Despite a high level of awareness for ayurvedic treatments in the US and European markets, there are acceptance barriers for India-made ayurvedic medicines due to lack of scientifically validated manufacturing standards and non-approval of a large number of herbs used in making these drugs by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), said the CEO of Ayusante, Sajeev Nair.
While traditional Chinese medicine dominates the global alternative medicines market valued over $100 billion with 85% market share, Indian ayurvedic products have lagged behind.
?While over 300 herbs are used to make ayurvedic medicines, only 74 herbs have USFDA approval creating import barriers in US,? said Nair, adding that scientific validation, quality control and standardisation is essential for global acceptance.
To overcome these hurdles Ayusante ? part of the Katra Group ? has spent over R50 crore on R&D at its California-based drug discovery lab to produce ayurvedic medicines or health promoters (as they are called under US rules), which not only follow global standards, but are also compliant with American quality and manufacturing parameters.