Which herb is NOT among the FDA restricted herbs?

• A. Guan Mu Tong
• B. Huang Qi
• C. Xi Xin
• D. Guang Fang Ji

Answer: (B)

Safety and regulatory status are tested here: the FDA restricts herbs that carry a real risk of kidney damage or cancer, largely due to aristolochic acids found in Aristolochia species. Guan Mu Tong, Xi Xin, and Guang Fang Ji are the ones tied to that risk, so they appear on FDA restricted lists and should be avoided or used with extreme caution in regulated contexts. Huang Qi, on the other hand, is Astragalus and is not part of that restricted group; it’s commonly used to tonify qi and is not flagged by the FDA for aristolochic acid–related toxicity. In practice, this means Huang Qi is considered safe from FDA restriction in this context, while the other three are not.