This document discusses herbal technology and international healthcare trends related to herbal drugs. It notes that the global market for herbal drugs and nutraceuticals is about $60 billion annually, with Chinese and Korean companies currently holding a major share. Herbal drugs are well-suited for conditions like infectious diseases, degenerative disorders, and metabolic diseases. Standardization of herbal drugs is important and includes authentication of raw plant materials, formulation processes, toxicity evaluation, and stability testing. The document also outlines research objectives for improving Ayurvedic drug formulations and their inclusion in modern healthcare.

1. Herbal technology
All technologiesforthe manufacture of value addedplantproductscanbe calledas herbal technology
 Herbal drugs and pharmaceuticals,
 Nutraceuticals,
 Functional foods,designerfoodsorhealthfoods and healthdrinks
 Cosmaceuticals
 Biocontrol agents
 Biopesticides
Some featuresof international health care
 Healthcare policieslargelymarketdrivenbythe pharmaceutical industrydivertingattention
fromhealthpreservationtoillnesscure
 Preventionanderadication of diseasesunderminesthe economicbasisof thisindustry
 No satisfactorydrugsavailableformostof the degenerativedisorderscharacteristicof graying
populationandforre-emergingresistantinfections
 Many currentlyusedmoderndrugsdonot have validprovenclinical utility.
 USA has amongthe highestpercapitaannual expenditure onhealthcare ($3600) butstill about
15% populationisdeniedevenbasiccare facilities(the bestIndianstate likeKeralahave an
annual percapita expenditure ~$15)
Herbal drugs in international healthcare
 Economicaspects:
Global marketof herbal drugs,Nutraceuticals~$60 billionwith6% annual growthrate.Major
share of Chinese andKoreans.Indianshare variouslyestimatedat0.35-3.0%. Chinese production
increased200% between1995-1999.
 Local acceptance:
Developed
USA: 42% use CAMspendingover29 billionUS$and 629 millionvisitsin1998.
UK: 28% use,spent1.6 billionpoundsand127 millionvisitsin1998.
Australia:60% use,A$ 620 billionin1999.

2. Developing
Malaysia:Percapita consumptionof traditional drugs,more thandoubleof
modernpharmaceuticals.
S.Korea:Percapitaconsumptionof traditional drugs36% more than modern
drugs.
Africancountries:9 to10 patientsattendinghospitalOPDhave firstconsulteda
traditional healer.
Advantages of herbal drugs
 Moderndrugs can produce seriousside effects
Latrogenicdiseasesfourthleadingcause of deathinUSA and otherdevelopednations
(JAMA,April 1998).
Side effectsof drugskill more Americansannuallythanthe worldwarIIand Vietnam
war combined(M.Rath N.Y. Times28.2.2003).
Around2600 personsdiedinthe TwinTowertragedyon11th
September2001 causing
global repercussions.Itis,however,notrecognizedthataboutthe same numberdie in
USA fromside effectsof prescriptiondrugsevery10days (JAMA,April 1998).
Herbal drugs are best suitedfor:
 PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
 INFECTIOUSDISEASES
AIDSand otherviral infections
Opportunisticinfections
MDR infections(e.g.T.B.,Malaria)
 DEGENERATIVE& GERONTOLOGICALCONDITIONS
Osteoporosis
Chronicarthritislike osteoarthritisandrheumatoidarthritis
Neurological like Alzheimer,Parkinsonism
Anti-aging
 Metabolicdisorders

3. Diabetes
Dyslipidemias
 Otherconditions
Microcirculatorydisorders
Liverdiseases
Immunostimulants
Anti-cancer
Drugs affectingmale libido
Herbal Drugs
 Inclusionsin Pharmacopoeia:
ChinesePharmacopoeia: 1997 editionhas647 traditional drugs.
European Pharmacopoeia: 2000 editioncontainsmonographson152 crude drugs.
IndianPharmacopoeia: 1996 editionnumbershrinkedto57 includingonly12crude
drugs.
 Inclusionin essential druglist:
None inIndia.
In Shanghai hospitals:
500 herbal drugsinessential drugslistof about1000.
Expenditure ondrugsdecreasedfrom67% of hospital budgetin1992 to 51% in
1996.
Growth rate of drug expendituredecreasedfrom23.4% to 0.3% foroutdoorand
from28.2% to 2.4% forindoorpatients.
Approximate annual savingof 600 millionUS$in 7 hospitals. (Hu,2001)
The global flora, an unfathomedocean
 GLOBAL FLORA:
About2 millionflora&faunascientificallynamed.Estimatesupto -10 million
Over50% plants. -45000 speciesof angiospermsonly

4. Only5-15% of plantsproperlystudiedforbiological activity(Craggetal,1997)
One in125 plantspeciescontainsuseful pharmaceutical (Callahan,1996)
 MEDICINAL PLANTS:
WHO compiledaninventoryof 21,000 plantsusedformedicinal purposesin91
countries(Penso,1983)
Lessthan 10,000 specieshave beeninvestigated(Bhatt,1997)
 THE INDIAN SCENE:
Over17 ,500 species,manyendemic
Traditional systemsof medicineuse 2,000; Ayurvedicmedicinesalone need800 species
Folklore use of 8,000 plantsreported.Includesmostplantsusedintraditional systems
also
CSIR hasscreenedabout4000 speciesbutfew otherbroadbasedstudies
Traditional heritage
India is a mega-diversitycountryrich inall three levelsofbiodiversityspecies,geneticandecosystem/
habitat. India is also rich in cultural diversitywitha history of over6000 years. India’s medical
heritage is most important heritage.
 Organized,codifiedand systematicallyarranged writtentraditions with conceptual philosophy
and rationales like Ayurveda,Siddha, Unani and Amchi use almost 2000 plant species
 Oral traditions – practicedby village physicians,folkhealers,tribal healers – calledas local
healthtradition use over8000 plant species
Bioprospecting:Linkagesand leads
Standardization of Herbal drugs
Raw Drugs
 Passportdata of Raw PlantDrugs (Crude drugs)
 Correct taxonomicidentification&authentication
 Studyon the medicinal part:root,stem, bark,leaves,flowers,fruits,nuts,gum, resinsetc.
 Collectiondetails:Location,stage &development/growthof the plants,time,pre-processing
storage etc.
 Organolepticexaminationof raw drug:

5. Evaluationbymeansof sensoryorgans:touch,odourtaste
 Microscopic& molecularexamination
 Chemical composition(TLC,GLC,HPLC, DNA fingerprinting)
 Biological activityof the wholeplant
 Shelf life of rawdrugs
Standardization of Herbal drugs-
Herbal Formulation
 FollowdefinedGoodManufacturingPractices(GMP)
 ScientificVerification
Toxicityevaluation
Chemical profiling
Pharmacodynamics –effectof drugin the body
Pharmacokinetics –absorption,distribution,metabolism, mechanismof actionand
execution
Dosage
Stabilityandshelf life
PresentationandPacking
Therapeuticmerits –Comparedwithotherdrugs
GoodPractices/TechniquesinHerbal Products
THE AYURVEDICTHERAPEUTIC STRATERGY
1. Determine PRAKRUTI (Constitution) by -historytaking -observations
2. NIDANA (Diagnosis)
Nature,degree andextentof imbalanceof Tridoshas. Libraryof 5800 clinical signsand
symptomsinAyurvedictexts
3. CHRONOBIOLOGY:Impact of season,time andenvironmentonTridoshas.
4. SWASTHAVRUTA: Life style modification
5. AHARA: Dietarymodifications

6. 6. PANCHAKARMA: Purificationof the body
7. AUSHADHI: "DesignerMedicine"unique forthe particularpatientpreparedfroma
Pharmacopoeiautilising1200 plants,100 minerals and100 animal productsinnumerous
formulations.
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH ON AYURVEDIC DRUGS
 Improvedformulationsandreducednumberof Ayurvedicdrugs
Use of GMP proceduresandQC
Certifiedshelf lifeandimproveddosage form
Validatedindicationsand contraindications
Deletionof obsolete ortoxicformulations
 Use of Ayurvedicdrugsinmodernclinical practice
Inclusioninessential listof drugs
Adjunctto existingdrugs
Treatmentof diseaseswheremoderndrugsnotavailableorunsatisfactory
Developmentof suitable formulations,standardizedextractsoractive constituents
IPR protectionwhereverfeasible
InclusioninPharmacopoeias.
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH ON AYURVEDIC DRUGS
Developmentofnewdrug/ novel usesfor Ayurvedicdrugs
 Utilizationof newleadsonnatural productsfromothercountries.Several of these plantsor
relatedspeciesare foundinIndia
 The vast unscreenedfloraof the countryandpublishedactivitydataonsome of these
 Studyof furtheraccessionsfromfamiliesyieldingactive plants
Raw drug standardisation (Example)
Important Aspects involvedinUtilizationofMedicinal Plants