NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday said none of the Ayurvedic medicines exported by leading Indian manufacturers has toxic heavy metals beyond permissible limits.

Denying a report in a U.S. journal that detectable levels of lead, mercury or arsenic were found in some Ayurvedic products, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said drug samples were tested after the report and nothing wrong was found.

“After the Journal of the American Medical Association article, the government took immediate steps to test the samples in labs accredited by the National Accreditation Board of Laboratories. After examination, it was found that no Indian-exported herbal Ayurvedic medicine contained toxic heavy metals more than the permissible limit,” Mr. Ramadoss informed the Rajya Sabha.

The Health minister also informed the House that it has made testing for heavy metals mandatory in all purely herbal Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines to be exported since January 2006.

source: www.ayurvednews.com