Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories

Infobox Company
company_name = Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories
company_
company_type = Non-profit Waqf
foundation = 1906
location = Ghaziabad
key_people = Hakeem Abdul Hameed
industry = Health Care, Food
products = Safi, Sharbat Rooh Afza, Cinkara, Roghan Badam Shirin, Pachnol
revenue = Rs 150 crore
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.hamdard.com www.hamdard.com]
footnotes =

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. [ [http://www.domain-b.com/news_review/200101jan/20010120newsd.html Hamdard is reinventing the Hakim's legacy] at domain-b.com] 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.

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. [ [http://www.expressindia.com/fe/daily/20010120/fco20038.html New-look Hamdard gets down to business] in "Indian Express", January 20, 2001] 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. [ [http://hm.hamdard.com:5050/star.jsp Star Products] at hm.hamdard.com] 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." [ [http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2005/2005_09_e.html Advisory] at "Health Canada"]

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. [cite journal | last = Saper | first = Robert B. | year = 2004 | month = December | title = Heavy metal content of Ayurvedic herbal medicine products | journal = Journal of American Medical Association | volume = 292 | issue = 23 | pages = 2868–2873 | pmid = 15598918 | url = http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/292/23/2868?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=ayurvedic&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT | | doi = 10.1001/jama.292.23.2868 | format = abstract page ] 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.

ee also

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

References

External links

* [http://www.hamdard.com Official website]