Renu Arya
Department of Technical Education, Government of Haryana (India)
Title: Standardization, quality control and biological evaluation of selected medicinal plants used in AYUSH system of medicines
Biography
Biography: Renu Arya
Abstract
Traditional system of medicines has become significantly more popular all over the globe because of the effective and curative nature for chronic disease with less toxicity. Herbal medicines are not a simple task since many factors influence the biological efficacy and reproducible therapeutic effect. India is a mother hub for development of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha; Homoeopathy and other natural herbs-based health sciences. Ministry of AYUSH which is abbreviated as. (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-rigpa and Homoeopathy) is purposed with developing education, research and propagation of indigenous alternative medicine systems in India for improving healthcare access and also for enabling its penetration to the rural masses. Standardization of drug comprises the confirmation of its identity, quality and purity throughout all phases of its by various parameters. The quality product is the only key for the safety and therapeutic efficacy. Considering the complexity of plant, it is quintessential to establish its standardization and quality control following the WHO guidelines for the same. Currently, world wide, there is an increase in diseases especially infectious diseases (recently COVID-19 pandemic) that requires efficient body defense mechanisms to control them through the process of immunomodulation. Govt. Of India constantly supported the Ministry of AYUSH to develop or repurpose the medicines for the treatment of Covid infections and post Covid complications including improvement of respiratory systems, immunity boosters, cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes (due to the steroids given as the treatment regime), anxiety, hair loss, weakness etc. reported in post Covid cases. The role of immunity boosters/ immunomodulators have palyed the major role curb from above mentioned complications. Govt. of India has launched the repurposed medicine Ayush-64 (Ayurvedic medicine), Kabasura kudineer (Sidha medicine) Bryonia alba, Arnica, Gelsemium (Homoeopathic medicine) and Tiryaq-e-Arba (Unani medicines) for the treatment of Covid patients some of which were used for the treatment of malaria and later on used for the treatment of ILI-6. These polyherbal drug that has shown antiviral, immune-modulator and antipyretic properties. These medicines were approved only after analysing the clinical data on Covid patients with significant results of research. This is how Alternative medicines (AYUSH) have played a crucial role in India to counter this deadly disease.