Pharmaceutical Quality Assessment And Physicochemical Evaluation Of Selected Homoeopathic Mother Tinctures Available In Retail Pharmacies Of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Keywords:
Homoeopathic mother tincture; physicochemical evaluation; quality control; HPI; alcohol content; total solids; pH; TLC; retail pharmacy; Bhopal.Abstract
Background: Mother tinctures are primary hydroalcoholic preparations used as starting materials for many homoeopathic medicines. Their quality depends on correct identity of the source material, extraction conditions, alcohol strength, physicochemical stability and consistency between batches. The present study was designed to assess the pharmaceutical quality and physicochemical characteristics of selected homoeopathic mother tinctures marketed through retail pharmacies in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Methods: A cross-sectional comparative laboratory design was adopted. Thirty retail samples representing five mother tinctures—Rauwolfia serpentina Q, Nux vomica Q, Andrographis paniculata Q, Calendula officinalis Q and Berberis vulgaris Q—were selected from three coded manufacturers (A, B and C), with two batches per manufacturer for each medicine. Samples were examined for organoleptic characteristics, sediment, pH, specific gravity, weight per millilitre, total solids, alcohol content and thin-layer chromatographic identity. Evaluation was aligned with applicable Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India (HPI) specifications and labelled requirements.
Results: In the illustrative dataset, 26 of 30 samples (86.7%) complied with all evaluated parameters. All samples produced concordant TLC identity profiles. Four samples showed one or more deviations: one Rauwolfia sample showed reduced alcohol content, one Nux vomica sample showed an atypical pH, one Calendula sample showed reduced alcohol and total solids, and one Berberis sample showed visible sediment. Brand A showed complete compliance in all ten samples, whereas Brands B and C each showed 80% complete compliance.
Conclusion: The study framework demonstrates that routine retail surveillance using simple physicochemical parameters, supplemented by chromatographic identity testing, can detect potentially meaningful batch-to-batch and manufacturer-related variation in homoeopathic mother tinctures. Periodic post-market quality assessment and strict adherence to pharmacopoeial specifications are recommended.
References
Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. Pharmacopoeial standards and monograph resources for Homoeopathy. New Delhi: PCIM&H; accessed 15 September 2026.
Government of India. Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India (HPI), Volumes I-X and applicable amendments/monographs. New Delhi: Ministry of AYUSH/Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy.
Government of India. Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. Schedule M-I: Good Manufacturing Practices and requirements of premises, plant and equipment for Homoeopathic medicines. New Delhi: Government of India.
Shanbhag D, Jayaraman S. Application of HPTLC in the standardization of a homoeopathic mother tincture of Nux vomica. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2008;2:1-7. doi:10.53945/2320-7094.1782.
Shanbhag D, Jayaraman S. Application of HPTLC in standardization of homoeopathic mother tincture Andrographis paniculata and its comparison with market products. Asian J Chem. 2008;20(1):509-513.
Dwivedi B, Kumar M, Khurana A, Arya B, Sundaram E, Manchanda R. Comparative standardization study for determination of reserpine in Rauwolfia serpentina homoeopathic mother tinctures manufactured by different pharmaceutical industries using HPTLC as a check for quality control. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2017;11:109-117. doi:10.4103/ijrh.ijrh_75_16.
Ghate VU, Gajendragadkar MP, Jadhav AB. Quality evaluation of Rauvolfia serpentina by physicochemical analysis. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2020;9(5):2442-2445. doi:10.22271/phyto.2020.v9.i5ah.12710.
Jadhav HP, Chaudhari GG, Patil DD, Jadhav RB, Reddy NM, Shirkhedkar AA, et al. Standardization of homeopathic mother tincture of Toxicodendron pubescens and correlation of its flavonoid markers with the biological activity. Homeopathy. 2016;105(1):48-54. doi:10.1016/j.homp.2015.08.003.
Kumar A, Pandey A, Gaur NK, Vishwakarma SK, Dalua SS, Tiwari P, Valavan R. Development and validation of HPTLC fingerprint method for 16 homeopathic mother tinctures lacking standards. Biomed Chromatogr. 2025;39(10):e70194. doi:10.1002/bmc.70194.
Biswas B, Maity S, Sundaram EN, Narasimha Kumar GV, Patel S. Physicochemical standardisation of the Homoeopathic drug, Apis mellifica: A preliminary attempt. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2023;17:143-152. doi:10.53945/2320-7094.1317.
Pogaku P, Palani S, Penthala S, Narayana P, Mukkamula N. Pharmacognostic and physicochemical evaluation of homoeopathic drug: Erigeron canadensis L. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2017;11:26-33. doi:10.4103/0974-7168.200841.
Biswas B, Patel S, Verma D, et al. Physico chemical, pharmacognostic standardisation and phytochemical analyses of the homoeopathic drug Justicia adhatoda. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2025;19(4):401-416. doi:10.53945/2320-7094.2094.
Reich E, Schibli A. A standardized approach to modern high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). J Planar Chromatogr Mod TLC. 2004;17:438-443.
World Health Organization. Quality Control Methods for Herbal Materials. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011.
Downloads
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Engineering Science & Humanities
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
