With ayurvedic treatment gaining popularity, kashayams which are getting converted into tablets are also on the rise. The market size of these tablets, in the state alone, would amount to Rs 45 crore.
Presently, around 40 kashayams are available in the tablet form. ‘Rasnairandadi kwatham’, an important classical formulation, is the fastest moving kashayam tablet. The practice of converting these bitter formulations into pills began in 1993.
According to P K Warrier, managing trustee and chief physician of the Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, the biggest advantage of the tablet form is that the bitter taste of kashayams can be avoided.
“People who travel can carry the tablets conveniently. They also ensure correct dosage delivery. Additionally, tableting has given extended life to the classical kashayams,” he said.
The quality of the kashayam pill is ensured through the use of modern chromatography.
“High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatograph, High-Performance Liquid Chromatograph are some of the pieces of equipment which help us check the chemical fidelity of tablets and other ayurvedic products,” Warrier said.
Dhathri Group managing director Dr S Sajikumar said the government ayurveda hospitals are yet to adopt the form as they believe tablets have less efficiency.
The belief that efficacy of a medicine gets affected when the mode of administering changes is not true, said Warrier. According to him, kashayams in the tablet form are fairly well accepted.
Warrier said Arya Vaidya Sala sells kashaya tablets worth Rs 18 crores every year, which is 40 per cent of the market size.
To convert the whole range of kashayams may require further technological improvement, said Warrier. The solid yield should match the dosage requirement and there are kashayams with ingredients which may not allow smooth operation at various stages of 'tableting'.