Pharmacognosy

6

Quality Control and Standardization of Herbal Drugs

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

Introduction

Standardization of Herbal Drugs

Important Parameters for the Quality Control of Herbal Drugs

INTRODUCTION

Using herbs as medicine is the oldest form of health care known to humanity and to this day over 80% of the world population depends on herbal medicines and products for healthy living. There is increasing awareness and general acceptability of the use of herbal drugs in today’s medical practice. Medicinal plants constitute a source of raw materials for both traditional systems of medicine and modern medicine. As such they represent a substantial portion of the drug market.

Commercialization of the manufacture of these medicines to meet the increasing ...