1. Quality evaluation and standardization of herbal drugs and their products.
2. Scientific validation of Ehtno-medicinal claims.
3. Development of various herbal formulations based on indigenous knowledge.
4. Pharmacological evaluation of herbal drugs and combinations.
5. Screening of herbal drugs/products for antiulcer, anticancer, arthritis and antioxidant activity.

1. Physico-chemical standardization viz. foreign matter, total ash, water soluble and acid insoluble ash, water and alcohol soluble extractives, total phenolics, tannins, sugars, starch and protein etc, of herbal drugs/products.
2. Developing chemical markers for the identification, quality control and batch-to-batch consistency of herbal drugs with the help of HPTLC, HPLC & GLC etc.
3. Under takes study to detect the microbial contamination including the detection of mycotoxins (raw as well as in finished herbal drugs) in accordance with the latest WHO guidelines.
4. Estimation of heavy metal concentration in herbal drugs and their products as per WHO guidelines.
5. Pharmacological evaluation of herbal drugs/products to cover safety aspects or toxicity, anti-stress, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, diuretic, immunomodulating and antimicrobial activities based on traditional knowledge.
6. Development of novel herbal drugs and pharmaceutical products.
7. A range of herbal drinks - custom made herbal drinks, suited specifically to seasons and for different age groups with protective and promotive properties have been designed, formulated and prepared at pilot-plant level.
8. Lipstick with vegetable colors for different occasions combined with aromatherapy viz. mood relaxation, stimulating feeling etc. has been developed at laboratory scale.
9. Development scientifically validated (Pharmacological and Safety strips) herbal formulation(s).
10. Pharmacological evaluation of herbal drugs formulations for incurable diseases viz. cancer, ulcer, sliming, hepatitis, arthritis, cough, fever etc.
    

Quality evaluation of herbal drugs/formulations - During the past several years more than 150 drug plants have been worked out for their quality evaluation. Some of the important drugs worked out are 'Bakul' Mimusops elengi Linn; 'Banafsha' Viola spp; 'Chironji' Buchanania lanzan Spreng; 'Dhataki' Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz; 'Dronpushpi' Leucas cephalotes Spreng; 'Gulkairo' Althaea officinalis Linn; 'Kamal' Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn; 'Nagkesara' Mesua ferrea Linn; 'Nilotapala' Nymphaea stellata; 'Priyangu' Callicarpa macrophaylla Vahl; 'Sappan' Caesalpinia sappan Linn.' Ratanjot' Arnebia nobilis Rech.f. 'Talish patra' Taxus wallichiana Zucc., Meda (Polygonatum cirrhifolium), Mahameda (P. verticillatum), Satawar (Asparagus racemosus), Safed musali (Curculigo orchioides), Kali musali (Curculigo orchioides), Vidarikand (Pueraria tuberose), Daruharidra (Berberis asiatica), Amra haridra (Curcuma amada) and Kustha (Saussurea costus) along with their substitutes/adulterants and thirteen species of Artemisia. 25 Industrially important bark drugs have also been standardized pharmacognostically. Together with the standardization and authentication of single herbal drugs preparation and standardization of compound formulations was also undertaken. An effort was also made to compare the laboratory samples with their commercial samples from some important reputed firms. Some of the important formulations standardized are ‘Ashokarishta’, ‘Chyavanprash’, ‘Drakashasava’, ‘Arjunaristha’, ‘Suparipak’ and ‘Kalmeghasava’. The work included the following aspects and achievements:

1. 'Development of Pharmacopoeial standards of Ayurvedic, Siddha & Unani drugs'.
   
   
2. The Pharmacopoeial standards of single herbal drugs: Under the central scheme for development of pharmacopoeial standards of some Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs. The detailed illustrated monographs on 30 single herbal drugs which include Latin and common names in different languages, part used, its substitute and adulterants and its geographic distribution, macro and microscopical description (from diagnostic point of view), chemical markers, TLC & GLC finger printing, quantitative physico-chemical values like, total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash; different extractives in non-polar to polar solvents and secondary metabolites have been developed.
   
   
3. A project "Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of Manufacturing Process of Compound Ayurvedic-Siddha-Unani formulations and their pharmacopoeial standard" -Under APC scheme sponsored by Dept. of AYUSH was undertaken. In this project two industrial partners are also involved. Under this programme Chyavanaprash, Pūga Khanda, Vyāghrī Harītakī, Kalyāņāvaleha, Citraka Harītakī, Bilvādi Leha, Astāngāvaleha, Puşyānuga Cūrņa, Kaiśhora Guggulu, Hingwaşţak Cūrņa and Godanti – Gairika Vati were prepared in the laboratory. Their SOPs for manufacturing were developed. These formulations were standardized by using organoleptic, microscopic characters, physicochemical parameters and HPTLC fingerprint profiles. Besides, the formulation received from industrial partners have also been standardized. The shelf-life studies of seven compound herbal formulations viz. ‘Astanga Avleha’, ‘Kalyana Avleha’, ‘Chitrak Haritaki’, ‘Chyavanprash’, ‘Vyagriharitaki’, ‘Suparipak’ and ‘Bilvadelah’ were also carried out. The data will be useful for pharmaceutical industries for quality products.
   
   
4. Pharmacopoeial standards of compound formulations: Pharmacopoeial standards of 15 compound formulations ('Churans' namely- 'Naracha', 'Panchkol', 'Dadimashtak', 'Dashanasanskar' & 'Katphaladi' etc) supplied by the Department of ISM, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi have also been developed.
   
   
5. 'Evaluation and identification of common substitutes and adulterants of some Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Pharmacopoeial drugs in the crude drug markets of India'. Under this programme, the evaluation and identification of substitutes /adulterants of 30 drugs viz, 'Asoka', 'Banafsha', 'Daruharida', 'Hansraj', 'Ratanjot', 'Sappan', 'Satawar' and 'Vidarikand' etc have already been completed.
   
   
6. Invited by Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi to develop detailed monographic studies on some therapeutically active medicinal plants. Under this project 30 monographs have been developed and 30 monographs (viz. Acorus calamus, Albizia lebbeck, Allium cepa, Alpinia galanga, Anogeissus latifolia, Arnebia euchroma, Butea monosperma, Cinnamomum tamala, Coscinium fenestratum, Crataeva nurvala, Curcuma amada, Dioscorea deltoidea, Enicostemma hyssopifolium, Euphorbia prostrata, Euphorbia thymifolia, Euphorbia tirucalli, Ficus virens, Gymnema sylvestre, Hemidesmus indicus, Jatropha glandulifera, Leucas cephalotes, Merremia turpethum, Mesua ferrea, Nelumbo nucifera, Pueraria tuberosa, Rubia cordifolia, Streblus asper, Trachyspermum ammi, Trianthema portulacastrum, Wedelia chinensis have already been published in the three volumes of the book entitled "Quality Standards of Indian Medicinal Plants", published by Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi.
   
   
7. Tolerance limits of metals like Cd, Cu, Cr was also studied in Ocimum, Phyllanthus and Solanum species.
   
   
8. More than 100 plants/parts have been screened for antioxidant activity.
   
   
9. Effect of microbial contamination on secondary metabolites of Acorus calamus, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Pueraria tuberose and Tinospora cordifolia was observed. Besides the fungal and bacterial species have also been identified.
   
   
10. Herbal products viz. NBIRA* (Fermented Herbal Health Drink), Luvstik* (Functional Herbal Lipstick), Health protective soft drink, Antihyperlipidemic and slimming composition, Anti-diabetic, Antiulcer, Anticough, Antitussive and throat soothing, Antidiarrhoeal, Antiarthritic, Ointment for cuts burns and wounds, Brain tonic for improving memory and treatment of amnesia and cognition, Antipyretic, Relapsing fever and dengue conditions, Oro-dental care for halitosis and mouth ulcer products have been developed.
    
    
11. The unit has been recognized by Department of ISM Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi as Ayurvedic and Unani Drugs standardization centre.
    
    
12. Providing consultancy and scientific analysis of single herbal drugs and compound formulation to different private parties engaged in herbal drug trade.

• Proposals on standardization of raw drugs/herbal formulation.
• Authentication of commercial drug samples.
• Quality assurance of herbal drugs/regarding presence of mycotoxine, heavy metals and pesticide residue as per WHO guide lines.
• Development of some herbal formulations based on traditional knowledge for specific diseases or disorder(s).
• Training on pharmacognostic standardization of herbal drugs/formulation.

1. Pushpangadan P., Srivastava Sharad, Mehrotra Rajesh, Kocchar V.K. (2004). Water fixing/producing bacteria for combating fresh water scarcity. Current Science 87(12): 1644-1646.
2. Srivastava Sharad, Rawat A.K.S., Mehrotra S. (2004). Pharmacognostic evaluation of roots of Berberis asiatica. Pharmaceutical Biology, 42(6): 467-473.
3. Rao, Ch.V., Ojha S.K., Radhakrishnan K., Govindarajan R., Rastogi S., Mehrotra S., Pushpangadan P. (2004). Antiulcer activity of Utleria salicifolia rhizome extract. J. Ethnopharmacol. 91: 243-249. (SCI indexed).
4. Agnihotri A. K., Khatoon S., Agarwal M., Rawat, A.K.S., Mehrotra S., Pushpangadan P. (2004). Pharmacognostical Evaluation of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br., Natural Product Sciences 10(4) : 168-172.
5. Govindarajan, R., Vijayakumar, M., Rao, Ch. V., Rawat, A.K.S., Shirwaikar, A., Mehrotra, S., Pushpangadan, P. (2004). Antioxidant potential of Anogeissus latifolia. Biological Pharmaceutical Bulletin 27(8):1266-1269.
6. Govindarajan, R., Vijayakumar, M., Rao, Ch. V., Vivek Kumar, Rawat, A.K.S., Pushpangadan P. (2004). Action of Asparagus racemosus against streptozotocin induced oxidative stress. Natural Product Sciences. 10(4): 177-181. (SCI indexed).
7. Shashi Bala, Govindarajan, R., Rawat, A.K.S., Mehrotra, Shanta. (2004) High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of withaferin a in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Mar-Apr. 527-529.
8. Rastogi Subha, Bala Shashi, Govindarajan R., Shukla M., Rawat A.K.S. and Mehrotra Shanta (2004). Quantitative HPLC analysis of amino acids in Chyavanprash: A well known Ayurvedic formulation. Indian J. Pharma. Sci. 66(6); 753-757.
9. Agnihotri A.K., Tiwari S.K., Khatoon S., Rawat A.K.S., Mehrotra Shanta (2004). ‘SHATAWAR’ (Asparagus racemosus Willd.)- An overview. Applied Botany Abstract 24(3-4): 253-279. (Sept.-Dec.).
10. S.K. Ojha, Ch.V. Rao, S. Mehrotra, P. Pushpangadan. ‘Ayurvedic norms for standard drugs’. Aryavaidyan Vol. XVII, No. 4 May- July 2004 pp.212-215
11. Govindarajan, R., Agnihotri, A.K., Rawat, A.K.S., Khatoon, S. and S. Mehrotra. (2004) Pharmacognostic evaluation of an antioxidant plant – Acorus calamus Linn. Natural Product Sciences 9(4): 264-269.
12. Rawat, A.K.S., Johri, J.K. and Pushpangadan, P. (2005). Quality control and standardization of traditional medicine – A report. Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research. 64: 229-233 (March).
13. Govindarajan, R., Vijayakumar, M., Rao, Ch. V., Shirwaikar, A., Mehrotra, S., Pushpangadan, P. (2004) Healing potential of Anogeissus latifolia for dermal wounds in rats. Acta Pharmaceutica 54: 331-338.
14. Snehi, S. K., Govindarajan, R., Singh, D. P., Mehrotra, S. (2004) Antibacterial activity of Desmodium gangeticum. Lucknow Journal of Sciences. 1: 15-18.
15. Pandey M.M., Govindarajan R., Rawat A.K.S., Pangtey Y.P.S. and Mehrotra S. (2004) High performance Liquid Chromatographic method for quantitative estimation of an antioxidant principle chlorogenic acid in Saussarea costus and Arctium lappa. Natural Product Sciences. 10(2): 40-42.
16. Rastogi Subha, Mehrotra B.N. and Kulshreshtha D.K.(2004). Chemical constituents of Mallotus nepalenses Muell. Arg.: A mild CNS Depressant. Natural Product Sciences 10(5): 237-239.

1. Pandey MM, Govindarajan R, Rawat AK, Pushpangadan P. (2005). Free radical scavenging potential of Saussurea costus. Acta Pharm. Sep;55(3):297-304.
2. Govindarajan, R., Vijayakumar, M., Shirwaikar, A., Rawat, A. K. S., Mehrotra, S., Pushpangadan, P. (2005) Activity guided isolation of antioxidant tannoid principles of Anogeissus latifolia. Natural Product Sciences 11(3): 174- 178.
3. Govindarajan, R., Sreevidya, N., Vijayakumar, M., Thakur, M., Dixit, V. K., Mehrotra, S (2005) In vitro antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract of Chlorophytum borivilianum. Natural Product Sciences 11(3): 165-169.
4. Govindarajan, R., Vijayakumar, M., Pushpangadan, P. (2005). Review: Antioxidant approach to disease management and the role of ‘Rasayana’ herbs of Ayurveda. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 99(2): 165-178.
5. Pushpangadan, P., Govindarajan, R., Vijayakumar, M. (2005). Diabetes mellitus and its traditional remedies using Indian medicinal plants. Ayush Tomorrow. 1(2): 31-52.
6. Rai, V., Agarwal, Manisha, Agnihotri, A.K., Khatoon, S., Rawat, A.K.S., Mehrotra, S. (2005). Pharmacognostic evaluation of Leucas aspera Link. Natural Product Sciences. 11(2): 109-114.
7. Rao, G.M. Mohana, Venkateswararao, Ch, Rawat, A.K.S., Pushpangadan, P., Shirwaikar, A. (2005). Antioxidant and Antihepatotoxic activities of Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. Acta Pharmaceutica. 47: 73-78.
8. Vijayakumar, M., Govindarajan, R., Singh, D. P., Rawat, AKS. (2005) Review of some important plants with antioxidant and biological activities. PHCOG MAG, 1(4): 129-135.
9. Rastogi Subha, Khatoon S., Rai V., Agnihotri A. K., Rawat A. K. S. & Mehrotra Shanta (2005). Evaluation of Ayurvedic compound formulations 1-Naracha Churna. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 4(2): 185-189.
10. Rastogi Subha, Pandey Madan Mohan, Kumar Kaushal, Rawat Ajay Kumar Singh and Pushpangadan Palpu (2005). Pharmacognostical evaluation of Roots of Pygmaeopremna herbacea (Roxb.) Mold. Natural Product Sciences. 11(2): 58-62.
11. Ch. V. Rao, R. Kartik, S. K. Ojha, Amresh, G.M. M. Rao. Antiinflammatory and antinociceptive activity of stem juice powder of "Tinospora cordifolia Miers." in experimental animals. Hamdard Medicus, XLVIII, No 1, 102-106, 2005.
12. Khatoon Sayyada, Srivastava Manjoosha, Rawat A.K.S., and Mehrotra Shanta. (2005). HPTLC Method for Chemical Standardization of Sida Species and Estimation of the Alkaloid Ephedrine. Journal of Planar Chromatography 18: 364-367.
13. Khatoon Sayyada, Rai Vartika, Rawat Ajay Kumar Singh and Mehrotra Shanta (2006). Comparative pharmacognostic studies of three Phyllanthus species. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 104(1): 79-86.
14. Srivastava Sharad, Srivastava Manjoosha, Rawat A.K.S., Mehrotra Shanta and Pushpangadan P. (2005). Pharmacognostic evaluation of roots of Berberis chitria Lindl. Natural Product Sciences.
15. Rai Vartika, Khatoon Sayyada, Bisht S.S. and Mehrotra S. (2005). Effect of cadmium growth ulteramarphology of leaf and secondary metabolites of Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thenn. Chemosphere. 28.
16. Antioxidant potential of Saussurea costu. Madan Mohan Pandey, R. Govindarajan, A K S Rawat and P. Pushpangadan. Acta Pharmaceutica, (2005): 55 (3) 297-304.