Monday, September 21, 2015

FDA: HIGH MERCURY LEVEL FOUND IN BAIDYANATH PRODUCTS


US Food & Drug Administration
Washington, DC
Friday, September 17, 2015

On September 17, 2015, the USFDA announced that Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Ayurvedic dietary supplements were found to contain high levels of lead and/or mercury, which can cause serious health problems.

Excessive exposure to mercury can cause kidney or gastrointestinal problems with short-term use. Longer term use (a month or longer) can cause neurological problems and potentially be fatal. Exposure to levels found in these supplements can also cause psychiatric and personality disturbances, ataxia (or loss of coordination), visual loss and hearing loss.

Other symptoms of mercury poisoning include loss of coordination, "pins and needles" sensations usually in the hands, feet, and around the mouth, and muscle weakness. Exposure to lead, even at low levels, is associated with neurological impairment, and in children, learning disabilities and lower IQ scores. The levels of lead found in these products exceeds the recommended daily lead exposure for children less than 6 years of age and women of childbearing age and can potentially cause serious injury. Symptoms of lead toxicity include abdominal pain, headache, changes in blood pressure, dizziness, kidney and brain damage.

Baidyanath Ayurvedic supplements are manufactured by manufactured by Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan in India and are sold in the U.S. in retail stores and through internet sales.

The following products are affected, and the USFDA recommends that consumers avoid the following:


Agnitundi Bati
Arogyavardhini Bati
Brahmi Bati
Chitrakadi Bati
Gaisantak Bati
Marichyadi Bati
Rajahpravartini Bati
Saptamrit Lauh
Sarivadi Bati
Shankh Bati

The FDA is working to identify store which may have sold these products. One such store, Butala Emporium, Inc. of Jackson Heights, NY, has issued a recall of the products. The agency recommends that anyone who has purchased these products should stop taking them immediately and consult with their health care provider, even if you are not having symptoms. Those who believe they are having an adverse event related to these products should seek immediate medical care and/or contact a poison control center.

Monday, September 14, 2015

AYUSH MINISTRY RED FLAGS GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS


The Times of India

September 11, 2015
New Delhi, India

New Delhi: Just as the government struggles to find some middle ground on Genetically Modified crops, there is a fresh twist to the politically sensitive issue. The "Ayush" ministry, which deals with Ayurveda and other Indian systems of medicine, has raised concerns with the environment ministry on the possible adverse impact GM crops could have on certain wild varieties of medicinal plants used for Ayurvedic purposes.

And in this context, the Ayush ministry has sought representation in the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) — the apex body that clears GM field trials in India. In 2010 too, the ministry had issues with Bt Brinjal and had made them known to the environment ministry. It raised the matter yet again with the ministry late last year writing to them.

When contacted by ET with queries on the same, the environment ministry said: "Ayush had nothing to do with GEAC. National Biodiversity Authority is already a member." Ayush officials confirmed to ET that they had taken up the matter with the environment ministry.

"We did write to them in late 2014 as well. The request was made because of several representations from the practitioners of Ayurvedic and also Unani medicines who feel that crosspollinated GM crops may affect other wild varieties of plants used for medicinal purposes. We are yet to hear from the environment ministry," Somita Biswas, CEO of the National Medicinal Plants Board — a body under the Ayush ministry — told ET.

However, senior Ayush ministry officials sought to nuance their position. "We are not opposed to introduction of GM crops as such. But there are views on the possible implications of GM introduction on the other species. We have only said that this issue must be addressed and the same can be done if we participate in the GEAC meetings."

The Modi government is in a bind on GM crops due to strong opposition from many right-wing outfits like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch. The Modi government has not yet articulated a clear policy view on the subject. The environment ministry held a GEAC meeting last week, but it was only the second such meeting in the government's term so far and has been kept completely under wraps.

GLOBAL CONFERENCE on AYURVEDA & AUTOMIMMUNE DISEASES - OCTOBER 2015


PR Newswire.com
September 11, 2015

The Fifteenth Annual International Conference om Ayurveda & Autoimmune Disorders will take place on October 9th through 11th, 2015 at the Biltmore Hotel Conference Center, 2151 Laurelwood Road, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA, organized by Global Ayurveda Conferences, LLC and is being hosted by Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America, includes a wide array of keynote and featured speakers from various countries – USA, Ireland, Canada, India, Thailand and Australia.

The conference is open to all health professionals including integrative medicine physicians, naturopathic doctors, massage therapists, yoga teachers, registered nurses, chiropractors, physicians’ assistants, dentists, osteopaths, alternative medicine practitioners, dietitians, nutritionists, and all who are interested in ayurveda.

Featured speakers include Drs. Anand Joshi, Pratibha Gramann, Rucha Kelkar, Cynthia Copple, Tom Yarema, Namyatha Pathak Gandhi, Devika Deshmukh, Priyatarssini Balamurugen, Kathy Gehleken, Mary Sullivan, Darshan Desai, Rekha Nair, Swati Mohite, Prashanth Acharya, Shanmugamurthy Lakshmanan, and Samarth Rao, and the conference will focus on rheumatoid arthritis (ama vata), psychology in autoimmune disorders, building the immune system, ayurvedic samvahana (relaxation) therapy, daily routine, biochemistry of cellular healing, sarcoidosis, and snehana (oleation) therapy in various kinds of autoimmune disorders.

Registration are being accepted online at globalayurvedaconferences.com/registration-ayurveda-autoimmune-disorders/

PATENT ISSUED FOR AYURVEDIC ANTI-RABIES MEDICATION


New Indian Express
Monday, September 10, 215
Thuruvananthapuram, India

A traditional ayurveda practitioner from Kozhikode got patent for his herbal composition which has proved effective against Rhabdovirus. Sivaraman Vaidyar, a traditional ayurveda practitioner from Thondayad, received the official information regarding the awarding of the patent two weeks ago from the Chennai office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks. The recognition comes after the ayurvedic medicine was submitted for patent in 2008.

Sivaraman Vaidyar says that the medicine has been developed purely from herbs and he wants to make it available in the market for everyone. “It is said that there is no effective medicine once the symptoms of rabies come to fore. But, normalcy can be regained if my medicine is given to the patients within 36 hours of incident,” said Sivaraman Vaidyar.

The traditional healer initiated the steps to patent his medicine after it was found to be effective in a large number of cases. The Vaidyar added that the cost of the medicine is very low when compared to those which are presently widely used and prescribed by the physicians.

Claiming that the effectiveness of the medicine has been scientifically proved, the Vaidyar says that it was approved by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bengaluru. Besides, according to him, permission to collect the herbs has been obtained from the National Biodiversity Authority.

The traditional healer has been approached by various pharmaceutical companies expressing interest to produce the medicine on industrial basis.

“I am yet to take a final decision. If I get a call from any government agency, priority will be given to such agencies,” he adds.