Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India (HPI) is the official book of standards of Homeopathic medicine in terms of Schedule-II of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, l940 and Rules, l945. The Indian manufacturers are legally bound to manufacture Homoeopathic medicines as per standards and methodology are given in the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India. If the standards of some drugs are not included in the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India, manufacturers are free to undertake to manufacture as per any recognized Pharmacopoeia of the other countries vis the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia (GHP), United States Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia (HPUS), British Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia and French Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia etc. Import and export of Homoeopathic medicines should also be based on the standards as laid down in Pharmacopoeia. HPI also helps in the checking/testing of standards of Homoeopathic raw materials and finished products.
The HPI is prepared by the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia Committee (HPC) constituted by the Government of India with the following objectives:
- To prepare Pharmacopoeia of Homoeopathic drugs whose therapeutic usefulness have been proved on the lines of the American, German and British Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeias;
- To lay down principles and standards for the preparation of Homoeopathic drugs;
- To lay down test of identity, quality, purity; and
- Such other matters as are incidental and necessary for the preparation of a Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia.
The source of Homoeopathic drugs is mostly of natural origin viz. vegetables/plants, animals, minerals, chemicals, Nosodes, Sarcodes etc. For this purpose, the Committee has experts from Chemistry, Botany, and Microbiology/Pharmacology besides manufacturers of Homoeopathic medicine and eminent homeopaths as well as officials who are concerned with the work of testing and research in drugs.
The monograph of each drug contains details for identification, collection, part to be used, method of preparation, assessment of purity, and limits of impurity
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Pharmacopoeia
