The Laboratory of Medicinal Plants of the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) in Bangalore has been approved by the Department of AYUSH as the only regional testing lab in the country from the NGO sector.

With this approval, the Laboratory for Medicinal Plants, which adheres to Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia, Indian Pharmacopoeia, the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, British Pharmacopoeia and WHO guidelines, becomes an exclusive facility in the private sector to undertake testing and standardisation of 12 preparations which are in Kashayams dosage forms.

The recognition of FRLHT, an NGO, promoting local health traditions including drug research in the country by the Government of India, is a milestone in the ayurveda industry, Dr. GG Gangadharan, joint director, FRLHT told pharmabiz.com

The Laboratory for Medicinal Plants, headed by Dr. Padma Venkat, is also in the process of commercialising a kit to test the quality of medicinal plants and herbs at the raw material stage. The kit is believed to be a boon for the small-scale units to help adhere to quality parameters in herb selection. Another development is the introduction of DNA finger printing for herbal drugs to ascertain the specificity of the plant and spot the spurious contents.

The Foundation has invested Rs 20 crore for the construction of the first-ever Indian System of Medicine 100-bed Research Hospital with the diagnostic facilities, which would be commissioned in January 2006. The facility will address 11 health specialty areas -women's health & maternity care, geriatrics, mental health, diabetes, skin diseases, cardiac disorders, neurological disorders, musculo-skeletal disorders, gastro-intestinal and respiratory tract disorders, immunity for cancer and ophthalmology.

The hospital will have Centres of treatment and rejuvenation. The clinical research unit will generate evidence about the efficacy treatment offered and publish results in peer journals. "What will set the facility apart is the training centre for doctor-entrepreneurs. The main aim is to replicate similar models in the country and abroad, which will be operated as franchises of FRLHT," informed Dr. Gangadharan.

The hospital would also have an in-house Research Pharmacy unit which would be engaged in the manufacture of standardized products. "The standardisation would be based on the principles and practice of traditional pharmacy aided by modern tools. The standards for the production of drugs would be developed for four segments: Home remedies which can be used by the folk healers and rural-urban households; Customized and regular medicines for private ayurveda practitioners in their clinics; Drugs for ayurveda, unani, siddha hospitals; Documented details for the industry to ensure standardisation and quality assurance according to international standards of good manufacturing practices.

Another project by FRLHT is the setting up of an Indian Medical Heritage Centre, which will serve as a 'Knowledge Network' with Schools of Martial Arts, Yoga, Medical Astrology and Local Health Traditions. FRLHT will provide platform for the unknown Centres of Excellence to showcase their training services, which would also prevent the Foundation from duplicating specialities. Eventually, the project would evolve itself into an Open University of Indian Medical Heritage, explained Dr. Gangadharan.

"At FRLHT we are keen to bring out case studies, reports and scientifically written articles in peer reviewed journals thus making a case to consider Ayurveda as a system of medicine rather than disintegrating or distorting it to a few herbal preparations or well-defined bio-molecules which can be used as a complimentary treatment by practitioners of modern system of medicine," pointed out Dr. Gangadharan.