A project for Physico chemical characterization and toxicity studies of 8 widely used Bhasmas (Rasa Aushadhies) was also sanctioned under the Golden Triangle Project which is being carried out by various laboratories of CSIR i.e. Indian Institute of Toxicological Research (IITR), Lucknow, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad. Under this project, one of the reputed manufacturers of Rasa Aushadhies was chosen for manufacturing of the selected Rasa Aushadhies as per the classical texts which were made available to CSIR laboratories for physio chemical characterization and their toxicity studies. On the basis of 28 days toxicity studies, all the 8 Rasa Aushadhies have been found to be non-toxic. 90 days chronic studies are under progress. CSIR would be getting the results of this scientific research published to set at rest doubts regarding the safety of Rasa Aushadhies prepared properly as per classical texts. Further, the work of finalizing SOPs for the various herbo metallic compounds (Rasa Aushadhies) used in Ayurveda has been undertaken by the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee of India. Supplementary Good Manufacturing Practices for Rasa Aushadhies have also been prepared of which draft publication has been done.

Samples of 600 Indian medicinal plants collected from the wild as well as various medicinal plant gardens in India by the Council for Scientific Research in Ayurveda and Siddha were sent to the Indian Institute of Toxicological Research (CSIR), Lucknow, Sri Ram Institute of Industrial Toxicology, New Delhi and Centre for Research in Indian Medicine, Shastra University, Thanjavur. The test reports received from these three laboratories disclose that Lead, Mercury and Arsenic have not been found in these 600 Indian medicinal plants samples above the permissible limits laid down by WHO which is 10ppm for Lead, 1ppm for Mercury and 3ppm for Arsenic. This study clearly indicates that Indian medicinal plants collected from the wild or cultivated have been found to be free from lead, mercury and arsenic contamination contrary to the claim made by Dr. Robert Saper et al in their second article “Lead, Mercury and Arsenic in US- and Indian- Manufactured Ayurvedic Medicines sold via the Internet” published in JAMA, August 27, 2008.

The bias of Dr. Saper against Ayurvedic medicines becomes very apparent from the fact that he has included even those Ayurvedic medicines being sold in USA in Table 3 of the above mentioned article in which lead is below WHO’s maximum permissible limit of 10ppm. Further, as per Dr. Saper’s article, these medicines are sold by internet which does not indicate the source of their origin. Further, some of the medicines mentioned in Table 3 of the article, namely Akangvir Ras, Agnitundi Bati, Arogyavardhini Bati are herbo metallic compounds which contain these metals as therapeutic agents after purification process. Dr. Saper has visited India and has been in touch with several Ayurveda experts and is fully aware that these herbo-metallic preparations used in Ayurvedic system of medicine contain heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic as therapeutic agents after proper de-toxification process and no significant adverse drug reactions have been reported regarding their use in India. Dr. Saper is also fully aware that a high level scientific research is being undertaken in India for physio chemical characterization and safety of herbo metallic preparations for Rasa Aushadhies.

It needs to be emphasized that as per the directions issued by Department of AYUSH, herbo metallic compounds are not being officially exported because of heavy metal concerns and only purely herbal Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicines are being exported from India with effect from 1.1.2006 after certification of heavy metals below the permissible limit by the manufacturing unit. In view of the above, the above mentioned article of Dr. Saper and his associates is seriously flawed and discloses a strong bias against Ayurvedic medicines. Indian scientists and research institutions will be responding to the issues raised by Dr. Saper, howsoever flawed they may be, through research articles based on their work on Ayurvedic medicines in due course.

A team of American researchers is examining whether drinking whole cows’ milk with the herb can increase the body’s white blood cells, which help boost immunity. They have found that it does.

This first-of-its-kind study was led by Heather Zwickey of the National College of Natural Medicine’s Helfgott Research Institute, Portland, OR, and her colleagues Jeremy Mikolai, Andrew Erlandsen, Andrew Murison, Will Gregory, Padma Raman-Caplan and Kimberly Brown. Mikolai, Erlandsen and Murison will be presenting the team’s findings during the 23rd annual meeting of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP; www.Naturopathic.org), being held August 13-16, 2008 in Phoenix, AZ. The full findings of the study are being published this fall.

Background:

According to Zwickey, investigations into herbal remedies rarely take into account how the herb has been administered throughout the tradition of the medicine’s life cycle, such as coupled or mixed with water, tea, or oil. While many consumers today may consume the herb with water or no liquid at all, researchers know that Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (WS)), has typically been taken with an Anupana substance. It is believed to aid in the digestion and effectiveness of the plant.

To determine if an anupana substance would help enhance Ashwagandha’s immune properties, the research team used milk in a co-administered intervention along with the herb extract. Cows’ milk was chosen over goats’ milk and other potential substances because Ayurvedic medicine considers it to be a strengthening, nutritive driver for medicines. This made it an appropriate choice for an immunological study. A follow-up study will compare the results of the herb extract alone to the combination of herb with milk and to placebo controls.

Methodology:

To measure the effects of the herb in humans, the researchers examined the impact the herb had on cell activation in lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell and come in four forms: (1) Natural Killer cells, which are a major component of the immune system and best known for their ability to respond to virally-infected cells and tumors; (2) B-cells, which make antibodies that bind to a virus or microorganism and then destroy it; (3) CD4+ T cells (also known as helper cells), which coordinate the immune system’s response; and (4) CD8+ T cells, which kill cells that become infected.

The research team took blood samples from five healthy volunteers (three female; two male; average age 27) to set a baseline for immune cell levels. They administered an alcohol and water extract of Ashwagandha totaling approximately two teaspoons (6mL) in eight ounces of cows’ milk. The liquids were consumed twice a day for four days. Blood work was drawn again at 24 and 96 hours post-baseline to look for differences in the cells.
Results

Consuming Ashwagandha with cows’ milk had the following effects on the human immune system:

• There was a statistically significant overall increase in the level of white blood cell activation. Cell activation    was most pronounced in the CD56+ Natural Killer cells. This is important, since these cells play a critical    role in the body’s response to the flu, the mumps or tumors.

• There was a statistically significant increase in the number of CD4+ T helper cells. While both CD8+ T    helper cells and B cells also increased, the amount was not significant.

Recommendations for Consumers:

According to Zwickey, three herbs – echinacea, astragalus and glycyrrhiza – have been extensively researched for their ability to stimulate the immune system. “I felt it was time to open the door a little wider and see what more we could find to use ancient medicine’s ability to heal the health disorders of today,” the immunologist said. “Given that conventional medicine has a lot to offer for the treatment of bacterial infections, my lab focuses on identifying those products that can address viral disorders such as sinus infections, colds and the like.”

Zwickey recommends that those who use natural products consult a naturopathic practitioner or other alternative medicine specialist first before purchasing herbal products. The most expensive is not always the best quality, and vice versa. She recommends that the public wait until additional studies are complete before beginning a cows’ milk/Ashwagandha regime in earnest.

Naturopathic medicine, is as old as healing itself and as new as the latest discoveries in biochemical sciences. In the U.S., the naturopathic medical profession’s infrastructure is based on accredited educational institutions, professional licensing by a growing number of states, national standards of practice and care, peer review, and an ongoing commitment to state-of-the-art scientific research. Naturopathic physicians (NDs) receive extensive training in and use of therapies that are primarily natural (hence the name naturopathic) and nontoxic, including clinical nutrition, counseling, physical and botanical medicine. For more information log on to: www.Naturopathic.org.

The new study led by Siba Raychaudhuri, a faculty member of the University of California, Davis, in the United States found that arthritis patients taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as seven days.

“The high incidence of adverse affects associated with currently available medications has created great interest in the search for an effective and safe alternative treatment,” she said.

During the study, the team conducted randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of 70 patients. The extract the researchers used was enriched with 30 pct AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid), which is thought to be the most active ingredient In the plant.

“AKBA has anti-inflammatory properties, and we have shown that Salai (also known as Boswellia serrata) enriched with AKBA can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee,” she added.

B. serrata has been used for thousands of years in the Indian system of traditional medicine known as “Ayurveda”.

Himalaya will study herbs and plants in specific regions to understand therapeutic benefits and differences in therapeutic properties of herbs across regions; prepare joint research projects; while UAS will assist in training of farmers to promote better agricultural practices, study and documentation of rare, endangered herbs; facilitate joint research projects on tissue culture of rare and endangered herbs and assist Himalaya in setting up a herb garden that will be a centre for national and international research activities.

In addition, UAS will provide training to farmers under Himalaya’s contract farming Programme, assist Himalaya in setting up a botanical garden which would serve as a centre for national and international research activities and provide technical assistance and education to Himalaya scientists as the company moves towards its process of organic certification.

Dr S K Mitra, Executive Director (R&D), The Himalaya Drug Company said, “With the world moving towards all things natural, herbal health care is being embraced like never before. The possibility of discovering remedies through augmented botanical research that will help people live richer, fuller and healthier lives is surely something to look forward to.”

“UAS is one of the country’s most revered research institutions and is equipped with the necessary skills and facilities to assist Himalaya in its research. The partnership will facilitate knowledge transfer, resource sharing, training and exchange of ideas. The focus will be on taking research out of the lab and into the market. We believe this collaboration will help us take research on herbs and plants to new levels,” added Dr Mitra.

Responding, Dr Chengappa, Vice Chancellor, UAS, said, “UAS and Himalaya share a common passion for scientific study and research of herbs. Through this partnership we would like to promote research that will have practical application – either in the way of developing new products or promoting better farming practices, or adding to the knowledge system of herbs and plants. It also opens up opportunities for our students to engage with a company involved in advanced herbal research and understand what drives research and development outside of an academic environment.”

“Our partnership with Himalaya is a step towards fostering greater collaboration between industry and university with the objective of making research more result-driven and effective,” said Dr T K Prabhakara Setty, director of research, UAS.

As part of the agreement, the scientific representatives of Himalaya and UAS will regularly review the findings and results, perform critiques and make plans and recommendations. The research findings will be tried on farmers’ fields through farm trials and demonstrations with the active participation of UAS and Himalaya’s agro-technology division. Research findings, as a result of this collaborative work, will be published in journals with joint authorship.