IJPRD, 2011; Vol 3(6): August 2011 (81 – 89) International Standard Serial Number 0974 – 9446 Available online on www.ijprd.com 81 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PHYSICOCHEMICAL STANDARDIZATION OF ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA (NEES) : AN AYURVEDIC DRUG Manoj Kumar Pandey 1 *, G.N.Singh 1 , Rajeev Kr Sharma 2 and Sneh Lata 3 1 Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad,India. 2 Pharmacopoeia Laboratory of Indian Medicine, Ghaziabad,India. 3 M.M.H. College Ghaziabad,India. ABSTRACT Andrographis paniculata Nees popularly known as “Kalmegh” used in indigenous system of medicine as a hepatoprotective drug.In the present investigation, pharmacognostical, physicochemical characteristics, thin layer chromatography, and HPLC studies of Andrographis paniculata Nees were studied. In order to ensure the use of only genuine and uniform material of such herbal remedies, work on standardization assumes vital significance.Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed that alkaloids, flavonoids, glaycosides,, saponins, steroids, tannins, were present. The results of the pharmacognostical studies, features of powdered drug include response to U.V. Light exposure, some physicochemical constants, results of TLC, and chromatogram of HPLC, would serve as standard reference for identifications of Andrographis paniculata (Nees). Correspondence to Author Manoj Kumar Pandey Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad,India. Email manojcipl@gmail.com Key Words Andrographis paniculata Nees, Hepatoprotective, fluorescence characters, colour reactions, TLC, HPLC.