Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine (PLIM), Ghaziabad

Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine (PLIM) is a subordinate office of the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. It is located at Central Govt. Enclave, Kamla Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad-201 002 (U.P.). The laboratory was established in the year 1970 as a Pharmacopoeial Standards Setting Cum Drugs Testing Laboratory at National Level for Indian Medicines which includes drugs of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha systems. The laboratory is also notified as Central Drugs Laboratory for Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha drug testing and quality control. As per the notification laboratory acts as appellate laboratory for Ayurveda, Unani & Siddha drugs and receive the samples of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicines from courts and other official sources.

The PLIM has a Museum & Herbarium housing 750 herbarium specimens and more than 2000 exhibits of raw material used in the Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha formulations. The laboratory also imparts training to Drug Control Authorities and Quality Control Personnel from Government laboratories, private manufacturers and Institutes. The Ministry of AYUSH publishes the worked-out standards in the form of monographs for the Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha Pharmacopoeia of India. The laboratory has worked out pharmacopoeial standards of single plant drugs which have been incorporated in various volumes of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha Pharmacopoeia. The laboratory has also contributed for TLC Atlas and Macroscopy and Microscopy Atlas of drugs mentioned in Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. The pharmacopoeial contribution of the laboratory are incorporated in (part I single drugs) eight volumes of Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Part I, Single drugs), six volumes of Unani Pharmacopoeia India (Part I, Single drugs) and two volumes of Siddha Pharmacopoeia of India (Part I, Single drugs) have been published and are official for regulatory frame work.

In order to train and strengthen the Drug Inspectors/ Drug Analysts in the country, this laboratory also organize Orientation Lecture Programmes to orient them in drug control practices in respect of Ayurveda, Siddha & Unani Medicine practices at National level. Drug Inspectors/Drug Analysts from different states of the country participate in these programmes. The Government Analysts of different States attends these orientation courses and to update themselves on the latest techniques on standardization, analysis/testing of Indian Medicines.

This Laboratory also entertains the inquiries from various sectors and individuals in respect of Standardization, Testing/ Analysis of Ayurveda, Siddha & Unani drugs and medicinal plants.

The laboratory also maintains 6.0 acres herbal garden to cultivate medicinal plants of ASU system for museum and standardization work. At present about 125 medicinal plant species are being maintained.

Prof. Vd. K. Rama Chandra Reddy

Director