Phytochemical Markers: Classification, Applications and Isolation

Background: There has been aroused demand for herbal drugs/products worldwide because of their fewer side effects as compared to synthetic drugs. The major obstacle in the global acceptance of herbal products is the lack of proper standardization technique. Methods: Various test procedures have been used for authentication and quality control of botanicals among which marker based standardization has attained more attention. The major challenge faced by phytochemist is to select appropriate phytochemical marker for quality control of herbal drugs. Phytochemical markers used for standardization must be of known purity. Phytochemical markers which are not commercially available have to be isolated from respective medicinal plants. Various chromatographic techniques are reported for the purification of phytomarkers from plants. A comprehensive report on different purification techniques of isolation of phytochemical markers through in-depth review of scientific literature is required. Conclusion: This article highlights various classifications of phytochemical markers along with their applications in standardization of herbal drugs and various classical and modern analytical techniques for their isolation.