Development of herbal capsules containing standardized polyherbal extracts
1 Scholar Department of Pharmaceutics School of Pharmacy YBN University Ranchi, India.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics School of Pharmacy YBN University Ranchi, India.
3 Dean, School of Pharmacy YBN University Ranchi, Jharkhand-India.
Research Article
Open Access Research Journal of Biology and Pharmacy, 2026, 17(02), 001–012.
Article DOI: 10.53022/oarjbp.2026.17.2.0040
Publication history:
Received on 20 May 2026; revised on 25 June 2026; accepted on 27 June 2026
Abstract:
With increasing popularity of herbal medicine, the production of safer, more effective, standardized formulations of herbal medicine for management and prevention of various health conditions has also increased in demand. The objective of this study was to create hard-gelatin herbal capsules with standardized polyherbal extract compositions, evaluate their physical and chemical properties (e.g., density), and assess their quality attributes. The selected plants had antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity; they were identified, authenticated and extracted using appropriate hydroalcoholic extraction methods. For each medicinal plant extract an evaluation was performed against the appropriate phytochemical marker in order to standardize the extracts based on those markers, and the bioactive constituents were examined these included alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, saponins and glycosides. Following the standardizing of individual extracts, the extracts were combined in optimal ratios for the development of hard-gelatin capsules, for use with appropriate excipients to achieve consistency and stability along with improved patient compliance. The evaluations done on prepared capsules contained assessments for organoleptic properties such as taste; weight variations; moisture percentages; disintegration times; and uniformity of drug content according to standards set forth by pharmacopeias. In vitro dissolution tests have provided satisfactory release patterns for phytochemical substances (in terms of bioavailability). Stability testing performed under accelerated conditions indicated that there was no evidence of physical or chemical instability with regard to any quality parameter of this formulation. Phytochemical analysis also supports the presence of all active phytochemicals throughout the entire manufacture of this formulation. Flowabilities, overall quality characteristics, and it would appear that there are numerous potential therapeutic applications of these capsules with respect to synergism between various herbal ingredients. This work demonstrates the advantages of standardized polyherbal capsule formulations; including convenience, stability, and efficacy in the administration of bioactive herbal materials. In addition to offering an alternative to synthetic medications, standardized polyherbal capsule formulations are an important step toward the establishment of evidence-based herbal medicine. Therefore, further clinical and pharmacological research will be required to assess these formulations’ efficacy and safety with regard to their use in humans.
Keywords:
Polyherbal capsules; Standardized extracts; Herbal formulation; Phytochemicals; Quality evaluation; Stability studies; Nutraceuticals.
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