“AYURVEDA” literally means science of life (Ayuh = Life, Veda = Science). Ayurveda is a system of medicine indigenous to India and is one of the recognized systems of medicine by Government of India. It incorporates all aspects of life whether physical, psychological, spiritual or social. What is beneficial and what is harmful to life, what is happy life and what is sorrowful life; all these four questions and life span allied issues are elaborately and emphatically discussed in Ayurveda. Whatever is natural whether belonging to plants or animals or minerals: all are considered the source of raw material for Ayurvedic medicines and the selected materials, after due processing, are generally used holistically.

The quality of medicines used in the form of single drugs of plant/animal/mineral origin, their various processed forms and their formulations in various dosage forms is under regulatory purview of Government (both Central and State levels). PCIM&H in coordination with Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee publishes official formularies and pharmacopoeias of Ayurveda alongwith supportive documents like Atlas etc. These formularies and pharmacopoeias serve as official compendia of standards under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Activities

1. To provide technical support to Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee (APC) and subcommittees under Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of PCIM&H.
2. To provide technical support to manufacture of compound formulations of Ayurvedic medicine, characterization and providing classical references
3. Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of Ayurvedic drugs
4. Technical review and support to publish Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) for single drugs, formulations, Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI), Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) Atlas, Macroscopy and Microscopy Atlas
5. Research & Development and publishing related scientific information
6. Any other technical and non-technical work pertaining to Ayurveda