Ayurvedic Trust (AVT), the ayurvedic treatment arm of Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Ltd. (AVP) has tied up with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Department, to undertake advanced research and drug development by combining Ayurvedic tradition and modern medicine.

Incidentally, this significant development is the first of its kind collaborative research venture in the field of drug development and treatment, directly funded and jointly undertaken by US's premier bio-medical research arm NIH with an Indian company.

As per the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NIH authorities and Ayurvedic Trust, initially, the scientists of NIH will undertake a special joint collaborative venture with the AVP scientists for further research into Rheumatoid Arthritis.

While Dr. Daniel Hearst of California University will head the team of researchers in U.S., the Indian scientists headed by Dr.K.G.Raveendran and Dr.K.C.Narayanan, Directors of Ayurvedic Trust Hospital will explore the possibilities of Ayurveda in curing rheumatoid arthritis.

While the Indian scientists would explore drug delivery and treatment based on traditional Ayurvedic texts in curing this disease with clinically proven examples, research initiatives by combining Ayurvedic knowledge with modern medicine and clinical validation of the findings would be undertaken in U.S., indicated AVP sources.

The U.S. scientists are expected to visit Ayurvedic Trust within two months to evolve a detailed project plan for research activities, and to explore the potential of Ayurveda in curing various diseases. The partners are also planning an advanced quality control laboratory and drug standardization facility in India, set up with funds from NIH.

It is to be noted that the Ayurvedic Trust had conducted a unique research programme in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) from 1977 to 1984 to prove the efficacy of Ayurvedic treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis. That was claimed to be a pioneering international programme of its kind at that time, undertaken jointly by a leading Ayurvedic hospital, ICMR and WHO. AVP, one among the leading traditional Ayurvedic houses in India, makes 450 odd formulations and several OTC products.