Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Farms & Herbal Medicine Corporation Limited (Tampcol), a public sector company manufacturing traditional medicines, will soon introduce health herbal water. The herbal water, to be produced by the company will be certified as a safe drinking water with herbal properties. The new product is being launched as part of company's silver jubilee celebrations.

Dr S Paul Raj, general manager of the company said it has already completed the process of formulating the herbal health water. The chosen herbs for the product are having many health promoting properties that are essential in everyday life.

The herbs that are used in the water are having high concentration of flavour and aroma molecules, and also calorie free. The contents include the extracts of 'Nunnari' or Indian sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus), Tulci or Holy Basil (Ocimum Sanctum) and Adhimathuram (Glycyrrhiza Glabra).

The herbal water, which is in addition to the 17 new Unani drugs launched by the company in another two months, is a fully bacteria prohibited. Most of the packaged drinking water now sold in markets ensures only purity but Tampcol's health herbal water not only ensures purity but also adds some herbal goodness that are needed in our day to day life. "We use a multi step purification process, which include UV light and Reverse Osmosis as per ISI standard. The herbal extracts are infused into the purified water and it will be flash pasteurized at 180 degree. While doing this flash pasteurization the beneficial molecules are not affected in any significant way," said the GM.

About the ingredients he said, 'Nunnari' is a well known herb used in 'surbat' drinks in India. People prefer this drink as it provides cooling effect to the body and possesses good flavour and aroma. Recent research findings reveal that it has got antioxidant, antiulcerogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties. In Siddha medicine it is used for diseases like diabetes, thirst and urinary diseases.

Tulsi is another popular herb used by millions of people. Common symptoms like cough, cold, fever, diarrhoea and vomiting respond favourably to the juice of tulsi leaves. Recent studies have shown that the leaves offer significant protection against stress and have antioxidant properties, he said.

The company plans to market the product with a cost not exceeding any popular packaged drinking water available in the market.

The corporation currently produces and markets a total of 79 types of herbal medicines in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems. Sixty Siddha medicines, 12 Ayurveda medicines and seven Unani drugs of the company are available in the market. The company is ready with 17 more new Unani drugs and will be launched soon.

He said following the success of the herbal rejuvenator- Vigorous Tablet- that Tampcol launched a few years ago, the company now plans to revive it in another brand name-'Vigorous Plus Tab'.

The state owned medicinal corporation's factory at Kancheepuram has five qualified doctors and 150 staff to look after the preparations, Dr Paul Raj said.