Preferred Stock Equity Components [Axis] Common Stock Stock To Be Issued Prepaid Forward Repurchase Contract Additional Paid-In Capital Treasury Stock Retained Earnings / Accumulated Deficit Other Comprehensive Income / Loss Noncontrolling Interest Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document Type Amendment Flag Document Period End Date Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Period Focus Trading Symbol Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Current Fiscal Year End Date Entity Filer Category Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Entity Public Float EntityVoluntaryFilers EntityWellKnownSeasonedIssuer EntityCurrentReportingStatus Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents Restricted cash Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $16,354,873 and $687,879 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively Inventories, net Advances to suppliers and prepaid expenses Note receivable Receivable for disposal of NuoHua Affiliate Deferred tax assets Other current assets Total Current Assets LONG-TERM ASSETS Property, plant and equipment, net Land use rights, net Capitalized agricultural costs Acquired intangible assets, net Goodwill Investments in and advances to equity investments Deferred tax assets Deferred financing costs Total Long-Term Assets TOTAL ASSETS CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable Accrued expenses and other payables Taxes payable Convertible notes, in default Notes payable Short-term bank loans Current portion of long-term bank loans Deferred tax liabilities Total Current Liabilities LONG-TERM LIABILITIES Long-term bank loans, net of current portion Deferred tax liabilities Accrued taxes Convertible notes Total Long-Term Liabilities TOTAL LIABILITIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 2,000,000 shares authorized; 1,000,000 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively Common stock, $0.002 par value; 75,000,000 shares authorized; 39,476,274 shares and 39,299,303 shares issued as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. respectively; 39,251,691 shares and 39,299,303 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively Common stock to be issued (132,247 shares and 85,243 shares as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively) Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Less: Treasury stock, at cost (224,582 shares and nil as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively) Less: Prepaid forward repurchase contract Accumulated other comprehensive income Total American Oriental Bioengineering, Inc. Shareholders' Equity Non-controlling Interest TOTAL EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Preferred stock, par value Preferred stock, shares authorized Preferred stock, shares issued Preferred stock, shares outstanding Common stock, par value Common stock, shares authorized Common stock, shares issued Common stock, shares outstanding Common stock to be issued Treasury stock, shares Income Statement [Abstract] Revenues Cost of sales GROSS PROFIT Selling, general and administrative expenses Advertising costs Research and development costs Depreciation and amortization expenses Provision for doubtful accounts Impairment of acquired intangible assets Impairment of goodwill Impairment of property, plant and equipment Total operating expenses (LOSS) INCOME FROM OPERATIONS Impairment of equity method investment-AXN Loss on disposal of NuoHua Affiliate Gain on extinguishment of convertible notes Equity in earnings (losses) from equity method investments Interest expense, net Other income (expense), net (LOSS) INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX Provision for income taxes NET (LOSS) INCOME Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMERICAN ORIENTAL BIOENGINEERING, INC. OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Foreign currency translation gain COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME (LOSS) EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE Basic Diluted WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING Basic Diluted Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net (loss) income Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization Amortization of deferred issuance cost Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment Loss on disposal of NuoHua Affiliate Impairment of equity method investment-AXN Impairment of property, plant and equipment, net Provision for doubtful accounts and slow moving inventories Deferred taxes Stock-based consulting expenses Stock-based compensation expenses Independent director stock compensation Equity in (earnings) losses from equity method investments Gain on extinguishment of convertible notes Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions: Accounts receivable Inventories Advances to suppliers and prepaid expenses Other current assets Accounts payable Accrued expenses and other payables Taxes payable Other liabilities Accrued taxes Net cash provided by operating activities CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Purchases of property, plant and equipment Capitalized agricultural costs Investment in note receivable Cash proceeds from disposal of NuoHua affiliate Cash acquired on acquisition of Liaoning Baicao Purchase of land use rights and other intangible assets Refundable deposit Deposit for long-term assets Investments in and advances to equity investments Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment Net cash used in investing activities CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Restricted cash Proceeds from bank loans Repayment of loans Repurchase of convertible notes Repurchase of common stock Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR SUPPLEMENTARY CASH FLOW INFORMATION Cash paid for interest Cash paid for income taxes Non-cash investing and financing activities: Fair value of net assets acquired, exclusive of cash Transfer from construction in progress to property, plant and equipment Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Beginning balance - shares Beginning balance - value Common stock issued for director services - shares Common stock issued for director services - value Common stock to be issued for director services - shares Common stock to be issued for director services - value Common stock issued for consulting services - shares Common stock issued for consulting services - value Stock-based compensation to employees - shares Stock-based compensation to employees - value Exercise of common stock awards to employees - shares Exercise of common stock awards to employees - value Foreign currency translation Net income (loss) Ending balance - shares Ending balance - value Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] 1. PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATION Basis Of Presentation 2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies 3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract] 4. CONCENTRATION OF RISKS Accounts Receivable 5. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE Inventories 6. INVENTORIES Advances To Suppliers And Prepaid Expenses 7. ADVANCES TO SUPPLIERS AND PREPAID EXPENSES Receivables [Abstract] 8. NOTE RECEIVABLE Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract] 9. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT Land Use Rights 10. LAND USE RIGHTS Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract] 11. GOODWILL 12. ACQUIRED INTANGIBLE ASSETS Investments In And Advances To Equity Investments 13. INVESTMENTS IN AND ADVANCES TO EQUITY INVESTMENTS Payables and Accruals [Abstract] 14. ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER PAYABLES Debt 15. DEBT Convertible Notes 16. CONVERTIBLE NOTES Prepaid Forward Shares Repurchase Transaction 17. PREPAID FORWARD SHARES REPURCHASE TRANSACTION Equity [Abstract] 18. SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 19. RESTRICTED NET ASSETS Commitments And Contingencies 20. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Segment Reporting [Abstract] SEGMENT REPORTING Earnings Per Share [Abstract] 22. EARNINGS PER SHARE Income Tax 23. INCOME TAX Employee Defined Contribution Plan 24. EMPLOYEE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN Subsequent Events [Abstract] 25. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract] 26. SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) EMPLOYEE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets Disclosure [Text Block] WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING Capitalized agricultural costs Prepaid forward repurchase contract Common stock to be issued shares Provision for doubtful accounts and slow moving inventories Independent director stock compensation Increase/decrease capitalized agricultural costs Transfer from construction in progress to property plant and equipment Stock to be issued member Prepaid forward repurchase contract member Common stock issued for director services - shares issued Common stock issued for director services - value Common stock to be issued for director services - shares issued Common stock to be issued for director services - value Assets, Current Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent Assets, Noncurrent Assets Liabilities, Current Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent Liabilities, Noncurrent Liabilities Treasury Stock, Value Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Liabilities and Equity Gross Profit Operating Expenses Operating Income (Loss) Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted Increase (Decrease) in Inventories Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expense Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Increase (Decrease) in Other Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Payable Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Taxes Payable Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment IncreaseDecreaseCapitalizedAgriculturalCosts Increase (Decrease) in Notes Receivables Payments to Acquire Intangible Assets Increase (Decrease) in Deposit Assets Payments for Advance to Affiliate Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash Repayments of Bank Debt Repayments of Convertible Debt Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Shares, Issued