HERBAL DRUG STANDARDIZATION AND APPLICATION OF DNA FINGERPRINTING – A REVIEW

Dr. Pratiksha R. Gharde*, Dr. D. S. Chothe and Dr. Sanjivani Shekokar

ABSTRACT

Ayurvedic herbal medicines played an important role in maintaining health and treating the disease worldwide since ancient times. A commercialization and increased demand safety, quality and assurance of Ayurvedic herbal medicines are biggest lacuna. The adulteration of herbal materials usually occurs as a result of materials not having readily distinguishable morphological features, materials sharing similar common names and the substitution of economically valuable materials with inexpensive herbs. Proper authentication and identification process is necessary to prevent the adulteration. Since the standardization of botanical preparations most of the regulatory authorities suggest macroscopic, microscopic and chemical evaluation like TLC, HPTLC and HPLC. However, these methods have limitations because the composition and relative phytochemicals in a particular species of plant varies with growing conditions harvesting period, post harvesting period and storage conditions. The present review mainly focuses on authentication of Ayurvedic herbal medicines by DNA based fingerprinting methods to prevent intentional and inadvertant adulteration or substitution of targeted Ayurvedic medicinal herbs.

Keywords: Authentication, DNA fingerprinting Herbal Drug Standardization.