Indira college of Pharmacy Pune had organized a University of Pune sponsored National Conference on ‘Indian Traditional Medicines: Avenues & Challenges in Formulation Development’ from February 4 to 6. As a part of the same, Charak Lecture series was also organized.

Dr C K Kokate, vice chancellor, KLE University, Belgaum, was the chief guest at the occasion. Dr Kokate, in his address, focused on the need to have a standardized and systematic approach in the development of Traditional formulations. While quoting some examples he stressed to have authenticity in the Ayurvedic as well as Herbal formulations, where purity of the contents should not be diluted. While comparing the age old methods of Formulation techniques and the current industrial approach, he said there needs to be introspection regarding the various aspects from Collection, formulation development to the time of drug administration of the Ayurvedic drugs.

In the olden days there was hardly a short span of 24 to 48 hours involved for the entire process, nowadays this time duration has increased to more than three months and at some times even upto a year, during this new era transformation whether the formulations are stable and are they clinically efficient, this needs to be evaluated, by which the efficacy of Ayurvedic products could be assured. As a core academician he emphasized on the need for Good Educational Practices in the current scenario of cut throat competition in the educational field. The teachers should be learners for life and should be proud of their profession he stated.

Dr Prachee Javadekar, executive director, UOP courses, Indira Group of Institutes presided over the Inaugural function and expressed the need to have a larger perspective and renewed focus in the Research and development in Traditional drugs. She focused on the role of faculty and emphasized that institution level Research should be motivated so as new ideas are generated and small but concrete products would come out. She appealed to the teaching community to work like bees where nectar of knowledge is gained every day, which would finally lead to a huge knowledge base.

Dr Harish Padh, director, NIPER Ahmedabad, gave the keynote address; he stated that the growth rate of herbal drugs is 15 per cent as compared to 3 per cent of modern medicines. He talked about the various parameters based on which herbal formulations can be standardized; he said that the herbal dugs should be standardized in context with the absorption and metabolism in the body. Common people opt for Traditional drugs as they think that they are safe but no one is bothered whether they are effective, which needs to be changed.

Dr D G Naik, scientist, Agharkar Research Institute emphasized on importance of marker compounds for the standardization of herbal drugs. He elaborated the significance of authentication of the plant species in correlation to the formulation and the bioactivity. He also discussed the important role played by Indian Council of Medical Research in the standardization of plants. Dr A M Mujumdar discussed the synergistic role of poly herbal formulations and the science behind it. Most of the formulations are poly herbal and each and every constituent some or other way helps the other and show action as complete unit.

The first two days of conference focused on various aspects of Ayurvedic formulation development, where workshop by an eminent Ayurvedic Physician Vaidya Akalkotar demonstrated the labscale preparations of Asawa, Arishta, Lepa, Ghruta, Kalpa. Dr SV Nadkarni from Dhootpapeshwar Industries discussed the various aspects of Bhasma formulation and the challenges faced by it in the international market.

National Level Poster Competition Indira Pharma Zeal was also organized during the conference, many students from various Pharmacy colleges presented their research work at IPZ.