The Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) under the Department of AYUSH has developed 'Quality of Life' (QOL), a herbal compound, aimed at supplementing cancer and AIDS treatment regimes.

QOL, having anti-oxidant, immuno modulating and anti-stress properties, was developed under the leadership of six senior scientists with CCRAS, after almost three years of research. It is useful to relieve stress and pain associated with the patients suffering from the after effects of chemotherapy in cancer treatment. Further, the drug has been found effective in ARV therapy related to AIDS treatment. QOL mainly contains Ayurvedic ingredients like Tinospora Cordifolia(Guduchi), Withania Somnifera (Aswagandha) etc.

At present, the drug is undergoing clinical trials at the Tata Cancer Research Centre, Mumbai in 120 cancer patients. In the second phase, slated to start within a few months, the drug will be tested among the same number of patients at the JJ Hospital, Mumbai for its efficacy as an ARV drug.

CCRAS is expected to soon patent QOL and plans technology transfer to competent companies within a few months, Dr. G S Lavekar, director, CCRAS told Pharmabiz.

Besides, CCRAS is in the process of developing Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) to standardize bhasmas, metal and mineral preparations in Ayurveda. The work, started about eight months ago, is being done at three centres, the Government Ayurvedic College affiliated to Swami Ramanand Teerath Marathwada University in Nanded, Gujarath Ayurveda University in Jamnagar and National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad. Tests are being conducted on bhasmas like Thribhanga bhasma, Vanga bhasma, Jast bhasma, Swarna Bhasma, Makaradwaja etc. NIN Hyderabad is undertaking toxicity studies of 10 bhasmas.

CCRAS director said projects were being undertaken to develop drugs for diabetes and filariasis. Drugs are under various stages of development. CCRAS had developed an effective anti-malarial drug Ayush 64. At present, further fortification of the same drug is being undertaken to develop Ayush 64 Forte, coded as Ayush VJ.

Other ongoing major projects of CCRAS include a project on drug development related to Parkinsons disease. As part of this, CCRAS, in association with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is undertaking a one-year fundamental study among 60 to 120 patients to identify the 'Prakrithi' in relation to Parkinsons disease.