Indian Standard for Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Authors

Kumar Vivekanand, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi, India AND Ayush Department, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, IndiaFollow
Daisy Katarmal, Ayush Department, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, India
Indra Gaurav Saxena, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi, India AND Ayush Department, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, India
Binit Dwivedi, Dr. D. P. Rastogi Central Research Institute of Homoeopathy, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Divya Taneja, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi, India
Shrishti Dixit, Ayush Department, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, India
Raj Kumar Manchanda, Nehru Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, New Delhi, India

Author ORCID Identifier(s)

Daisy Katarmal: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0411-9183

Indra Gaurav Saxena: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8802-9577

Corresponding Author

Kumar Vivekanand

Keywords

Alfalfa, BIS standard, Herb, Homoeopathy, Medicinal plant, Pharmaceuticals, Quality control

Article Type

Discussion

Abstract

Traditional systems of medicine remain integral to global healthcare, yet variability in herbal raw materials has long challenged their scientific validation and regulatory acceptance. Differences in environmental conditions, harvesting, processing and formulation techniques significantly influence the herb's phytochemical composition, potency, and therapeutic outcomes. Standardisation is therefore essential to ensure safety, efficacy, reproducibility, and regulatory credibility. In this context, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has developed Indian Standards for medicinal plants and homoeopathic preparations. This article presents an overview of IS 18978:2024, Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) for Use in Traditional Medicine—Specification, and IS 19135:2025, Alfalfa Hydro-alcoholic Extract for Use in Homoeopathy—Specification. These standards establish comprehensive benchmarks for botanical identity, pharmacognostic characterisation, physicochemical parameters, chromatographic profiling, phytochemical identification, microbial limits, contaminant control, and regulated preparation of the Alfalfa mother tincture (IS 19135) prepared from Medicago sativa L. (IS 18978). By integrating classical pharmacognostic knowledge with modern analytical, microbiological, and regulatory requirements, the standards provide a structured quality framework for manufacturers, researchers, clinicians, and educators. Collectively, they strengthen the safety, consistency, traceability, and global credibility of Alfalfa-based homoeopathic formulations and serve as a model for future herbal drug standardisation initiatives.

Digital Object Identifier

10.53945/2320-7094.2794

Publisher

Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

How to cite this article

Vivekanand K, Katarmal D, Saxena IG, et al. Indian Standard for Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2026;20(1):143–50.