The Unani Pharmacopoeia of India has replaced the National Formulary of Unani Medicine as the authoritative book for unani drugs in the country. The changes came into effect few days ago with the central government notifying the change through an amendment to the First Schedule of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940.

It was long felt that the formulary alone is not sufficient to regulate the standard and quality control of unani drugs and the Unani Pharmacopoeia Committee (UPC) was in the process of coming out with UPI in addition to the formularies it used to bring out from time to time.

The UPC has already incorporated monographs on 122 single drugs and 192 formulations in the Unani Pharmacopoeia of India. The preparation of these monographs was successfully carried out through the Unani Drug Standardisation Research Programme, where in standards for 222 single drugs and 385 compound drugs unani (formulations) were evolved. Even though UP became the official book of unani drugs few days ago, the UPC was in existence since 1964. UPC, consisting of Hakims, Chemist, Botanist and Pharmacologists had been preparing official formulary of single drugs whose identity and therapeutic value is not in doubt and compound preparations which are frequently used in unani practice throughout country.

The preparation of standard Unani Pharmacopoeia, to provide standards for drugs and medicine of therapeutic values or pharmaceutical necessity used in unani practice. To lay down tests for identity, quality and purity and to provide all information regarding the distinguishing characteristics, methods of preparation, dosage, method of administration with various vehicles and their toxicity came under UPC.