Bhubaneswar, March 26: The SOA Deemed to be University here signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), an institute under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Bhubaneswar, on Wednesday to undertake a collaborative research project aimed at the development of commercially viable modern formulations derived from two traditional Ayurvedic taila (oil) preparations.

CCRAS, an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH, serves as the apex organization in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of research in Ayurvedic sciences.

The primary objective of the MoU is to jointly conduct a two-year research project titled ‘Pharmaceutical Development of Novel Topical Dosage Forms of Selected Ayurveda Taila Formulations’. This initiative aims at transforming conventional Ayurvedic oils into advanced topical dosage forms to ensure accurate dosing, sustained therapeutic action, enhanced stability and improved patient compliance. Such advancements are expected to significantly enhance the acceptability and marketability of these cost-effective and efficacious traditional formulations, facilitating their integration into larger commercial markets and expanding their reach to a broader population.

The project will be fully funded by CCRAS through CCRAS-CARI, Bhubaneswar. The research activities will be executed in part at SOA’s School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS) under the leadership of Prof. Anindya Bose (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Shakti Ketan Prusty (Co-Principal Investigator).

The MoU was signed in the presence of Prof. Manojranjan Nayak, Founder President of SOA, by Prof. Bibhuti Bhushan Pradhan, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Registrar of SOA, and Dr. M.M.Rao, Director of CCRAS-CARI, Bhubaneswar. Dr. Rao has also been designated as the Project Coordinator by CCRAS.

Dr. Anindya Bose, Professor at SPS, and Dr. Purnendu Panda, Research Officer (Ayurveda), CCRAS-CARI, Bhubaneswar, will serve as the Principal Investigators of the project.

As per the MoU, CCRAS-CARI will be responsible for the collection and procurement of herbal raw materials and the preparation of the selected taila formulations. The development of novel topical dosage forms, along with preclinical (animal) studies, will be carried out at SPS.