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Paniya undergoing testing – Ayurveda Commissioner
Hundreds thronged the home of DhammikaBandara in Henamulla, Kegalle this week with scant regard for safety precautions against COVID-19, to get for themselves a bottle of the so-called paniya (syrup) which is being promoted as warding off the new coronavirus.
With speculation that a new and uncontrollable infection cluster would emerge from this situation, the critical need that arose was that the authorities should set up a mechanism to ensure that claims of wonder treatment through herbal preparations are checked out and a safe and efficacious product is made available to the people of this country.
Following claims and counter-claims of the goodness or otherwise of ‘Traditional Medicine’, the Sunday Times spoke to the Commissioner of Ayurveda, Chatura Kumaratunga, who said that the paniya is undergoing testing at the moment.
“All the necessary documentation has been prepared for a clinical trial and this decision was made a week ago following discussions by the Health Ministry. The testing will be conducted at the Rajarata University,” he said declining to comment on the ingredients till the test results arrive.
When asked whether the paniya has already been tested at the WathupitiwelaHospital, Mr. Kumaratunga said he knows only what the media have reporteDhammika Bandara, the paniyamanufacturer, is not registered with the Ayurveda Department.
He said that everyone has the authority to manufacture anything but for it to go in for testing, there should be consent from a Consultant Physician.In the documents submitted by Mr. Bandara, there is a Consultant Physician mentioned.
When asked about people gathering at Mr. Bandara’shouse, Mr. Kumaratunga declined to comment, adding that it is a matter for the Police and health authorities.
| All about traditional medicine from an expert | |
| “The sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health, as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illnesses,” is how the World Health Organization (WHO) explains ‘Traditional Medicine’. To get a clear view, the Sunday Times contacted Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo, Dr. Pathirage Kamal Perera who has specialized in Pharmacology. Under ‘Traditional Medicine’ in Sri Lanka falls: Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, DesheeyaChikithsa (indigenous system of medicine in Sri Lanka) and folk medicine (practised by the Veddhas and Ahikuntaka), says Dr. Perera who is also a Consultant Physician in Ayurveda. He quotes statistics of the Ayurveda Medical Council which records that as at 2010, there were 19,754 ayurveda physicians registered under it. There were also more than 8,000 traditional medical practitioners, descendants of reputed families with secret formulae to cure diseases. Herbal medicines come in the form of tablets and pastes (guli and kalka), powders (churna), extracts (kasaya) and others (araka, pani, modaka, paththu, avaleha etc.) China has the largest slice of the global medicine market share amounting to 68%; India only 2% and others 30%, he says. Dr. Perera points out that the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporationwhich was incorporated by Gazette No. 14853/1 dated May 11, 1969 has been manufacturing and marketing ayurvedic drugs for more than 44 years. He suggests that Sri Lanka should: § Develop and update the current Ayurveda Pharmacopoeia with current acceptable standards to ensure safe and effective use of herbal drugs. § Establish a National Ayurveda and Herbal Medicine Pharmacopoeia Commission and a standard Ayurveda and Herbal Medicine Registration Committee (Ayurveda Formulary Committee) consisting of experts with a knowledge of current drug development processes. § Establish a standard Ayurveda and Herbal Clinical Trial and Research Centre with experts who can handle clinical trials and drug development processes. § Encourage university-based drug development research, innovation and patenting. § Encourage public-private partnershipsfor product development.
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