Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Rapid Identification and Quality Control of Traditional Herbal Medicines

Traditional herbal medicines (THMs) require rapid and reliable analytical tools because their safety and efficacy depend on species identity, geographical origin, harvest and storage history, processing state, compositional variability, and contaminant exposure. Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is attractive for THM analysis because it combines molecular specificity, high sensitivity, and short analysis time. Recent studies have applied SERS to species and origin discrimination, adulteration detection, marker‐compound quantification, and screening of pesticide residues, illegal additives, sulfur‐fumigation markers, and toxic constituents. This review emphasizes the evidence needed for practical translation: matrix tolerance, substrate reproducibility, quantitative validation, instrument portability, and regulatory relevance. Direct THM studies are distinguished from broader plant‐derived comparator studies, and SERS is evaluated as a complementary rapid‐screening and quality‐control support tool rather than a replacement for chromatographic or mass‐spectrometric confirmation.