Homeopathic Pharamacopeia of India (HPI)

HOMOEOPATHIC PHARMACOPOEIA OF INDIA (HPI)

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 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 manufacturing as per any recognised 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 the Pharmacopoeia. HPI also helps in the checking/testing of standards of Homoeopathic raw-materials and finished product.

The HPI is prepared by the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia Committee (HPC) constituted by the Government of India with the following objectives:

1. To prepare Pharmacopoeia of Homoeopathic drugs whose therapeutic usefulness have been proved on the lines of the American, German and British Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeias;
2. To lay down principles and standards for the preparation of Homoeopathic drugs;
3. To lay down test of identity, quality, purity; and
4. Such other matters as are incidental and necessary for the preparation of a Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia.

The HPC was constituted in September, l962 on the recommendations of the Homoeopathic Advisory Committee and Homoeopathic Sub-Committee of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board on the question of control of Homoeopathic drugs under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, l940 and Rules, l945.

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 the Chemistry, Botany, Microbiology/Pharmacology besides manufacturers of Homoeopathic medicine and eminent homoeopaths as well as officials who are concerned with the work of testing and research in drugs.

The term of the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Committee is for three years. The Chairman of the Committee has the powers to form sub-Committee whenever required and to co-opt experts from outside.

Monograph of each drug contain details for identification, collection, part to be used, method of preparation, assessment of purity and  limits of impurity 

Work done so far:

The Homoeopathic drugs are available in the market in mother tincture form and in potency. The priority of the HPC is to fix standards upto the level of mother tincture or equivalent i.e. of the raw materials and method of preparations. From l962 onwards the Committee has finalised and recommended standards for Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India as under:

The HPC also prepare, the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeial Codex, a book on drugs having supplementary information for the purpose of further research work and to keep additional information on drug materials.