Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy inagurated a project that will test the clinical efficacy of Ayurvastra, which are "textiles that have been dyed in medicinal herb concoctions." The project was launched at the Government Ayurveda College in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
Ayurvastra project was started by the Directorate of Handloom, Department of Industries and Commerce and the Department of Dravyaguna Vijnan, Government Ayurveda College. The project aims to start a new market for eco-friendly, but medically useful garments.Earlier experiments by Handloom Weavers' Development Society found that garments dipped with herbs could be a part of Ayurvedic treatment. The success of the experiment could be a lifeline to the handloom industry, which is currently struggling because of liberalized policies.
Previous experiments conducted on coir and handloom had found that the garments could help in skin diseases, arthritis and blood pressure.
