Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, May 15: Fourteen drugs procured by the Indian System of Medicine (ISM) were found substandard, containing heavy metals including poisonous lead, Mercury and arsenic beyond permissible limits.
As per test reports, 14 drugs, the samples (taken from Drug store in Jammu by Assistant Director, Directorate of ISM) of which were sent for testing in February this year, have been declared sub-standard and not fit for human consumption by Quality Control and Quality Assurance Division of Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) Jammu with some of them containing heavy metals beyond permissible limits.
Earlier, the Laboratory had found 16 drugs (samples taken last year) supplied to ISM hospitals and drug stores as substandard with some of them containing heavy metals beyond permissible limits taking the number of drugs which were not fit for human consumption to 30. However, laboratory report has found 15 drugs of the ISM fit for human consumption.
Fourteen ISM drug samples that were sent for laboratory analyses in February this year (Date of receipt in Laboratory: 27-02-2017) have been found not of standard quality as per the limits defined by the Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India.
“The above submitted sample is not of standard quality with respect to above tests as per limits defined in the testing method used as per Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India. This report refers only to the particular sample submitted for test by customer”, read the letter sent with each report.
The drugs that were found substandard and not fit for human consumption are: Madhumerin (Batch P-3684) with mercury 21.03 mg/kg and lead 208.4 mg/kg, Leucocide (Batch P-3672) with mercury 57.2 mg/kg and lead 146.9 mg/kg, Rheumelin (Batch P-3681) with mercury 179.7 mg/kg, Allaya (Batch P-3670) with mercury 8.9 mg/kg, Hridyeshu (Batch P-3675) with mercury101.6 mg/kg and lead 14.7 mg/kg, Dermacid (Batch P-3673) with mercury 22.6 mg/kg, Dermacid (Batch P-3673) with mercury 22.6 mg/kg, Remedin (Batch P-3685) with mercury 32.9 mg/kg and lead 15.1 mg/kg, Pile-ease (Batch P-3679) with mercury 31.9 mg/kg, Remedin (Batch P-3685) with mercury 32.9 mg/kg and lead 15.1 mg/kg, Pile-ease (Batch P-3679) with mercury 31.9 mg/kg, Ulsacid (Batch P-3683) with mercury 291.1 mg/kg, Aunzyme (Batch P-3671) with mercury 40.0 mg/kg and lead 24.5 mg/kg, Somco (Batch P-3682) with mercury 65.0 mg/kg, lead 18.2 mg/kg and arsenic 10. 3 mg/kg, Procare (Batch P-110) with mercury 41.6 mg/kg, Diablex Strong (Batch P-0621.1) with mercury 1.2 mg/kg, Piloma Oil (Batch SP-1601) with arsenic 48.1 mg/kg, Itiferon (Batch SP-1609) with lead 18.5 mg/kg and arsenic 4.1 mg/kg and Libest (Batch AG-1612) with mercury 77.7 mg/kg, lead 264.5 mg/kg.
Dr Showkat Hussain Yatoo, Incharge Officer of Valley’s main Unani hospital, Government Unani Hospital, Shalteng, told Excelsior that these reports do not exhibit the therapeutic effect of the drug. “It is simply a toxicological report indicating that these drugs are toxic for human consumption because drugs are loaded with lead, mercury and arsenic toxic material”, he said. He added that these drugs lack efficacy and should be tested for this as well.
The laboratory found 15 drugs no-toxic and fit for human consumption. These drugs are Congkalp Syp, Pycocid Tablet, Gastozyme Syp, Diacure Syp, Panchaskar Churan, Haritaki Churan, Yashtimadhucurun, Kuka Tablets, Brainton Tablets, Sarvin Syp, Mulzyme Syp, Kuka Cough Syp, Pravaklive Syp, Dysenbol Syp and Rheumalin Oil.
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