Need and scope of standardization of herbal medicines - A review

Abstract

There is increasing awareness and general acceptability of the use of herbal drugs in today’s medical practice. The starting materials for about one-half of the medicines we use today come from natural sources. This rise in the use of herbal product has also given rise to various forms of abuse and adulteration of the products leading to consumers and manufacturers disappointment and in some instances fatal consequences. Herbal drug technology is used for converting botanical materials into medicines, where standardization and quality control with proper integration of modern scientific techniques and traditional knowledge is important. For global harmonization WHO specific guidelines for the assessment of the safety, efficacy and quality of herbal medicines are of utmost importance. Standardization of drug means confirmation of its identity, quality, and purity throughout all phases of its cycle. This review seeks to need and scope of standardization processes of herbal medicine for good quality assurance.