Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee

The Ist Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee (APC) was constituted in 1962. Since then it is working continuously. The term of Committee will be for a period of 3 years from the date of its first meeting and the members will hold office for that period.  The existing Main Committee of APC is chaired by Prof. S. S. Handa, Dr. S. K. Sharma, Advisor (Ayu.), Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is the Vice-Chairman and Dr. G. S. Lavekar, Director CCRAS is the Member Secretary. For finalization of Pharmacopoeial work under APC following Sub-Committees are functioning:

 

Sub-Committees of APC :

1. Formulary Sub-Committee of APC (Ras Shastra/Bhaishjya kalpana Ayurvedic Pharmacy).
2. Ayurveda Single Drug Sub-Committee (Single Drugs of Plants, Minerals, Metals & Animal origin).
3. Sub-Committee of Pharmacogonosy.
4. Sub-Committee of Phytochemistry & Chemistry.

The functions of APC are as follows:

1. To prepare Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India on single drugs & compound formulations.
2. To prescribe the working standards for compound Ayurvedic formulations including tests for identity, purity and quality so as to ensure quality of the finished formulations.
3. To identify methods, procedures and plan of work to enable the formulary and standards of all commonly used drugs to be brought out in a phased manner.
4. To provide all other information on Ayurvedic formulations regarding the distinguishing characteristics, methods of preparation, dosage, method of administration with various anupans or vehicles and their toxicity.

Publications:

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India:

A. Five Volumes of Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia have been published consisting of 418 monographs on single drugs of plant origin. Available at CCRAS website on e-book.

B.   Ist Volume of Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Formulations), Part-II consisting of 50 formulations has been published in October, 2007 and released during AROGYA 2007.  It is also available at CCRAS website. (Sub Title to read:  Volume I of Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Formulations) Part – II).

     C.   e-Book containing five Volumes of pharmacopoeia of single drugs (API Part-I, Vol. I to V, has been published and released for sale. It is also available at CCRAS website.

 

    D. Ayurvedic Pharmacopiea of India Part - II Vol. II

  

Ayurvedic Formulary of India:

To bring uniformity among the manufacturers and to follow the same formula of ingredients in the same proportion, two parts of Ayurvedic Formulary of India has been published in Hindi and English separately. 

Projects functioning under APC:

• Development of SOP, Pharmacopoeial standards and shelf life of formulations:

As per the existing scheme, laboratories/institution, having good infrastructure and scientific manpower are engaged in development of the Pharmacopoeial standards. These institutions have been assigned projects to develop Pharmacopoeial standards on Ayurvedic formulation with Standard Operative Procedure (SOP) and Shelf Life Studies.

• Development of SOP and Pharmacopoeial standard for extracts of ASU Drugs:

Studies are undergoing on aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts of some selected raw drugs of plant origin used in Ayurveda.

• To Standardized Genuine / Authentic Samples of Metals, Minerals, Drugs used in Ayurveda:

To authenticate the raw drugs (Metal and Mineral) studies are started and standardized the raw materials of metals and minerals used in Ayurveda and a volume of API containing 21 monographs in Mineral and Metal is in press. 

• Estimation of Heavy Metals, Microbial Load and pesticide residues in Single Drugs of plant origin:

To evolve the safety parameters of Ayurveda single/compound drugs, studies on determination of heavy metals, aflatoxins, pesticide residues, microbial load in Single Drugs of plant origin.

• Extra Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Namatah Dravyas):

There are various single drugs which are regularly used in traditional practices of health care other than Ayurveda. These drugs have been selected for inclusion in the Extra Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India and the work has been started.