TOI recently reported that India foiled China’s attempts to patent the health benefits of pudina and it has been finally confirmed by the Union health ministry yesterday.

A Chinese pharmaceutical company wanted to obtain a patent from the European Patent Office (EPO) for the treatment of avian influenza and epidemic fever through the use of pudina (mint) and kalamegha (andrographis).

The patent was not granted after PudinaIndia threw light on the matter by proving that the formulation was known and used in India for centuries and was a part of the traditional Indian medicine.

The patent was originally filed by the Chinese firm in the year 2007 under the title, “'Chinese traditional medicine composition for treatment of avian influenza, method for preparation, and application” using pudina and kalamegha. The Munich-based EPO had informed the firm in February 2010 that it intended to grant them the patent.

The Union health ministry, in April 2010, submitted the details of four medicinal formulations from Ayurveda textbooks where the usage of pudina and kalamegha has been illustrated for the treatment of influenza and epidemic fever.