The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), functioning under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, held a scientific meeting on 27 August 2026 at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Guwahati. The event brought together regulators, academic experts and scientific institutions to discuss standards for plant-based medicines across India. This was the first such conclave organised by the IPC in the Northeast region.
What was launched
The IPC released twelve new reference standards for the first time:
- Seven Indian Pharmacopoeia Phytochemical Reference Standards (IPPRS): Andrographolide, Capsaicin, Embelin, Eugenol, Marmelosin/Imperatorin, Scopoletin, and Umbelliferone
- Five Indian Pharmacopoeia Botanical Reference Standards (IPBRS): Terminalia arjuna, Bacopa monnieri, Tinospora cordifolia, Centella asiatica, and Ocimum sanctum
These reference standards establish measurement and quality benchmarks for plant-derived medicinal products. The standards are intended to support the testing, quality control and scientific evaluation of medicines made from plants and their active compounds.
According to the IPC leadership, phytopharmaceuticals bridge traditional medicine knowledge with modern scientific methods. These new standards are expected to help ensure that plant-based medicines sold in India are safe, effective and of consistent quality. They also aim to support research into herbal medicines and their contribution to affordable healthcare.
What this means for you
If you use herbal or plant-based medicines, these standards help ensure better quality control and safety of such products in the Indian market. Manufacturers and researchers working with herbal medicines now have official reference points for testing and developing their products. Students and professionals in pharmaceutical education and regulation have clearer scientific frameworks for working with plant-derived medicines. The initiative also supports India’s pharmaceutical sector by providing standardised approaches that could enhance the credibility of Indian herbal medicines in domestic and international markets.