Government Takes Action on Herbal Medicine Safety
The Indian government is preparing to launch a significant scientific study to evaluate microbial contamination in herbs used for traditional medicines. This initiative comes amid growing safety concerns surrounding India's massive $70-billion herbal medicine market, according to two government officials who spoke anonymously.
Alarming Findings Prompt Safety Review
The decision follows disturbing results from an August 2025 study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research's National Institute of Nutrition. The research revealed that 63.6% of 110 solid herbal formulation samples tested exceeded acceptable aerobic bacterial limits. The investigation detected contamination by multiple dangerous microorganisms including Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, E. coli, yeast, and mould.
These contaminants can cause serious health issues ranging from food poisoning and gastrointestinal illnesses to skin and respiratory infections. The problem appears widespread, with national and international journals reporting similar findings of harmful pathogens like Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in various herbal formulations available in markets.
Comprehensive Study Plan and Global Implications
The upcoming study, titled "Determination of Microbial Load in Herbal Materials Used in Traditional Medicine," is scheduled to begin shortly and complete within four months. The research will focus on establishing microbial limits and testing standards to enhance the safety of herbal products.
The project will conduct microbial tests on at least ten commonly used herbs in NABL-accredited or Ayush-approved laboratories. It will specifically target four key pathogens: E. coli, Salmonella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus.
This initiative carries significant weight given India's substantial herbal exports. According to commerce ministry data, the country exported herbal and Ayush products worth $689.34 million in 2024-25, slightly higher than the $651.17 million recorded the previous year. The Indian Ayush market is projected to grow dramatically from $40 billion in 2024 to $200 billion by 2030.
Expert Opinions and Industry Response
Dr. V. M. Katoch, former director general of ICMR, cautioned that a single study doesn't necessarily indicate a systemic problem but should be treated as an alarm. "If the same findings are consistently observed across different regions, then it becomes a matter of concern," he told Mint. "Quality control orders are already in place for all drugs. The study should be conducted on a multicentric scale."
Medical practitioners have welcomed the move. Dr. Rakesh Kotwal, medical officer (ayurveda) at Sub-District Hospital Padder in Jammu and Kashmir, noted that "there have been instances where medicines manufactured for export markets are of good quality, while those meant for the domestic market are often of lower quality. That disparity would be eliminated if the study is conducted rigorously."
However, industry representatives expressed concerns about potential over-regulation. Vachaspati Tripathi, managing director of Surya Pharmaceuticals, argued that "the study should not be conducted with the intention of treating these materials as medicines. Such materials should not be subject to the same regulations as pharmaceutical drugs."
The study will also analyze import-export dynamics of herbal materials, identify contamination risks across supply chains, and assess how manufacturers handle microbial testing and quality assurance. The findings are expected to define safety benchmarks that can be incorporated into Indian standards and help establish validated test methods for microbial detection in herbal raw drugs.
