Abstract

FORMULATION AND STANDARDISATION OF POLYHERBAL CAPSULE FOR ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY

B. Premkumar*, D. Keshika, P. R. Roshan Khumaar, K. Samunesh, M. Pradeepkumar, K. Karthick, G. Saroj, M. D. Swetha and S. Mohamed Shehal

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, remains a significant global health burden. Conventional antidiabetic drugs are effective but frequently associated with side effects, limited affordability, and long-term complications. Herbal medicines, particularly polyherbal formulations, offer a holistic, cost-effective, and safer alternative. This review focuses on the formulation and standardization of polyherbal capsules targeting antidiabetic activity. We systematically explore the selection of antidiabetic herbs, extraction methods, formulation development, and rigorous standardization techniques. Preclinical in vitro and in vivo evidence (e.g., α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition; STZ/alloxan diabetic rat models) is reviewed alongside limited but growing clinical trials (e.g. GlycaCare-II). Key challenges in herbal standardization and reproducibility are addressed, and opportunities for future advances such as nanoformulations and sustained-release systems are highlighted. Rigorous preclinical and clinical validations are essential to translate polyherbal capsules into evidence-based antidiabetic therapeutics.

Keywords: Polyherbal formulation, Antidiabetic activity, Standardization, Herbal capsule, Plant-based medicine.