Test Ayurvedic medicines with modern research, nanotech: Hegde in Mysuru

Former Union minister Ananthkumar Hegde called for Ayurvedic medicines to be tested through modern scientific research and clinical trials, and for uniform quality and manufacturing standards, at a seminar in Mysuru on Sunday, October 25, 2026. The "Techno Ayurveda" seminar, held at BSS Vidyodaya School in Krishnamurthypuram, was organised by GSS Chirayu Ayurveda and Yoga Institute with Kadamba NanoCare, according to reports. Hegde said nanotechnology could help measure how well Ayurvedic medicines work, and urged closer cooperation between research centres and universities working in the field.

The call for evidence is the important part. Ayurveda is used by millions of people in India, and the Ministry of Ayush has for years promoted research to support it. But many Ayurvedic products sold today have not been tested in the kind of controlled clinical trials that modern medicine relies on, and the quality of products can vary from one maker to another. That gap is often the main reason doctors trained in modern medicine, regulators abroad and some patients are cautious about Ayurvedic medicines.

Hegde's points, as reported, address both problems. Clinical trials would show whether a medicine does what it claims and whether it is safe, including in combination with other drugs. Uniform manufacturing standards and quality certification would mean that a product bought in one shop is the same as one bought in another. Both are also needed if Ayurvedic products are to be accepted in other countries, where regulators often ask for safety data before allowing herbal products to be sold.

Nanotechnology deals with materials at an extremely small scale, a millionth of a millimetre. Researchers in several countries study whether making plant extracts into very small particles can change how the body absorbs them. Supporters say this could help explain or improve how some traditional preparations work. It is still an emerging field, and any such claims need the same testing as other medicines before they can be accepted. The seminar's speakers framed nanotechnology as a tool for measuring effectiveness, not as a proven treatment.

The comparison with Chinese traditional medicine reflects a common argument in the Ayush sector: that China has been more successful in getting its traditional medicine studied, standardised and sold worldwide, and that India can learn from that route.

Short-term: The seminar adds to calls from within the Ayush field for more research, and may encourage local institutions in Mysuru to work together on such studies.

Long-term: If research and common standards spread, Ayurvedic products could gain more trust among doctors and patients in India and find it easier to meet the rules of other countries.

Who is affected: Ayurveda practitioners and students, makers of Ayurvedic medicines, researchers in nanotechnology and pharmacology, and patients who use Ayurvedic treatments.

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