In tune to the requirements of the modern times and eyeing the export markets, concerted efforts have been started by the various stakeholders of the ISM industry in Tamil Nadu to standardize herbal drugs, and to create quality infrastructure for popularizing ISMs like Siddha and Unani streams of medicines.
In a recent development, the Madras University entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu state ISM Directorate to undertake a project of standardization and scientific validation of 15 proprietary Siddha medicines. The project was proposed by the government to help Siddha drug manufacturers in the state to tap its potential in the global markets and to improve the quality of medicines.
As per the MoU on research and development support to the Indian Systems of Medicine, the university will undertake toxicological, efficacy and scientific validation studies of the identified popularly used traditional drugs of the Siddha system of medicine, through tissue culture and other experiments. The university has started the process of developing protocols and product standardization yardsticks or markers for scientific validation and efficacy studies, according to Dr S P Thyagarajan, vice-chancellor, Madras University.
In a similar initiative, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) had entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government for a five-year project aimed at rationalisation of Siddha formulations, a few years ago. Two Tamil Nadu government entities promoting the knowledge in Siddha system --the Department of Indian Medicines and Homoeopathy and the Tamil Nadu
Medicinal Plant Farms & Herbal Medicines Corporation (TAMPCOL) are jointly working with the CSIR to establish the scientific validity of selected herbal formulations/single molecules from Siddha system.
By this project, about 15 drugs have been scientifically validated so far, according to informed sources. The project envisages evolving new range of herbal formulations and single molecule remedies for the treatment of specific diseases of international interest. The project is also working on developing rationalization process tools for disease-specific and need-based products. Process standardization and decontamination of raw materials is also part of the project, according to sources.
Drug research is also a major emerging avenue in the state, especially in the Siddha stream of medicine. Recently, the Department of Science and Technology granted funds to the Sasthra Deemed University at Thanjavur for an industry-institute joint venture research project to conduct advanced studies on the drug, Karbogi, mentioned in the Siddha ancient texts for the management of leukoderma. Among the private sector initiatives, the J S S College of Pharmacy at Ooty has emerged as one among the prime advanced herbal research centers in Tamil Nadu.
The Chennai based pharma major Apex Laboratories Ltd, is currently conducting a joint venture with the J S S College and the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), New Delhi, to carry out advanced research into development of marker compounds of herbal drugs.
The initiative is to develop and identify the potential and efficacy of herbs having multi-curative properties. A similar initiative was done by Tablets India with the TIFAC to conduct research in phyto medicine. Similarly, many of the pharma majors in the state are in the process of bringing out quality ISM medi-cines, especially from the Siddha and Unani segment, note sources.
Unani is also gaining popularity in the state. Recently, the 25-year-old Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Chennai, was upgraded with a modernized institute set up at a cost of Rs.3.20 crore. Funded by the Central Government and a peripheral research center of the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the institute is envisaged to be developed as one among the prime Unani medicine research institutions in South India. The renovated and modernized institute has an exclusive Drug Standardization Research Station and facility for clinical research, besides a separate unit to undertake survey and standardization of medicinal plants.