Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories

Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories, India is a famous pharmaceutical company in India known for its Unani and Ayurvedic products. It is the world's largest manufacturer of Unani medicines.^[1] It was established in 1906 by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed in Delhi, and became a waqf (non-profitable trust) in 1948. Some of its more famous products include Safi, Sharbat Rooh Afza, Cinkara, Roghan Badam Shirin and Pachnol. It is associated with Hamdard Foundation, India, a charitable educational trust, through which it reinvests its profits into charitable activities.

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History

Hamdard Laboratories was founded in 1906 in Delhi by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed, a well-known Unani practitioner of his time. The name Hamdard means "empathizer" or "companion in suffering" in Urdu language. After his death, his son, Hakeem Abdul Hameed took over the administration of Hamdard Laboratories at the age of fourteen. Abdul Hameed became famous as "Hakeem Sahab" and the company grew both nationally and internationally under his leadership.

Charitable activities

Hamdard Foundation was created in 1964 to disburse the profits of the company to promote the interests of the society. All the profits of the company go to the foundation.^[2] Both the company and the foundation have played a major role in reviving and popularizing Unani medicine in India. The company funds a significant part of the Jamia Hamdard University in Delhi. The Majeedia Hospital in the university complex is also funded by the company.

Famous products

Hamdard Laboratories is famous for several products that are household names in India today.^[3] Safi is a "blood-purifier", most useful for skin ailments. Cinkara is a tonic that "quickly restores lost energy", and is said to be useful in increasing appetite and during convalescence. Sharbat Rooh Afza is a sweet sherbet that brings a refreshing feeling during summer. Roghan Badam Shirin is a preparation of almond oil, and Pachnol is a tasty digestive tablet. The company manufactures about 450 Unani and Ayurvedic medicines.

Research and development

Hamdard Laboratories has a twin manufacturing plant in Ghaziabad at the site of Hakim Abdul Majeed's original clinic. The company has introduced modern methods of standardization and quality control to the manufacture of traditional herbal preparations.

Controversies

In March 2005, Health Canada reported that Safi was:

"found to contain arsenic levels in excess of 40 times the maximum allowable concentration for drugs."^[4]

This was the second article to claim Safi has elevated levels of heavy metals. In December 2004, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported a study conducted on Ayurvedic products sold in the Boston, MA area.^[5] The study had found that of the 70 Ayurvedic medicines tested, 14 (20%) had enough heavy metals (Mercury, Lead and/or Arsenic) as to result in heavy metal intakes above published regulatory standards if taken as recommended by the manufacturers.

See also

• Hamdard Foundation
• Jamia Hamdard
• Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Pakistan

References