The use of quality control parameters in the evaluation of herbal drugs. A review

Abstract

Medicinal plants are generally important for the therapeutically active materials that can be obtained from them. Authenticating the herbal products obtained from these medicinal plants and separating adulterants from genuine therapeutic products in order to protect the health of the public and guarantee the reproducible quality of herbal medicines is however a vital necessity and both manufacturers and regulatory organisations have roles in ensuring the quality of herbal medicines. Phytopharmaceuticals or herbal drugs are defined as having good quality standards when their identity, purity, composition, and other physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, as well as the manufacturing processes meet certain established regulatory criteria. Herbal products introduced into the market are often substandard and fail to meet the criteria for quality, safety, and even legality, regulations are thus put in place by relevant bodies in different countries to regulate herbal products beginning from the raw materials and way through the whole manufacturing process. Moreover, the choice of an appropriate analytical method from the numerous that are available (microscopy, spectrometry, spectroscopy, chromatography, etc.) is vital to ensure that herbal products meet quality standards before consumption. This review seeks to present a variety of evaluation standards that herbal products are required to meet before they may be introduced to into the market.