Current demands for standardization of Indian medicinal plants: A critical review

Abstract

The resurgence of interest in natural products and traditional medicines offers promising avenues for drug discovery. Medicinal plants’ novel chemical and molecular entities dominate current pharmaceutical research. India has mega biodiversity, including medicinal plants that contribute to drug development and health care via traditional practices. Due to the huge demand, a false practice, and quality issues have been observed in the market. Therefore, comprehensive information about standardization methods and processes are the need of hours to maintain quality of raw materials and final products. Thus, the current review insights the significant role of traditional medicines in India, where over 80 % of the population relies on traditional and folklore practices for healthcare needs. This review also summarizes several standardization parameters, including stepwise pharmacognostic studies, WHO guidelines and official pharmacopeia standards. Published literature suggests that research on medicinal plants needs to be encouraged by governments through good policies, regulations, and trade standards of global market. The reviewed information will provide a foundation to develop monographs and quality parameters for Indian traditional drugs and herbal pharmacopoeia.