A review on Herbal Medicines and Herbal Drug Technology

Abstract

Natural products are gaining increased applications in drug discovery and development. Being chemically diverse they are able to modulate several targets simultaneously in a complex system. During the past decade, there have been significant advances in herbal drug technology. The traditional system of medicines dating ancient civilizations could reveal the safety of herbal drugs. It is the right time to decide upon the issues of safety and efficacy of herbal drug products. The legal status and approval mechanism of herbal medicine also vary from country to country. World Health Organization (WHO) has set specific guidelines for the assessment of the safety, efficacy and quality of herbal medicines as a prerequisite for global harmonization. The advancement of science and technology invades the herbal drug products in a broad manner. In keeping with these advances, a plethora of review article on this subject has been prepared to have a smooth platform for the beginners in this vast field.