The Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) recognized as a centre for excellence for medicinal plants and traditional knowledge by the ministry of environment, plans to soon augment its activities in the areas of contract research and clinical trial of herbal products.
In this connection, the FRLHT is upgrading its laboratory at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore and adding 15 new scientists to handle projects. The organisation has a state of the art laboratory and research wing for Traditional System of Medicine, which has received approval from the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research to be recognised as ‘SIRO’ (Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation). Its Laboratory of Medicinal Plants is the only regional testing lab in the country from the NGO sector and has facilities to test herbal drugs in accordance to international standards.
At present FRLHT undertakes contract research for product development of dietary supplements, health drinks and OTC products. The main idea is to bring traditional medicine into the mainstream and ensure authentically validated quality products. In this connection, the Foundation has already initiated tie-ups with biotechnology companies like Avesthagen in Karnataka and Indfrag in Gujarat. For the Government of Pondicherry, it has scientifically validated a health drink, a substitute for mineral water.
"Contract research is one of the areas which FRLHT is looking forward to generate authenticated data on efficacy and safety of herbal drugs. Our expertise in traditional system of medicine and the recognition by the leading regulatory bodies gives us the advantage allowing leading companies in the area of plant medicine to outsource research from us," informed, Dr. G.G Gangadharan, joint director, FRLHT.
"At FRLHT, the traditional knowledge based expertise will be substantiated with modern science and we have a team dedicated to TQS (Traditional Quality Standards), " he added.
Another objective of its entry into contract research is knowledge dissemination in Traditional Systems of Health. For this, FRLHT is scouting for potential education or research institutes to methodically cull out data on herbal medicine that can be applicable for the modern medicine with reference to good food practices, health care methodologies and simple home remedies for the primary health care centres.
The Foundation has also started a 10-bedded facility as part of its plans to set up a Rs 20-crore full fledged hospital, envisaged as a rare clinical trial facility to study evidence-based analysis of the disease and its treatment options. The facility is intended to provide documented outcome of traditional medicine treatment. It has teamed up with St. Medical College Hospital to conduct a full-fledged trail for diabetes mellitus. The study is a single blind open study on 35 patients and the results will be announced soon.