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Indian Herbal Trading Scenario on Global Perspectives

Unani Hakims, Indian Vaids, and European and Mediterranean cultures have been using herbs for over 4000 years. Herbs have been used in healing rituals and developed into traditional medical systems such as Unani, Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine.

Among ancient civilizations, India is renowned as a rich repository of medicinal plants. The Indian forests are a storehouse of a large number of medicinal and aromatic plants, which are largely used for the manufacture of drugs and perfumery products.

Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Folk (tribal) medicines are the major systems of indigenous medicines. Amongst these, Ayurveda and Unani are the most developed and widely practised in India.

In developed countries like USA, plant drugs constitute only 25% of the total drugs, while in developing countries such as India and China, the contribution is as much as 80%. Thus, the economic importance of medicinal plants is much more in countries such as India than the rest of the world.

Majority of India’s population still relies on the herbal system of medicine. Though there is no separate category of herbal drugs or dietary supplements as per the Indian Drugs Act, over 70% of the population uses herbal drugs for their health. This is because herbal drugs and Indian medicinal plants are a rich source of beneficial compounds including antioxidants and components used in functional foods.

An event in New Delhi recently announced that India is the second largest exporter of medicinal plants in the world. With 6,600 medicinal plants, India ranks second to China, and together they produce over 70 percent of the herbal medicine’s demand across the globe.

The current value of the Indian herbal market is at Rs 5,000 crores with an annual growth rate of 14%.

Status of India in Herbal Drug Export

The total value of world herbal trade is currently at USD 120 billion. India exported herbs worth of USD 330.18 Million during 2017-18 with a growth rate of 14.22% over the previous year. Also, the export of value-added extracts of medicinal herbs / herbal products during 2017-18 was USD 456.12 Million with a growth rate of 12.23% over the previous year.

Indian government has taken the following measures to further promote India’s export of herbal products:

1. The promotion of Herbs and Medicinal Plants has been assigned to Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL), headquartered at Kolkata. The export promotion of several Herbal Products has been assigned to Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (PHARMEXCIL), besides others.
2. Market Access Initiative (MAI) of Department of Commerce provides financial assistance to the EPCs / Trade Bodies to participate and organise Trade Fairs, Buyer Seller Meets (BSMs), Reverse Buyer Seller Meets (RBSMs), Research & Product Development, Market Studies, etc.
3. Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) provides incentives to the exporting community for specified goods, especially to those which are of India’s export interest and have the capability to generate employment and enhance India’s competitiveness in the world market.
4. International Co-operation Scheme of AYUSH Ministry provides financial assistance to the exporters for the participation in Trade Fairs, organising International Business Meets & Conferences and product registration reimbursements.
5. The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India has launched a “Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plants Produce (VCSMPP)” to encourage the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs) in medicinal plants. This will enhance the availability of the certified and quality medicinal plants raw material in the country, boost their export, and increase India’s share in the global export of herbs.
6. Ministry of AYUSH through its Quality Certification programme like AYUSH and Premium mark helps in setting up of quality standards.
7. Ministry of AYUSH has entered into MoUs with few countries for promotion of traditional medicine which will help exports in the long run.

Ashwagandha, popularly known as Indian Ginseng, is one of the most well-known and widely used Ayurvedic herbs. Helpful in various functions in the body from sleep, energy, and stress relief to rejuvenation, muscle strength, and joint health, the herb is popular for a valid reason.

Due to this versatility in human health, the herb is gaining more and more popularity amongst the herbalists from all backgrounds; naturopaths, Chinese medicine, and Western herbalists, especially in America.

Here’s a synopsis of the 7 latest clinical studies on Ashwagandha and what they revealed:

1. Effect on physical strength

Researchers at Lindenwood University’s Exercise and Performance Nutrition Laboratory^[1] investigated the effects of Sensoril, a patented, aqueous extract of the roots and leaves of Ashwagandha on men.

This 12-week study revealed significant improvement in average squat power and peak bench press power in men who ingested 500 mg of this aqueous extract daily.

2. Improvement in memory and cognitive function

Efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha root extract in improving memory and cognitive functions was studied in Chicago in 2017^.[2]

After eight weeks of study, the Ashwagandha treatment group demonstrated significant improvements in both immediate and general memory, as measured on Wechsler Memory Scale. Further, there was greater improvement in their executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing speed as indicated by the scores on the Eriksen Flanker task.

Thus, Ashwagandha root proved to be effective in enhancing both immediate and general memory in people with MCI as well as improving executive function, attention, and information processing speed.

3. Effect on immune function

A study was conducted to investigate the immunologic effects of Ashwagandha on four types of immune cells in human beings.

Five participants were asked to consume 6 ml of Ashwagandha root extract twice daily for 96 hours. The root extract was given with whole milk. Their peripheral blood samples were collected at 0, 24, and 96 hours and compared for differences in cell surface expression of CD4, CD8, CD19, CD56, and CD69 receptors by flow cytometry.

Researchers observed a significant increase in the expression of CD4 on CD3+ T cells after 96 hours. CD56+ NK cells were also activated after 96 hours as evidenced by expression of the CD69 receptor. The results indicated a major change in immune cell activation in the participant’s sample^.[3]

4. Stress and Anxiety Relief

An 8-week study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a standardised root extract of Ashwagandha through a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. 52 subjects suffering from chronic stress received either Ashwagandha (300 mg) or placebo twice daily.

Primary efficacy measures were Perceived Stress Scale and Food Cravings Questionnaire. Secondary efficacy measures were Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, serum cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI).

Each participant was assessed at the start, at 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. Ashwagandha demonstrated significant improvements in primary and secondary measures and was found to be safe and tolerable. This study suggests that Ashwagandha root extract can be used for body weight management in adults under chronic stress^.[4]

5. Focus and Concentration

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 20 healthy males were given 500 mg of Ashwagandha root extract for fourteen days. The participants showed significant cognitive improvement in reaction-time tests, discrimination tests, and in card sorting tests, among many others. These results prove Ashwagandha’s ability to support attention, memory, focus, concentration, and responsiveness and coordination between the mind and motor functions. ^[5]

6. Rejuvenation

A trial was conducted with healthy male volunteers aged fifty to sixty-nine. All the volunteers were given purified Ashwagandha powder in the dose of 3 grams per day for one year. After a year, these males showed an increase in blood counts, improved posture, and increased hair melanin (pigmentation of the hair). ^[6]

In another study, healthy children were given 2 grams of powdered Ashwagandha in milk and they experienced improvements in blood counts, body weight, and hand strength.

7. Sleep and Emotional Health

A survey study was conducted with 218 healthy participants who were given 1200 mg of the Ashwagandha herb two times a day for one month. The participants noted 66.9% improvement in their sleep quality. This can be attributed to the decreased stress levels in the participants. ^[7]

The herb also demonstrated a positive effect of enhancing the participant’s emotional health by 42%. The positive effects on emotional health translated to the participants’ social life and social activities being improved by nearly 45.8%. The participants were able to participate in activities like visiting friends and relatives and enjoying social activities and hobbies in a much better way than before.

References:

[1] Ziegenfuss TN, Kedia AW, Sandrock JE³, Raub BJ, Kerksick CM, Lopez HL.;  2018 Nov 20;10 ;https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30463324

[2] Choudhary, D., Bhattacharyya, S., & Bose, S. (2017). Journal of Dietary Supplements, 1-14. Chicago

[3] Mikolai J, Erlandsen A https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19388865, Murison A, Brown KA, Gregory WL, Raman-Caplan P, Zwickey HL J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Apr;15

[4] D Choudhary, et al. “Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment with Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.” J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. April 6, 2016.

[5] U Pingali, et al. “Effect of standardized aqueous extract of Withania somnifera on tests of cognitive and psychomotor performance in healthy human subjects.” Pharmacognosy Res. 6, no 1 (January 2014):12-8.

[6]  Lakshmi-Chandra Mishra, Betsy Singh, and Simon Dagenais. “Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review.” Alternative Medicine Review. 5, no 4 (2000):334-346

[7] Sebastian Pole, Ayurvedic Medicine: The Principles of Traditional Practice (London: Churchill Livingston, 2006), pp. 133-134.

Emblica officinalis or Amla is extensively cultivated all over India. Potent with the quality of re-vitalisation, the fruits of the plant are used in Ayurveda as an anti-stress agent.

Further, the phyto-chemical analysis of Amla fruit powder reveals the presence of medicinally important bioactive compounds which can be extensively used to improve productivity in broilers.

Amla fruit is one of the richest sources of ascorbic acid, minerals, amino acids, tannins, and phenolic compounds like gallic and tannic acids. These compounds serve as the growth promoters in broiler chickens.

What are growth promoters?

Growth promoters are chemical and biological substances added to the diet with the aim to improve the growth, utilisation of nutrients and enhance the production and financial results in animal husbandry.

The positive effect of these growth promoters is expressed through better appetite, improved body weight and feed conversion ratio (FCR), stimulation of the immune system and increased vitality, etc.

But, why these growth promoters are added to the chicken’s diet?

This is because of the ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters in poultry. Herbal preparations are being tried as feed additives as an alternative to antibiotics to increase feed efficiency and growth rate in broiler chickens.

How Amla acts as a growth promoter in broiler chickens?

This research was carried out at Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Gujarat.

1351-day-old, unsexed broiler chicks (Ven-Cobb 400 strain) were purchased from a local hatchery, weighed, and randomly assigned to one of the three treatments with three replicates of 15 chicks based on a completely randomised design.

The three treatments were as follows –

• T₁: Basal diet as per BIS standards
• T₂: Basal diet supplemented with 0.4% of Emblica officinalisfruit powder
• T₃: Basal diet supplemented with 0.8% of Emblica officinalisfruit powder.

They raised broilers on deep litter housing system for 6 weeks. Feed and water were provided to them throughout the experiment as per their need.

Broilers were fed in three phases as per BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) specifications:

• Pre-starter (0-10 days)
• Starter (11-21 days)
• Finisher (22-42 days)

Chicks were individually weighed at weekly intervals along with their feed consumption and FCR (FCR=feed intake/weight gain). Mortality was recorded daily.

Based on the current market price of various particulars, the researchers calculated the feed cost-economics of broiler production in different treatment groups.

Results of the research

The average body weight of the birds at the end of 6^th week was higher in the groups T₂ and T₃ compared to the group T₁. In other words, the birds whose diet was supplemented with E. officinalis fruit powder at the rate of 0.4% and 0.8% had higher overall body weights at the end of 6^th week compared to un-supplemented group. They also had higher weekly body weight gain.

What can you conclude from the research?

The higher body weights observed in E. Officinalis supplemented groups can be attributed to the anabolic and antioxidant effect of ascorbic acid, gallic acid and tannic acids present in Amla.

The research results are further backed by various preclinical findings where an increase in the body weight of the birds fed with polyherbal feed premix containing Amla was observed.

The cost of the feed per kilogram of live weight production was similar among the treatment groups. However, the profit per bird was the highest in group T₂ followed by group T₃  and lowest in group T₁. The higher net profit per bird in E. Officinalis supplemented groups can be attributed to higher body weight compared to the un-supplemented group and similar feed intakes among all the treatment groups.

Though the research results indicate that dietary addition of E. officinalis (Amla) fruit powder at the rate of 0.4% and 0.8% had higher growth rate and net profit per bird in commercial broiler chickens i.e. it shows a positive response in the present study, but further tests need to be done at different supplemental levels and in different ration compositions to get the best results.

Reference: Patel AP, Bhagwat SR, Pawar MM, Prajapati KB, Chauhan HD, Makwana RB. Evaluation of Emblica officinalis fruit powder as a growth promoter in commercial broiler chickens. Vet World. 2016;9(2):207-10.

Related Article:

Importance Of Amla In Herbal Industry For Humans And Veterinary Supplement

Amla is an indispensable part of the Ayurvedic and Unani medicinal systems with amazing remedial qualities. That’s why it is also called “Amalaki”, “Dhartiphala”, “Divya”, “Amrut” or “AmritPhala” in Sanskrit, which literally means the “fruit of heaven”.

Nutritive value of Amla

The Amla fruit contains more than 80% of water. It is also a rich source of protein, carbohydrate, fiber, minerals, and gallic acid which is a potent polyphenol. The fruit contains nearly 20 times as much Vitamin C as orange juice. Amla is the most concentrated form of Vitamin C amongst the plant kingdom, and when the whole fruit is used rather than an active ingredient, the Vitamin C is easily assimilated by the human body. The Vitamin C in the Amla fruit is bound to tannins that protect it from being destroyed by heat or light.

The protein and ascorbic acid concentration in Amla are 3 times and 160 times that of an apple respectively. Besides, the fruit also contains higher concentration of most minerals and amino acids than apples. Amla fruit ash contains chromium, zinc and copper.

Benefits of Amla in Humans

• Enhances food absorption: The regular use of Amla berry strengthens the digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food. People who use it regularly notice that they enjoy the taste of their food better. Moreover, it can be taken by people without fear of creating excess stomach acid. It also improves the assimilation of iron in the body.
• Balances stomach acids: Though Amla improves digestion, it does not heat the body; Amla berry is suitable to relieve mild to moderate hyperacidity and other digestive problems.
• Fortifies the liver Amla berry supports and strengthens the liver functions helping it to eliminate toxins from the body.
• Nourishes the brain and mental functioning: Amla enhances the coordination amongst acquisition, retention, and recall. It sharpens the intellect and mental functioning, supports the nervous system, and strengthens the senses.
• Stabilizes the blood sugar
• Strengthens the heart muscles and causes a significant decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Helps control the blood pressure.
• Fresh Amla fruit has a revitalizing effect on the body and helps in preserving the stamina in aged people.
• Amla is invaluable in the treatment of cough, tuberculosis, asthma and bronchitis.
• Eye tonic: Fresh Amla juice or Dried Amla capsules are a good supplement to improve near-sightedness, cataract and glaucoma.
• Promotes hair growth, prevents balding, and greying of hair.
• Amla is suitable to treat white spots on the nails, Vitamin C deficiency, irritability of the bladder, painful respiration, diarrhea and dysentery, haemorrhage, and as a vermifuge.
• It is a powerful anti-inflammatory herb, a wonderful antioxidant and a natural source of Vitamin C.
• Protects the body cells against free radical damage

Benefits of Amla in Animals

• It nourishes the body tissues and helps in cell regeneration process
• As a powerful antioxidant, it protects the body cells from free radical damage
• It strengthens the body’s immune system and provides resistance against many diseases, especially those of the respiratory system
• Helps to improve lean body mass in cats and dogs

Conclusion

Now days, research on Indian traditional medicinal plants has gained a new momentum. Though the other systems of medicine are effective, they usually come with a number of undesired effects that often lead to serious complications.

But herbal medicines alleviate all these problems as they are natural. Amla has an important position in Ayurveda and is a gift of nature to the mankind. Due to its strong antioxidant and biological properties, preventing innumerable health disorders, and a rich source of essential nutrients and highest amount of vitamin C, it can be used as a possible food additive or in nutraceuticals and biopharmaceutical industries.

Even though Amla has been used since ages for its various therapeutic effects, there is still an immense necessity to scientifically explore and evident its medicinal values at the molecular level with the help of the latest techniques.

Related Article:

Role Of Amla Fruit As A Growth Promoter In Commercial Broiler Chickens