AN OVERVIEW OF HERBAL MEDICINE

Abstract

Herbal medicines are popular. They are extensively used in the developing world, where in many places they offer a more widely available and more affordable alternative to pharmaceutical drugs. Increase in herbal medicines popularity brought concerns and fears over the professionalism of practitioners, and quality, efficacy and safety of their treatment methods and products from herbal and natural sources available in the market. Most research has focused on clinical and experimental medicine (safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action) and regulatory issues, to the general neglect of public health dimensions. Public health research must consider social, cultural, political, and economic contexts to maximize the contribution of herbal medicine to health care systems globally. The regulatory framework for herbal medicines and dietary supplements is currently under review. A new system for registration of traditional herbal medicines will ensure that marketed products meet standards for quality and safety. At present, the pharmaceutical quality of many complementary medicines is a cause for concern. In 1991 WHO developed guidelines for the assessment of herbal medicine. Suggestions for herbal medicine standardization are out lined. The scenario and perception of herbal medicine are discussed. The public’s belief that herbal and natural products are safer than synthetic medicines can only be ascertained by imposing regulatory standards on these products that should be manufactured using these Good Practices. Implementing standard operating procedures (SOP) leading to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Supply Practice (GSP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for producing these medicinal products from herbal or natural sources. This article presents a systematic review on herbal medicine including historical background, safety, efficacy, quality control, clinical trails, bioavailability, Herb-Drug interactions, Intellectual Property Rights, marketing, and regulatory aspects related to botanical therapeutics.