Question : Potential of Medicinal Herbs

Will the Minister of AYURVEDA, YOGA AND NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH) be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Noble Prize in medicine this year has focussed international attention to traditional medicine and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(b) whether we have not been able to completely tap the potential of our medicinal herbs as on date and if so, the details thereof along with the reasons for failure to test the efficacy of our ancient books and using scientific techniques for developing herbal drugs; and

(c) the efforts being made by the Government to develop medicines based on herbs through institutionalised programmes?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA,
YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY
(SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)


(a): No. However in 2015 the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was won by Prof. Tu Youyou, a Chinese pharmaceutical chemist for discovering artemisinin and dihydroastemisinin used to treat malaria from the plant Artemisia annua. This achievement has been possible due to a close coordination and integrated research efforts by experts in the fields of both traditional and modern medicine.

(b) & (c): It is true that our efforts to tap the potential of our Medicinal Plants are still in progress, and much work remains to be done. To tap the potential of country’s medicinal herbs/plants, the Ministry of AYUSH under the “Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” is supporting Research and Development projects on various aspects of medicinal herbs/plants including aspects of testing the efficacy of medicinal plants species mentioned in ancient books/classical texts.

Also, National Institute of Traditional Medicine, Belagavi has been formed with a mandate to pursue research in Traditional Medicine. The Strategic vision 2017-24 of Indian Council of Medical Research has included leveraging “Traditional Medicine” as one of its 5 pillars. It is expected that Research on Traditional Medicine/Medicinal Plants/Folk Medicine will get a boost in the years ahead which would require state of art facilities, trained human resource and huge grants.
……………..