HPTLC in herbal drug analysis
Herbal drugs are gaining popularity nowadays as it has a reputation of being clean, organic and safe for consumption due to their natural source and ingredients. Herbal drugs are used as supplements. They consist of health systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy and Naturopathy. Herbal medicines/drugs are plant-derived materials with therapeutic and different health benefits for humans, which are acquired or captured from the plants and their part. Any drug before being brought into the market has to be tested and clinical trials have to be taken. Herbal drugs are more prone to adulteration. Many times, it is a polyherbal formulation meaning it is made up of different herbs/ plants. HPTLC is an efficient tool for herbal drug analysis. The herbal matrix is complex in nature and since HPTLC has disposable layers there is no damage to the instrument. Hence, HPTLC is used in herbal drug standardisation. These medicines are prone to adulteration by notorious dealers and man