Traditional Medicine in Asia

Standardization, preclinical toxicology and clinical evaluation of medicinal plants, including ethical considerations
products which had been estimated to be
of the order of five trillion dollars in 2050.
Only those countries which invest immediately
and well in setting up standardization
of herbal products could hope to
exploit this worldwide growth in the need
for herbal products. Countries will, in the
years to come, not allow products which
are not standardized to be sold.
Another major constraint in setting up
standardization procedures is the nonavailability
of standards against which
products could be assessed by chemical
or bioassay methodology.
Advances have been made in the last
10 years in the standardization of herbal
products. It is expected today that the
following macroscopic, microscopic,
physicochemical and biological tests
should have been carried out before any
plant material is released for use.
� Macroscopic examination;
� Microscopic examination;
e.g. Anatomical structure
Detailed study of fragments;
� Physiochemical testing
e.g.Boiling point;
Freezing point;
Absorption coefficient;
Loss on drying;
Ash value;
Refractory index;
Optical ratio;
Water/alcohol soluble solid;
Spectroscopic analysis;
Thin-layer chromatography – R.F.
value;
Gas liquid chromatography.
� Biological testing where appropriate
e.g. Digitalis bioassay.
A big step forward towards improved
standardization of plant medicines was the
publication in 1998 of the “Quality control
methods for medicinal plant material” 5 by
WHO Geneva, which followed the 1992
document “Quality control methods for
medicinal plant material”. Investigators
interested in details of the methodology
proposed for use are requested to study
the publication brought out in 1998.
Another positive development has been
the publication of Herbal Pharmacopoeas
which have laid down the standards for the
different procedures. WHO has recently
brought out its first Pharmacopoea
containing standards for plants. Other
pharmacopoeas available include the
British Herbal Pharmacopoea (1990),
Japanese Standards for Herbal Medicines
(1993), Ayurveda Formulary and
Standards for Ayurvedic Formulations
(1978), the Central Council for Research
in Indian Medicine “Pharmacopeal
Standard for Ayurvedic Formulations
(1987), the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoea of
India (1989), the Unani Pharmacopoea
(2000), National Formulary of Unani
Medicine – Part I (1984) and Part II (2000),
the Pharmacopoea of the People’s Republic
of China and the Indian Herbal Pharmacopoea
(1998), volumes one and two.
In spite of these advances, standardization
of herbal preparations needs to be
given a big boost by governments in the
Region if the tremendous potential of
ancient heritage and biodiversity is to be
used for the people of the countries for
delivering improved health care. Herbal
medicines would be much more widely used
nationally and internationally, would be
much more accepted and would tremendously
enhance health care if improved
standardization provides credibility to the
quality of the medicines used. Unfortunately,
there are very few centres for
standardization of herbal products in the
Region, too few qualified and trained
experts in this area of expertise, and a lack
of sustained funding for standardization
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