Evaluation of drug standards, quality control, and trade in medicinal plants

This article is about the importance of medicinal plants in the manufacture of Ayush formulations or exported as raw drugs. Granting a license to manufacture, conducting quality control tests, and enforcing the legal provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics (D&C) Act 1940 are the responsibilities of the relevant statutory regulatory bodies. The main stakeholders responsible for ensuring the products′ quality, safety, and effectiveness are licensed manufacturers who have to follow the standards prescribed under the statutory regulations. The widespread interest in Ayurvedic drugs and other plant-based products led to this appraisal of the achievements and challenges of the regulatory bodies and those responsible for accelerating the organised cultivation of medicinal plants for domestic use and for export.