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6 February,2010
PHYTOCONGRESS 2010 - International Seminar
Good Manufacturing Practices that ensure quality are the prime need while replicating traditional methods of drug manufacturing. “Ninety percentage of Indian industries manufacturing drug products in Indian System of Medicine operate under lower investments below one crore and hence face greater challenges in the validation of Ayurvedic drugs” said Smt. S. Jalaja, Secretary, Department of AYUSH, Government of India, New Delhi, while inaugurating the PHYTOCONGRESS 2010 - International Seminar on Herbs and Herbo-Mineral Formulations - at SASTRA University in Thanjavur on February 6, 2010. Of the known 2000 diseases, medicines for about only 40% of diseases have been discovered. Smt. S. Jalaja also stressed upon the need to evolve a paradigm shift to holistic systems of medicine.
The botanical resource market amounts to 62 billion US Dollars. India’s botanical wealth and traditional knowledge makes it lead player in the market. Smt. S. Jalaja recorded her appreciation for SASTRA’s efforts in cutting edge research and its impressive infrastructure and the scientific enthusiasm to address socially relevant problems capitalizing on its technical capabilities and AYUSH will continue to support SASTRA’s research initiatives.
Shri G. A. Rajkumar, Principal Secretary & Director, Indian Medicine & Homeopathy, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, in his special address emphasized the need for using plants like Tulsi, Mint, Brahmi, Aloe vera for better health. The Govt. of India is actively promoting the development of Indian Systems of Medicine like Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha through its National Health Mission 2005. He spoke about the growing global recognition for traditional and alternative complementary systems of medicine among developing countries.
A book on Phytowealth of SASTRA, authored by Dr. P. Brindha and Dr. N. Ravichandran, was released by Shri G. A. Rajkumar and the first copy was received by Smt. S. Jalaja, Secretary, Dept. of AYUSH, Govt. of India, New Delhi. The book contains descriptions of plants used in Siddha and Ayurveda along with their medicinal properties. A few rare species such as Jatropha tanjorensis, which contains anti-cancer properties and is unique to the Thanjavur region, have also been described.
Prof. R. Sethuraman, Vice-Chancellor of SASTRA University, in his welcome address presented the state of affairs of the 20-billion Dollar Indian Drug Industry, which has not been successful in the past two decades in identifying lead molecules and drugs and hence the need to look to Indian Systems of Medicine.
The PHYTOCONGRESS 2010 is attended by over 200 delegates and speakers from USA, UK, Australia, Malaysia and the Gulf countries besides Indian scientists and herbal manufacturers and practitioners.
- SASTRA University
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