Kerala aphrodisiac maker to prove Musli's potency

Kochi: Ahead of the Kerala High Court hearing on the state government's ban on popular herbal aphrodisiac Musli Power X-tra, its maker has offered a Rs100 million (Dh8 million) cash award to anyone who proves his pharmaceutical products contain synthetic steroids.

The case challenging the ban imposed by the Left Front regime on April 1 goes before the Kerala High Court Monday. Kunnath Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures the contentious product, made the Rs100 million offer through front page advertisements in leading newspapers.

"A few multinational companies are bad mouthing my product. I will offer Rs100 million to anyone who proves it through scientific testing using the protocol of high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrum analysis," Kunnath Pharma's chief K.C. Abraham said.

There were allegations that the product contained tadalafil or synthetic steroids. Tadalafil is normally used for treatment of impotency — erectile dysfunction.

The then Left Front government on April 1 issued an order banning the product and even asked the company to stop production.

"It was only on April 6, I received this government order through the Drug Controller's office and the very next day I got the order stayed by the Kerala High Court." He said production has continued and the product is available on the market.

Musli Power X-tra is made from safed musli, widely known as an Indian herbal aphrodisiac, and is popular in the country and abroad.