Our history
Birth of the Laboratoire Calebasse
Our name refers to the Calabash fruit (Lagenaria siceraria) which was once used as a gourd after being hollowed out and dried. Itinerant Chinese doctors used it to carry pills and medicinal plants during their travels. This fruit is the emblem of wisdom and authenticity. It is the equivalent of the caduceus in the West. According to popular Chinese belief, this 葫芦 gourd (Hu lu) nicknamed "magic gourd" would have the power to ward off evil spirits and disease. Its first character Hu is pronounced as Fu, which means "auspicious"; it is thus a symbol of longevity and prosperity.
In 1997, Mrs Shaohua LIU, doctor in gynecology and practitioner in Chinese Medicine, founded in the 13th arrondissement of Paris "À la Calebasse Verte", a most authentic Chinese herbalist, thus marking the beginnings of the laboratory. A true virtuoso of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Madame LIU developed her first traditional formulas there (paozhi : jiu, zhi, mi duan, etc.) and she co-wrote Chinese food herbal medicine with Mr Marc JOUANNY for Masson editions. For more than fifteen years, she shared her knowledge and collaborated with the greatest pharmacologists and health professionals in France and Europe. It is at the beginning and the heart of our project.
French Laboratory of Chinese Pharmacopoeia
The essence of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the creative and vital energy of nature and of humans (Qi). This notion of Qi translates the holistic nature of TCM. Exercising this millennial medicine amounts to revealing a therapeutic treasure of more than 4000 years. The Calabash Laboratory, an expert in Chinese pharmacopoeia, is part of this philosophy.
As a reference laboratory for Chinese pharmacopoeia in France, we adopt a strict and uncompromising quality approach :
TRADITIONAL PREPARATIONS
Traditional preparations (paozhi : jiu, zhi, mi duan, etc.) are respected and comply with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The desiccation is done by high pressure steam and without sulphide.
GMP MANUFACTURING
All our suppliers are certified by the GMP label. Storage is done under vacuum and without the use of irradiation.
PHYTOSANITARY CONTROLS
On import, phytosanitary checks are carried out to detect any traces of heavy metals and pesticides. Ingredients are authenticated by their true botanical species.
Our development goal
The growing interest in TCM and Chinese pharmacopoeia resonates with the democratization of alternative and preventive medicine. To support this growth, we have diversified, adapted and perfected our product offering, expanded our distribution network and set up an online store.
Today, Laboratoire Calebasse has more than 30 employees including a team of experts made up of doctors, pharmacists and teachers. In addition, we collaborate each year with more than 1000 health professionals, and the greatest practitioners in France place their trust in us on a daily basis, which is the pride of our laboratory.
Within it, our teams develop traditional formulas and homemade preparations in the strictest respect of health standards, from their design to their manufacture and up to their packaging.
Between modernity and heritage, science and tradition, the Calabash Laboratory is a reference in the field of medicinal plants. Wishing to introduce as many people as possible to the cultural and therapeutic treasure represented by Traditional Chinese Medicine, we boldly carry the will to contribute to the return of health based on the virtues of nature.