The foundation is run by the ayurvedic medicines major Nagarjuna Herbal Concentrates Ltd and the new licence for crude drugs testing takes it a step further to consolidate its position in the market. Nagarjuna is the only ayurvedic medicines maker in Kerala to have received the testing licence, company sources said.

The foundation can carry out tests for identifying, testing the purity, quality and strength of the crude drugs of vegetable origin, used in the manufacture of cosmetics and medicines. It has set up a Rs 70-lakh laboratory for the testing facilities.

It was set up in 1994 to promote research activities. Besides research and wide spread studies on the ayruvedic system of medicines, the foundation also undertakespromotion of the cultivation of medicinal plants, especially those species which are endangered. Publication of books on ayurveda and related systems and medicinal plants is also part of the foundation activities.

The Rs 70-lakh facility at Thodupuzha has eight sections where researches are conducted, testing is carried out and quality control of medicines is undertaken. The laboratory has well-equipped biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, pharmaceutics, chemistry, pharmacognosy and instrumentation departments.

The new testing licence goes a long way in ensuring the quality of the ayurvedic medicines reaching the market in Kerala where there is a high demand for herbal medicines. The lab facilities will enable testing and monitoring of quality from raw materials to the packing stage. The laboratory has been empowered to give the `Agmark' stamp on honey and has the authority to determine quality of medicines as per the directions of the Central Council of Research in Ayurveda and Sidha, sources inNagarjuna Herbal Concentrates said.

Currently several research activities are on at the laboratory. Qualitative and quantitative improvisation of `arishtams', studies on preventive measures against acidic fermentation and studies on bio-fertilizers are currently underway at the Nagarjuna foundation, sources added.

Meanwhile, sources in Nagarjuna Herbal Concentrates told The Financial Express that they do not fear a fall in sales turnover this fiscal despite the current bout of industrial and economic recession in the country. "We are expecting to maintain sales at last year's levels," sources in the company said. Last year, the company had a sales turnover of about Rs 10 crore.