles Hospital's Ms Seah agrees. 'The rapid advancement in technology has, however, led to more effective extraction of the herbs. This makes the micro-capsule and powder forms increasingly popular alternatives, as they are hassle-free and easy to consume.'

Unfortunately, there currently isn't a standard grading system that standardises quality, so Ms Seah's recommendation is that patients get traditional Chinese medicine from registered physicians.