Testing for Steroids and Drugs in Herbal Medicines

Auriga Research (formerly Arbro Pharmaceuticals) has over 20 years of experience detecting adulteration of herbal and Ayurvedic medicines with synthetic steroids, pain killers, and antibiotics. Our NABL-accredited laboratory uses validated LC-MS/MS, HPTLC, and FTIR methods for accurate and rapid screening of undeclared drugs in herbal formulations.

India has a strong heritage and tradition of using traditional medicines for the treatment of everyday and chronic ailments. All of us believe in and trust the medicines from the Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homeopathy systems. With the advancement in manufacturing and quality control of herbal medicines, the quality of these products has improved and today is at par with the modern system of medicine.

But despite these advancements, it is not uncommon to find traditional medicines adulterated with modern medicines — often at higher than recommended doses — to achieve so-called "magical results". Prolonged consumption of these adulterated medicines can have serious, even irreversible, side effects.

Steroids in Ayurvedic Medicine

Ayurvedic medicine is practised by many in India and around the world to treat and manage several conditions. Over the years, this lineage of medicine has seen major advancements and has come a long way since its inception.

Many first-time users are concerned about the quality of the substances used in the preparation and the presence of adulterating synthetics. The biggest fear of seasoned and first-time users of Ayurvedic medicine is the inclusion of steroids such as cortisone in their medicine.

There have been many reports of unscrupulous operators mixing cortisone and other corticosteroids with Ayurvedic preparations and misrepresenting them as "miracle drugs". This poses serious health risks to consumers who may be unknowingly taking pharmacologically active doses of synthetic drugs.

Our Steroid and Drug Adulteration Testing Capability

Auriga Research is one of the recognised herbal and Ayurvedic medicine testing centres in India. Our experienced analytical team has developed and validated rapid, cost-effective methods for identifying adulteration of herbal medicines with:

Corticosteroids — dexamethasone, betamethasone, prednisolone, cortisone, hydrocortisone
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — diclofenac, nimesulide, piroxicam, ibuprofen
PDE5 inhibitors — sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil (in "male wellness" herbal products)
Antibiotics — commonly added to herbal formulations making wound-healing or anti-infective claims
Anti-diabetic drugs — glibenclamide, metformin (in herbal diabetes products)

The analysis is carried out by highly experienced scientists using validated methods including High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), depending on the nature of the sample and the type of adulterant being screened.

Why Test Your Herbal Product for Steroids?

For Consumers

If you or a family member is using an unlabelled, loose herbal medicine, adulteration testing provides certainty that the product is free of hidden synthetic drugs. Results can be provided within 2–5 working days of receiving the sample.

For Manufacturers and Brands

A NABL-accredited certificate confirming your herbal product is free of undeclared steroids and drugs builds consumer confidence and provides regulatory protection. It is also required by some retailers and export markets.

For Regulatory Compliance

CDSCO and state AYUSH licensing authorities may require steroid adulteration testing during inspections, post-market surveillance, or when a complaint is received. NABL-accredited test data provides the strongest regulatory defence.

For Raw Material Qualification

Herbal manufacturers can screen incoming raw materials and botanical extracts from suppliers to ensure the supply chain is free of synthetic drug contamination before production begins.

Sample Requirements

We require a minimum of 5 grams of sample to conduct comprehensive steroid and drug adulteration screening. To improve the accuracy and targeting of the analysis, please share with us the medical condition for which the product is being used — this helps narrow down the likely adulterants and focus the screening panel accordingly.

Turnaround time: Results are typically delivered within 2–5 working days of sample receipt for standard screening panels. Complex multi-analyte panels may take 5–7 working days.

About Auriga Research

Auriga Research Pvt. Ltd. (an extension of Arbro Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd., est. 1985) is one of India's largest NABL-accredited testing laboratory networks. Our accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 covers herbal and AYUSH product testing, including steroid and synthetic drug detection. Test reports are accepted by CDSCO, Ministry of AYUSH, state licensing authorities, and export regulatory bodies.

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