In the development and production of herbal medicinal products, two essential factors play a critical role: pharmaceutical formulation and stability testing. Without a well-designed formulation, even the most potent herbal compounds may fail to deliver the desired therapeutic effect. Likewise, without scientific assessment of product stability, it’s impossible to ensure long-term safety, efficacy, and quality.
In the development and production of herbal medicinal products, two essential factors play a critical role: pharmaceutical formulation and stability testing. Without a well-designed formulation, even the most potent herbal compounds may fail to deliver the desired therapeutic effect. Likewise, without scientific assessment of product stability, it’s impossible to ensure long-term safety, efficacy, and quality.
Formulation is not just about mixing ingredients—it involves in-depth knowledge of the physicochemical characteristics of herbal extracts, appropriate excipient selection, extraction methods, and compatibility of all components. Meanwhile, stability testing evaluates how a product behaves under different environmental conditions, helping determine its shelf life and optimal storage settings.
This article explores these two specialized services and their crucial role in the success of herbal medicinal products. We will also introduce Padideh Giah’s consulting services in herbal formulation and standard stability testing.
Pharmaceutical formulation refers to the process of designing and combining active and inactive substances to produce a usable dosage form. In the herbal medicine sector, this step is critical as it directly influences the product’s effectiveness, stability, and consumer acceptance.
Herbal formulation presents unique challenges due to the complexity of plant-based compounds, their sensitivity to heat and light, and batch variability. Therefore, formulation must be approached with precision and scientific expertise.
Solid forms (tablets, capsules)
Liquid forms (drops, syrups, extracts)
Semi-solid forms (ointments, creams, gels)
Advanced formulations (liposomes, nano-carriers)
In herbal formulation, proper selection of carriers, preservatives, and stabilizers is essential. Neglecting these factors can lead to degradation of active compounds, poor absorption, or undesirable side effects.
Enhanced therapeutic efficacy
Improved patient and consumer compliance
Better physical and microbiological stability
Smoother regulatory approvals
Longer shelf life and market viability
Stability testing is a scientific method used to assess the physical, chemical, and microbiological integrity of a product over time and under different environmental conditions. Its main goal is to determine the shelf life and recommend optimal storage requirements.
Temperature (e.g., 40°C, 30°C, 25°C)
Relative Humidity (e.g., 75%, 65%, 60%)
Light exposure (UV, direct sunlight)
Time periods (3, 6, 12 months or longer)
These tests are performed based on ICH guidelines (e.g., ICH Q1A) and include analysis of appearance, pH, viscosity, active ingredient content, microbial growth, and more.
Accurately determine expiration date
Ensure consumer safety and regulatory compliance
Reduce product returns and complaints
Identify formulation weaknesses and enable improvements
As a specialized accelerator in the field of herbal and natural medicine, Padideh Giah provides expert-level services in formulation development and stability testing designed for startups, biotech companies, and herbal product manufacturers.
Expert consultation for designing herbal drug formulations
Optimization of herbal extraction processes
Conducting real-time and accelerated stability studies
Preparation of regulatory-compliant technical reports
Scientific support for product commercialization
In today’s competitive market, product quality goes far beyond raw ingredients—it depends on intelligent formulation and proven stability. If you're developing a herbal product, professional services in these areas can save time, cut costs, and boost your product’s market readiness.
