The knowledge of correct plant identity, collection methods, processing, storage and appropriate usage of medicinal plants was transmitted both orally and in written form by traditional medical cultures in India. These traditional parameters that determine the quality of medicinal plants are independent of modern technology or tools and use trained human sensory perceptions and judgements instead. We have called these subjective measurements and parameters as Traditional Quality Standards (TQS).

This mainly involves research to understand the relevance of traditional quality standards using Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The ancient Ayurvedic texts recommend specific ways of collection processing and preparation of medicines. For example, Piper longum(Pippali) (hyperlink) fruits used for cold and cough is recommended to be prepared as a milk decoction rather than water decoction (Ref : Bioactivity of traditional preparation of Piper longum L., Preethi Sudha, U.G Geeta, and P. Venkatasubramanian, Journal of Tropical Medicinal Plants (2004),Vol 5, No.2 ,pp 179-182) and Bacopa monneiri(Brahmi) to be used in a fresh form rather than in the dried form. These recommendations have been tested in our lab using chemical and biological techniques such as HPTLC and Brine Shrimp Bioassay respectively. Comparative studies have been done with stems of Tinospora cordifoilia (where thick stems are traditionally recommended), Adhatoda vasica (Fresh versus dried form & other species of Adhatoda) and Curcuma longa (rhizome collected in the night is recommended) to name a few using modern chemical and biological tools Milk preparation (Ksheerapaaka) of Piper longum showed that it was 25 times more active than water preparation (Kasaya) and the active constituent, piperine was better extracted more in the milk preparation than water preparation Similarly Svarasa (juice) from Fresh Bacopa monneri plant was found to be more active than the Svarasa prepared form the dried plant material. Traditional