Mumbai based IPCA Laboratories Limited has approached National Chemical Laboratory, Pune for structured clinical evaluation of the ayurvedic drugs that are being developed by the VCP Cancer Research Foundation (VCPCRF), Dehradun. IPCA's effort is part of an informal tie-up with VCPCRF to further the research activities taken up by the latter using modern techniques. Once successful in proving the efficacy and sustainable nature of the herb-mineral drugs, IPCA will be free to introduce them in the markets.
Informing this to pharmabiz.com, Premchand Godha, managing director IPCA said that the first hurdle is to have a system in place to test the clinical efficacy of the "bhasmas (herbo-mineral)". "Every batch should have the same quality and we have decided to help VCPCRF in its ongoing clinical research", he added.
Pharmabiz had earlier reported that IPCA is planning to establish full-fledged clinical research facilities in Chandigarh, as an extension to the ongoing joint venture involving VCPCRF and Shri Dhanwantri Ayurvedic College. The VCPCRF-IPCA venture was expected to develop diagnostic perform as involving ayurvedic and scientific methodology to generate evidence based clinical data for about 19 diseases.
The Pune scientists are likely to work on VCPCRF's "Prak - 20", a herbo-mineral compound meant for treating childhood asthma. VCPCRF claim the drug to be having hepatoprotective, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and anti-viral properties in liver disorders in various animal and human studies. "Prak-20 is a modified formulation of "Punarava Mandoor", described in traditional text as "sidh yoga sangraha".
The list of diseases for which clinical evaluation of drugs are going on include backache, chronic bronchitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, epistaxis, gastritis, duodentis, colitis, hyperlipidema, infertility, irritable bowel syndrome, liver diseases, nasal disorders, obesity, peptic ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, urticaria, etc.
VCPCRF was founded in 1988 with an intention to promote in-depth research in the field of Ayurveda. The foundation has been the pioneer in the development of process controlled techniques for manufacturing metal-based ayurvedic formulations. The foundation has been acknowledged as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO) by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.