Green Pharmacy: Alternative career option

Ever since ayurved got mislabeled as Alternative System of Medicine, it also became an Alternative Career Option. There are very few who opt for BAMS as their first choice, write Prof Ram Harsh Singh and Dr Vipin Bihari Gupta in the first part of the article

KNOWLEDGE and education are two entities that rest on each other. It is the knowledge that is transferred in education and it is the education that generates knowledge. Hence, both are equally important to get the best of each.

For ’Green Pharmacy’ the two are in evolutionary phase and its post graduate (PG) programmes are designed to result into the knowledge generation while the under graduate programme provides solid footings to the discipline. The transition phase of programmes would continue to exist for many years, each batch entering and going out of Rajasthan Ayurvedic University (RAU) contributing to the knowledge generation, which in turn would result in syllabi up-gradation and so on. RAU’s multidisciplinary Select Subject Committee experts have ensured that the Green Pharmacy Programmes fit in all dimensions. The programmes are not just well built to attract the best talent or provide ample job opportunities, but also to result in the advancement of modern technology as well as Ayurved and in fulfilment of the social perspectives; the RAU’s core mission.

Programmes destined to attract the best talent: There are three indicators of measuring the strength any programme; firstly, its ability to attract good students, secondly, placement of its graduates, and lastly, knowledge generation through the course of academics. Out of these three, the programme’s ability to consistently attract talented and spirited students is the key indicator.

Ever since ayurved got mislabeled as Alternative System of Medicine, it also became an Alternative Career Option. There are very few who opt for BAMS as their first choice. Mainly this is opted by those who failed getting into MBBS. As a result, ayurved gets deprived of the best talent. There are very few who would put together their heart into the profession and come out of the complex that they couldn’t get what they desired.

In designing M Pharm (Ay) programmes, the above fact was kept in mind with utmost alertness, and hence, the programmes are so structured as to nullify any possibility of students opting M Pharm (Ay) who have failed to get into general M Pharm programmes. There are two specialisations being offered ie Formulation Technology and Herbal Technology which are basically parallel to general M Pharm(s) in pharmaceutics/pharmaceutical technology and pharmacognosy respectively. A critical comparison of Ayurvedic programmes against their counterparts would reveal how they emerge to be the better choices.

M Pharm (Ay) Formulation Technology provides everything of the modern and gives added knowledge of the Ayurved, hence, the students having done this would be more knowledgeable than those with general M Pharm in pharmaceutics/ pharmaceutical technology. The pharmaceutics of Ayurved is no less comprehensive and elaborate than the modern, the dosage forms described are much more in number and inherently employ the sought after concept of modern pharmaceutics- drug delivery and biotechnology. There are several products that work in sustained, controlled or targeted manner. In reality, the student having done Ayurvedic course would have an extra vision or tool, and hence, would be in a unique position in pioneering the cross-over of modern drugs with ayurvedic dosage forms/ drug delivery systems and the vice versa.

M Pharm (Ay) herbal technology is parallel to M Pharm pharmacognosy with Ayurvedic potentiation. Ayurved is the most ancient and the largest user of herbal materials. Also, it is our own system while pharmacognosy is the western version of the study of herbs. Restricting the study of herbs to western pharmacognostic manner is like going by the limitations of a western-professor in teaching Indian heritage.

Eligibility criteria

As a rule of thumb for pursuing any PG programme, students having bachelor’s degree in the same discipline are considered most suitable, hence, putting B Pharm (Ay) as the eligibility for admission into M Pharm (Ay) seemed to be most appropriate.

However, as RAU’s B Pharm (Ay) has just been launched, the students will walk out as graduates 2008 onwards, therefore the eligibility criterion is relaxed. Taking into account as what will result in the maximum interdisciplinary hybridised output, the eligibility has been fixed as bachelor’s degree in any stream of pharmacy or medicine. Although no quota for Ayurvedic versus allopathic or pharmacy versus medicine has been put, still an equal representation from each corner would make the mix most interdisciplinary. Students’ interaction, whether curricular or co-curricular would lead into the fusion of ancient and modern as well as of medicine and pharmacy.

Course contents

Both the programmes are of two-years’ duration with first year comprising coursework while the second entirely of dissertation work. The first year’s coursework is spread-out in four papers with three distinctly being specialisations and the fourth one common to all. The common paper is named ’Quality Assurance, Legal Aspects & Documentation’ and as the name suggests, it is a mix-up of some very important complementary issues.

As of now, the standards for ayurvedic medicines are very loosely and poorly defined, which makes it impossible to exercise regulatory control and protect consumer’s interests. Two identically named products of different manufacturers may have a sea of difference between them. This paper, at length calls for wide attention on quality perspectives of Ayurvedic-herbal products considering the current status of quality standards, databases for identification and authentication of materials, chemoprofiling and bio-profiling, protocols for establishing purity of materials, identification of adulterants, substitutes, pathogenic bacteria and fungi, heavy metals and pesticide residues, and validation of traditional claims through scientific studies and clinical trials. The other concerns included are general methods of quality control like control of manufacturing processes, statistical quality control, sampling plans, automated process controls, dosage form controls, product identification systems, maintenance of records, elements of GMP and process validation. The regulatory aspects cover national and international bodies for drug regulation, federal FD&C acts, NDA(s), OTC drug review, product liability, clinical trials, ICH guidelines, WHO & ISO certifications and Patents.

The documentation part is aimed at making the students competent in preparation and interpretation of statutory and technical documents including the patents.

Formulation technology M Pharm (Ay)

Two of the three discipline specific papers are conferred to the dosage forms and drug delivery systems of Ayurved and modern pharmacy respectively and the third focuses on advances in pharmaceutical technology.

Paper I: Ayurvedic Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems cover more than hundred dosage forms described in Ayurved and the drug delivery principles involved therein. It is believed that in Ayurvedic medicines active moieties are always accompanied by supporting and/ or regulatory moieties and this is the reason why these medicines have lesser side effects than their modern counterparts. Many a time, it is found that isolation of a chemical constituent from ayurvedic preparations results in increased side effects or decreased activity, this is because it is the synergy of multi constituent formulation that plays the role and not only one of the active constituent.

Paper II: Modern Dosage Forms & Drug Delivery Systems cover fundamentals of modern drug products and dosage forms, design and fabrication of controlled drug delivery systems and biochemical and molecular biology approaches to drug targeting. Also included in this paper are modern drug-delivery-devices such as insulin pens, pre-filled syringes, vaccine guns, nebulizers etc. used in drug administration.

Paper III: Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology cover some of the basic concepts like pre-formulation studies, principles and procedures of stability assessment and expiry dating and considers at length about the recent advances in tablet technology, coating and pelletisation technology, encapsulation technology, liquid dosage forms, parenteral technology, dissolution technology and in-vitro-in-vivo correlations. Other auxiliary aspects encountered in pharmaceutical industries like packaging, optimisation, production and planning management, materials management, sales forecasting and cost control phenomenon etc are also included.

(To be concluded)

The writers are with Rajasthan Ayurvedic University