Help Center
General Questions
Can anyone order herbs and formulas from you?
Mayway only sells its products to health care practitioners, health related businesses and students of traditional Chinese medicine.
If I can't order herbs from you directly, where can I order them?
Use our searchable directory to find a practitioner or retail dispensary in your area.
Do you sell to consumers?
Mayway does not sell direct to consumers. Consumers and patients receive our products from clinics, natural product retailers, or online retailers.
What are your hours?
Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 am - 5 pm except for major holidays as listed on our Contact Us page. Mayway.com is available 24 hours a day for online ordering.
Do you offer pickup or will call delivery options?
Yes. Our will call/pickup orders are Monday through Friday from 9am until 4pm, except for major holidays.
What days are you closed?
Mayway observes the following major holidays: New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Friday, Christmas Day The dates for the current year are listed on our Contact Us page.
How can I subscribe to your newsletter?
Click here to subscribe. You can also find past newsletters under the Newsletter Archive.
Do your pills have drugs in them?
Our products do not contain pharmaceutical drugs. All ingredients are listed in the ingredient panel.
Why is there a "Prop 65" label on the product I received?
Proposition 65 is a California law that requires a warning label on products and in spaces where someone can be exposed to certain chemicals. In the case of herbs, there may be a minuscule amount of heavy metals detectable in the product. Heavy metals are found in soil and may be taken up by the plants as they grow. Learn more.
How can I find out what a product is for?
By law, we cannot make therapeutic claims about our products. Please check with your practitioner or retailer for more information. There is also a wealth of information about Chinese medicine and specific formulas available in books and online.
Ordering/Service Questions
Do you offer free shipping?
Free UPS Ground Shipping is available for orders of $199 or more shipped within the continental United States. For orders under $199, we offer $12.95 flat rate shipping within the 48 contiguous states.*
Do you sell to consumers?
Mayway does not sell direct to consumers. Consumers and patients receive our products from clinics, natural product retailers, or online retailers.
What are your hours?
Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 am - 5 pm except for major holidays as listed on our Contact Us page. Mayway.com is available 24 hours a day for online ordering.
Do you offer pickup or will call delivery options?
Yes. Our will call/pickup orders are Monday through Friday from 9am until 4pm, except for major holidays.
What days are you closed?
Mayway observes the following major holidays: New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Friday, Christmas Day The dates for the current year are listed on our Contact Us page.
When will my order ship?
Orders received by 3 pm Monday-Friday are generally shipped the same day. You will receive a shipping confirmation by email if you have registered an email address with us.
Why is there a "Prop 65" label on the product I received?
Proposition 65 is a California law that requires a warning label on products and in spaces where someone can be exposed to certain chemicals. In the case of herbs, there may be a minuscule amount of heavy metals detectable in the product. Heavy metals are found in soil and may be taken up by the plants as they grow. Learn more.
I'm sending a package directly to my patient; can you send me the bill?
Yes! We offer a "Drop Ship" service for all of our products, including our extensive Mayway Herbal Dispensary, which allows you to create your own bulk or concentrated extract formulas to send directly to your patient.
Why is there a limit on the number of custom prescriptions I can include in a single order?
Dispensary services are meant for supporting one-to-one consultations. The FDA has separate regulations for manufacturing. We feel that 14 units per prescription should be sufficient to cover most diagnoses.
Can I call in to order my prescription/custom formula?
Regrettably no. To ensure accuracy, we recommend that prescriptions be ordered online. If you do not have access to the internet or are experiencing technical difficulties, prescriptions may be faxed to 800-909-2828 or emailed to sales@mayway.com.
Product Questions
Do your pills have drugs in them?
Our products do not contain pharmaceutical drugs. All ingredients are listed in the ingredient panel.
What is a teapill?
Teapills are herbs that have been extracted in water, condensed, shaped and dried into a little herb tea ball. They do not require cooking, and are easy to swallow.
Do you have organic herbs?
We now carry Plum Flower brand Certified Organic herbs (when available).
Why do some herbs look radically different from what I have been getting in the past from Mayway and/or other suppliers?
Although in some cases it may be due to proprietary Plum Flower™ cutting and processing methods (see question below), most likely it is due to the herb being of a different species.
Do your products contain gluten?
Most herbs and formulas are gluten free except Yi yi ren/Coix lachryma/Job's tears, Mai ya/Hordeum vulgare and Shen qu/Massa fermentata. However, herbs that are processed with wheat bran, rice wine, and rice vinegar may have trace amounts of wheat proteins. Please check the product detail page to see if any herb has been specially processed. We test for gluten in-house, so you may request information on every batch. For wheat allergen information, visit our FAQ on allergens.
Why are some Plum Flower™ Premier Quality Herbs drier than other brands?
Plum Flower™ Premier Quality Herbs are processed using proprietary methods that allow us to avoid the prevalent use of sulfur dioxide fumigation, a preservative also used to artificially “enhance” the appearance of herbs.
How many grams is the spoon that came with my extract powder?
The spoons we provide with our extract powders are 1 gram spoons. However, due to the varying densities of extract powders, it can only be used as an approximation. For more precise dosing we suggest using a gram scale to determine the actual weight of a spoonful.
My practitioner gave me this formula. Can you tell me what it's for?
We are not allowed by the FDA to make medical claims about our products or custom formulas. Please contact your practitioner for a better understanding of how to use your formula.
Why are your teapills coated with wax? What is the wax?
Wax is used as a protective coating to smooth and naturally preserve the pills without adding preservatives. The wax is called China wax and is recognized as safe for food by the FDA.
Why is activated carbon added to some pills?
Activated carbon is used to prevent upset stomach.
Allergens
Do your products contain gluten?
Most herbs and formulas are gluten free except Yi yi ren/Coix lachryma/Job's tears, Mai ya/Hordeum vulgare and Shen qu/Massa fermentata. However, herbs that are processed with wheat bran, rice wine, and rice vinegar may have trace amounts of wheat proteins. Please check the product detail page to see if any herb has been specially processed. We test for gluten in-house, so you may request information on every batch. For wheat allergen information, visit our FAQ on allergens.
Do your products contain potential allergens?
Yes, some contain FDA-Recognized allergens. Download the PDF files of herbs and products that contain FDA recognized allergens or ingredients that can be problematic for people with food sensitivities. Feel free to print these for yourself or your patients with allergies to help them avoid reactions. Products with FDA recognized allergens are identified with a warning on the label and in the product detail pages.
Are allergens listed on your labels?
As of 2006 we added labels on all our affected products that identify food allergens including soy, tree nuts, and wheat. Sesame will be included on all new batches to comply with FDA allergen labeling regulations that took effect January 1, 2023.
Quality Assurance
Are your products tested?
Yes, all of our products are lab tested. Learn more about our quality and manufacturing. We have Certificates of Analysis (CoA) available for all of our products. Contact our Customer Service team and include the item and batch number with your request.
Does Mayway provide Certificate of Analysis on its products?
Yes, Certificates of Analysis (CoA) are available for all of our products. Contact our Customer Service team and include the item and batch number with your request.
Do your products have heavy metals in them?
Heavy metals are found naturally in the soil and can be found in all plants including U.S.-grown organic fruits and vegetables. We test our products to ensure that they are within safe levels as determined by the U.S. Pharmacopoeia.
Why does my bottle of teapills smell like alcohol when I open it?
It's common to notice a strong alcohol smell when you first open a bottle of teapills. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be concerned about. During the final stages of pill formation and coating, ethyl alcohol is often used to aid in the drying process. While most of the alcohol evaporates during this stage, small amounts can remain trapped on the coating of the pills when they are bottled and sealed.
What does GMP stand for?
GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices.
Dispensary
Can the Dispensary crush or pack some herbs separately?
Our dispensary will automatically wrap, crush, or put in teabags as recommended by traditional methods. This is indicated in the ingredient pop-up under "Special Processing". If you would like other ingredients processed or specially packaged, please indicate the ingredient and the request in the "Dispensary Notes" field.
Why is there a limit on the number of custom prescriptions I can include in a single order?
Dispensary services are meant for supporting one-to-one consultations. The FDA has separate regulations for manufacturing. We feel that 14 units per prescription should be sufficient to cover most diagnoses.
How many grams is the spoon that came with my extract powder?
The spoons we provide with our extract powders are 1 gram spoons. However, due to the varying densities of extract powders, it can only be used as an approximation. For more precise dosing we suggest using a gram scale to determine the actual weight of a spoonful.
What are the Dispensary minimum order amounts?
- $6 minimum order per Whole (Raw) Herb Prescription
- $12 minimum order per Powdered (Raw) Herb Prescription
- $20 minimum order per Extract/Granule Powder Prescription
- Capsuling is charged at $.20/gram with a minimum processing fee of $20.00 per prescription.
How much extract powder goes into each capsule?
Our vegetarian capsules are 500 milligrams in size and hold approximately 400 milligrams of extract powder through our encapsulation service. Exact capsule weight will vary depending upon the herb, batch, and density of the extract powder.
How many milligrams are in the Plum Flower™ capsule products?
Our capsules contain 400 mg of extract powder. The size is 500 mg.
If I have a whole herb formula, how do I translate it into an extract powder formula?
Creating a concentrated extract formula is different from writing a raw herb formula. In fact, it is more like making pills or tinctures, because it requires using a ratio of herbs. For more information, download How to Use 5:1 Powdered Extracts for instructions on how to determine these ratios and how to calculate the number of grams for each herb in the formula. If you are a licensed Practitioner, you can also use our and create your own custom formulas.
What is the shelf life of your extract powders?
A shelf-life is not established. Our testing shows that our extract powders can last for at least 12 months after opening if stored in a cool dry place.
Why did my extract powder harden? Can I still use it?
To make our extract powders as pure and effective as possible, our Plum Flower™ Extract Powders contain little to no fillers or additives. This may cause them to clump or harden on occasion, especially if the herb or formula is naturally sticky or high in sugars.