The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) on Thursday launched seven Indian Pharmacopoeia Phytochemical Reference Standards (IPPRS) and five Indian Pharmacopoeia Botanical Reference Standards (IPBRS), marking the Commission’s first-ever introduction of these critical reference standards.
The standards launched include: Andrographolide, Capsaicin, Embelin, Eugenol, Marmelosin/ Imperatorin, Scopoletin and Umbelliferone under the IPPRS category, and Terminalia arjuna, Bacopa monnieri, Tinospora cordifolia, Centella asiatica, and Ocimum sanctum under the IPBRS category.
The standards were launched by Prof. Ashok Puranik, Executive Director, AIIMS Guwahati, during a scientific conclave held at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Guwahati on August 27, 2026.
Addressing the gathering, Puranik described the initiative as a remarkable step towards strengthening the quality, safety and scientific validation of herbal and plant-based medicinal products.
The IPC noted that phytopharmaceuticals represent an important interface between traditional medicinal knowledge and modern scientific approaches, supporting the development of safe, effective and standardised plant-based medicines. They also have the potential to contribute to drug discovery, affordable healthcare and India’s growing role in the global pharmaceutical sector.
The Commission described the launch of the IPPRS and IPBRS as a significant advancement in the scientific standardisation, quality assurance and regulatory evaluation of plant-derived medicinal products.
The reference standards are expected to support the evidence-based development, quality control and therapeutic evaluation of phytopharmaceuticals, thereby strengthening their scientific and regulatory foundation.
The scientific conclave and interactive session were organised under the theme “Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) 2026: Advancing Quality, Safety, and Innovation in Drugs, Food and Phytopharmaceuticals.”
Held for the first time in the Northeast region, the meeting brought together experts and stakeholders from regulatory authorities, academia and scientific institutions to discuss measures to strengthen the quality and standardisation of phytopharmaceuticals in India.
In his inaugural address, Dr. V. Kalaiselvan, secretary-cum-scientific director, IPC, highlighted the importance of collaboration with the NIPER Guwahati laboratory in developing robust quality standards for phytopharmaceuticals.
He emphasised that such collaborative efforts are crucial for advancing scientific standardisation and promoting quality-assured plant-based medicinal products.
