Subash Chandra Verma
Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy, PLIM Campus, India
Title: Standardization of herbs and botanicals used as dietary supplements: Curcuma longa L.
Biography
Biography: Subash Chandra Verma
Abstract
Herbs and botanicals are used throughout developed and developing Countries as home remedies, dietary supplements, over-the-counter drug products and raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry, and represent a substantial proportion of the global drug market. However, the quality control and quality assurance of herbs and botanicals still remains a challenge because of the high variability of chemical components involved. Herbs contain numerous active compounds responsible for the overall efficacy. This creates a challenge in establishing the standardization of herbs and botanicals. It is therefore essential to develop internationally recognized pharmacopoeial standards of herbs and botanicals. Curcuma longa L. (Family Zingiberaceae) is a perennial herb commonly known as turmeric or Haldi. The major and most bioactive constituent of C. longa rhizome is curcuminoids possessing antioxidant, antiprotozoal, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, wound healing, anticancer, antitumor, antiviral and anti HIV properties, etc. The lack of standardization and quality control C. longa is still being problem. It seems to be necessary to determine the maximum yield of curcuminoids in order to ensure the reliability and repeatability of pharmacological and biological activity to enhance product quality. Standardization of C. longa were carried out in respect of macro and microscopic characters, thin-layer chromatography, quantitative parameters (foreign matter, loss on drying, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, alcohol-soluble extractive and water-soluble extractive), other requirements (heavy metals, microbial contamination, pesticide residues and aflatoxins) and assay of markers. C. longa rhizome contains not less than 2.0% of total curcuminoids. Developed pharmacopoeial standard ensure its quality and safety as per international norms.