Herbal drug preparations have been used since long and are claimed to be very effective. Traditional medicine offers a wealth of relatively effective, safe, and economic health-care therapies. These therapies provide relief to many chronic illnesses such as musculoskeletal disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, diabetes, obesity, nervous disorders, etc. Certainly, a great potential exists for its integration into the health-care system globally. It enjoys considerable share in international trade, which is indicated by continuously increasing international demand of such products. In order to promote global acceptance of traditional formulations, there is an urgent need to evaluate its therapeutic potential according to the current regulatory requirements. Further standardization of herbal drugs is important to ensure quality, safety and efficacy. The present work is an attempt to guide the process of development of scientific modern qualitative and quantitative analytical standards for traditional herbal formulations.
