By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 3 Dec: Uttarakhand is bestowed with rich and diverse herbal vegetation. Herbal medicines are widely used in health-care, both in the developed and developing countries. These medicines are complex herbal mixtures prepared from plants. As per WHO definition, there are three kinds of herbal medicines: raw plant materials, processed plant materials and medicinal herbal products. Countries define medicinal plants or products derived from plants in different ways and have adopted different approaches to licensing, dispensing, manufacturing and trading to ensure their safety, quality and efficacy. Hence, there is need for standard protocols for the authenticity and scientific documentation of the efficacy of herbal preparations and products. Keeping in view the importance of such studies, the following themes were chosen for discussion at the 17th Symposium “Phytochemistry and Ayur veda: Potential and Prospects” organised by the management of UJPAH on 1 December at Tasmia Academy, here. Dr S Farooq, Chief Editor of UJPAH, said in his welcome address that students those presented papers had great scientific sprit. He remembered his guide, Dr Pathak on the occasion. He said the need of the times was to do something innovative and bring new products through innovation. He told students never to be shy in speaking their mothertongue. Chief Guest Dr Ashok Sharma, VC, SBS University, said that the session was commendable and stressed on natural remedies. Dr IP Saxena appreciated the efforts of Dr S Farooq and stressed on the efforts of the Journal to publish papers for poor students. He disclosed that the journal was listed with the UGC and now it is a Peer received Journal. Dr Himmat Singh delivered the keynote address and focused on the medicines made of natural products, describing them as traditional and time-tested clinical trials are necessary to establish the efficiency. Dr Arun Kumar Tripathi, Director, Ayurved & Unani, Uttarakhand, was the Guest of Honour. He appreciated the improved version of UJPAH this year. Cash prizes were given for the Oral Session to Ist Rishika Sharma of HNB Garhwal University; IInd Sushil Chaudhary; and IIIrd Konika Sharma. For poster presentation, the first prize was awarded to Ashish Chamoli and Dr Mohsin, second to Deepika Chauhan and Dr Shivani Pathak, and third to Nitin Sharma and Abul Sharma. Prof BB Raizada proposed the vote of thanks.
