Volume 10, Issue 6

Vibhitaka [Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn)] has been used extensively in Ayurveda . The drug possess katu, tiktha, kashaya rasa , madhura vipaka and ushna virya . It has action on different diseases like kasa , pandu , apatantraka ,hridroga, netra roga etc .The drug is responsible for the therapeutical actions like anti inflammatory , antibacterial , analgesics and bronchodilatory due to have been scientifically proven . Apart from Ayurvedic classics , vibhitaka has been used for various ethnomedicinal purposes by tribes in the country.

People living in the rural areas of Himalaya have a unique knowledge system to live in harmony with nature since time immemorial. They had a very specific knowledge system to manage or maintain different things in their day to day life in which oral hygiene is the one. Traditionally, various plant species were used as daatun (tooth brushing stick) to maintain oral hygiene and some are still being used by the native communities in different parts of the country. The current study was carried out in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh to document the plant species used as daatun. A total of 13 plant species belonging to 13 genera and 9 families with a dominance of 9 tree species and 4 shrub species have been documented. Rosaceae is the dominant family with 3 species such as Malus pumila, Prunus domestica, and Prunus cerasoides. Documentation of these plant species used by the natives to maintain oral hygiene will also be helpful for pharmaceutical agencies to develop dental care products in the future. It will also be helpful for the economic development of hill communities of the region.

The nose is considered as one of the important routes of administration in Ayurveda. Nasya is one of the important treatment modalities and it is also one of the pancha karma procedures of Ayurveda. It is told that the nose is the opening towards the shiras so that medicines to the shiras can be best administered through the nose. It is nothing but the anatomical peculiarities which makes the nose the best route for administration of the drug in the form of Nasya karma. Moreover, it is the nearest root for the medicines to reach the head.

In Bhaishajya Kalpana there is endorsement of five fundamental basic dosage forms namely Swarasa, Kalka, Kwatha, Hima, and Phanta. Kwatha Kalpana is one of the most useful kalpana among all these. Kwatha, is an important dosage form as it is indicated in many diseases. It is used as ophthalmic solutions, in niruh basti, in preparation of secondary dosage forms and as a bhavna dravya in many drug purification process and also in vrana prakshalana. It has some disadvantages too like difficulties in ensuring quality control of the herbal ingredients, inconvenience in preparation, transportation, and storage etc. So kwatha is implemented to various dosage forms to prolong shelf life, increase its potency, and for greater palatability like - Rasakriya and Ghana Kalpana, Powder/tablets/capsules, Granules, Syrup, Pravahi kwatha. As a result of all these modifications kwatha has become more palatable, with higher shelf life, portable and many more.

Amavata as a special disease entity in Ayurveda is first mentioned by Acharya Madhavakar. Ama (biotoxin) and Vata (biophysical force or kinetics) are playing an important role in the samprapti (pathogenesis) and lakshan/rupa (clinical features) of Amavata. According to its clinical manifestations and pathogenesis Amavata is very closely resemble with the Rheumatoid arthritis. The lakshan (clinical features) of Amavata is more clearly and specifically described in Madhavnidana. Samanya Lakshana or general clinical features are Angamarda (bodyache or malaise), Aruchi ( anorexia), Trishna (thirst), Alasya (laziness/lethargy), Gaurava (heaviness of body), Jwara (fever), Apaka (indigestion), Angashunata (oedema of deferent parts of body including joints). Pratyatma Lakshana or cardinal clinical features of Amavataare Sandhi Shula (Jointpain),SandhiShotha(Joint-swelling),Sandhi tabdhata(Stiffness of joint), Sandhi Sparshasahyata(Tenderness over joint).

Bali has a very valuable and noble local wisdom that needs to be preserved namely Usada. Usada is ethnoscience, specificaly ethnomedicine, which is owned by the Balinese people that needs to be studied and has been used as references in medical treatments. This study aims to discuss the origins of Usada, the views of Balinese people about health and illness, and the types of Usada as ethnomedicine of Balinese society. This study is a qualitatively and descriptively study with the object of study being Usada in Lontar Museum Gedong Kirtya, Singaraja, Bali. Data were collected by literature study, interview, questionnaire and observation methods. Data were analyzed qualitatively-descriptively to get a general description of Usada as ethnomedicine in Bali. The study results show that Usada is a Balinese indigenous science that has been developing more than 600 years ago. Usada is the science of traditional healing methods or traditional medicinal treatment system written in the lontar leaves using Belinese scripts - known as lontar Usada - as a result of Balinese idigenous knowledge and wisdom. The main and primary source of Usada is Ayurveda which is a branch of Atharva Veda. Balinese people believe and view that illness can be caused by the natural power (kuasa sekala) and the supernatural power (kuasa niskala). There are 94 types of Lontar Usada collected in Gedong Kirtya with a total number of 204 versions. In the Lontar Usada was described the method to deal with the disease comprehensively both natural and supernatural basis.

Pranavaha Srotas, the vital channels governing respiration in Ayurvedic physiology, are fundamental for life sustenance. Impairment of these srotas manifests as various respiratory disorders, prominently Swasa (dyspnea or asthma). Classical Ayurvedic literature meticulously describes specific herbal interventions for such conditions. Among these, the Swasahara Dashemani, a distinguished group of ten drugs revered for their anti-dyspneic efficacy, offers significant therapeutic potential. This article meticulously explores the individual drugs within the Swasahara Dashemani, elucidating their traditional indications, pharmacological properties, and possible mechanisms of action relevant to respiratory health. By bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary scientific understanding, this review underscores the profound therapeutic utility of these drugs in managing Pranavaha Srotas disorders and advocates for their integration into modern respiratory care strategies.

Rajamartanda is one of the important texts of Indian traditional medical literature. It is believed to be a work of 11th century AD by King Bhoja. This text was also called by the name Yogasara Sangraha or Nanavidha yogasara sangraha. The subject contents were described in 34 chapters starting with Sirorogadhikara and ending in Pasurogadhikara. The author of Rajamartanda included many single and simple recipes useful in different disease conditions. A total of about 226 monoherbal therapies can be seen in this work. Instead of using the habitual way of explaining jvara chikitsa primarily like other Ayurvedic compendia, here the author commenced its first chapter as sirorogadhikara. The importance of Rajamartanda cannot be ignored in the field of Ayurvedic ministration.

Ayurveda is an eternal science of India, which assumed to be originated around 6,000 BC since the Vedic era. Nowadays the whole world is facing a global public health crisis pandemic COVID-19. No effective treatment is available for this epidemic disease. The current article aimed to explore some important facts of Ayurveda which are helpful in boosting our immune system to protect against COVID-19. Protection of human health before the occurrence of the disease is the basic principle of Ayurveda i.e. Prevention is better than cure. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has formulated time to time guidelines and advisories for social distancing, testing, treatment, and other reliable material. Ayurveda specifies some medicinal herbs in our daily life in the form of spices to boost our immune system and prevention of diseases. It is the reason if we see the graph of COVID-19 infection globally; the infection rate in India is slower than in other countries. Government’s efforts of motivating the people to social distancing, taking precaution measures and the guideline of Ayush mantralaya to protect ourselves to boost our immunity are appreciable steps which became helpful to stop the community spread of coronavirus in our country. In this CORONACAL, AYUSH Mantralaya recommended some preventive health measures and self-care guidelines for boosting immunity as well as for maintains respiratory health. Ayurveda can play an important role in fighting and protection against COVID-19.