In a significant move, the government of Kerala is gearing up to bring in a Rule to regulate the preparation and sale of Arishtams and Aasavams (spirituous preparations in Ayurveda) in order to help the public avail pure and unadulterated products for their medicinal needs, sources informed Pharmabiz.

As per the soon-to-be-introduced Rule, in future the retail sales of ‘aasavaarishtams’ can be done only by qualified Ayurveda doctors and Ayurveda pharmacists. The government’s decision is coming in the wake of a demand made by the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI).

AMAI has been requesting the government to initiate stern steps to control the retail sales of arishtams and aasavams to forestall the unqualified vendors from selling these medicinal products locally and without the recommendation of qualified Ayurveda doctors. The association has alleged that the local vendors are selling only adulterated products which cause for various chronic diseases among the consumers.

While welcoming the decision of the government, the secretary of AMAI, Dr Rejith Anand said the minister has orally agreed to the association that the government would consider all the demands made by it for the safety of the ayurveda products and to safeguard the dignity of Indian traditional medicines, especially Ayurveda.

But when Pharmabiz contacted the Excise Minister K Babu, he said the government cannot meet all the demands made by the Ayurveda community.

As part of the new regulatory policy, the excise department had earlier raised the licence fees under section 6 and 7 of the Spirituous Preparation (Control) Rules 1969 for stocking and selling of aasavams and arishtams by retailers and wholesalers. The licence fee was raised from Rs.150 to Rs.1000 for Ayurveda hospitals and from Rs.500 to Rs.5000 for allopathy hospitals. Whereas, for wholesale distribution, the licence fee was raised to Rs.4000 from Rs.2000.

When the Rule comes in force, an Ayurveda doctor can keep arishtams and aasavams upto one hundred litres from the existing limit of five litres. AMAI had requested the government to raise the allowable quantity of arishtams to one hundred litres.