NAZIA ZAREEN's blog

It would have been highly unappreciative if I chickened out at the most testing moment of my life. So at first I filled myself with all the positive thoughts that no matter what, I will complete the exam. The moment I had these thoughts, my mind became a lot more clearer. I weighed all the possible options available.

The "Never say die attitude" is the one asset which every researcher is required to have if he wants to succeed in his endeavours.

The discovery process using ethnopharmacology is composed of several stages which are as follows:

The scientific study of traditional plant medicines is considered as a major part of Ethnopharmacology which is defined as "The scientific study of materials used by ethnic and cultural groups as medicines". The isolation of opium alkaloids in the early 19th century was a key event in the development of modern pharmacy.

 Administrative Agencies
• Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs Technical Advisory Board, which advises the central government and the state governments on the technical matters arising and to carry out the other functions assigned to it.

 Manufacture of Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs
• At the moment the Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs are required to be manufactured according to the formulae prescribed in the First Schedule to the Act.
• A license is necessary for the manufacture of these drugs which are required to be manufactured from genuine and properly identified raw materials.

Prohibition of manufacture and sale of certain Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Drugs

According to the section 33 – EEC of Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, the government may specify in the official gazette, no person, either by himself or by any other person on his behalf shall –
 Manufacture
a. Manufacture for sale or for distribution
i. Any misbranded, adulterated or spurious Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drug;
ii. Any patent or proprietary medicine, unless there is displayed in the prescribed manner on the label or container thereof the true list all the ingredients contained in it; and
iii. Any Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drug in contravention of any of the provisions of the act or any rule made thereunder;
b. Sell, stock or exhibit or offer for sale or distribute any Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drug which has been manufactyred in contravention of any of the provisions of this act or any rule made thereunder;

A recent amendment of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act has made some of its provisions applicable to the Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs which are defined to include medicines for internal or external use in human beings for diagnosis, prevention, mitigation or treatment of diseases and which are mentioned in and are manufactured exclusively in accordance with the formulae described in literature listed in Schedule 1 to the Act.

Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945 (Provisions related to Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Drugs):
In the Drugs and Cosmetics Amendment Act 1982 definitions of misbranded, adulterated and spurious Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs have been included which are exactly parallel to the definitions of corresponding allopathic drugs.

1.Misbranded Drugs: An Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drug shall be deemed to be misbranded