FINGERPRINTING PROFILES (HPTLC/HPLC): MODERN TECHNIQUES USED TO ESTABLISH IDENTIFY AND CONSISTENCY OF HERBAL DRUGS

Abstract

Phytomedicine, commonly referred to as herbal medicine, constitutes a significant component of traditional and modern healthcare systems worldwide. Nearly 80% of the global population relies on herbal medicines for primary health care needs. Despite their widespread usage and therapeutic importance, concerns regarding quality, safety, efficacy, and reproducibility have necessitated stringent standardization practices. Standardization ensures the authenticity, purity, consistency, and therapeutic effectiveness of herbal formulations.This review comprehensively discusses the various approaches to phytomedicine standardization, including pharmacognostical evaluation, physicochemical analysis, biological evaluation, chemical profiling, chromatographic fingerprinting, spectroscopic techniques, DNA barcoding, and chemometric analysis. Advanced analytical methods such as HPLC, HPTLC, GC-MS, LC-MS, FTIR, NMR, and capillary electrophoresis are critically examined. Additionally, regulatory frameworks, quality control challenges, safety concerns, and stability evaluation methods are addressed. The review highlights the limitations of single-marker standardization and emphasizes the importance of fingerprint profiling combined with chemometrics for holistic quality assessment. The integration of advanced analytical technologies and regulatory compliance is essential to ensure global acceptance and therapeutic reliability of herbal medicines. Keywords: Phytomedicine, Standardization, Herbal drugs, Chromatographic fingerprinting, Quality control, Chemometrics, WHO guidelines.