Volume 3, Issue 3

India is known for its tradition, culture, and Traditional medicine system. Ayurveda has long history in India where the plants are used as medicine. Ayurveda is an offshoot of Atharva veda written over 3000 thousand years ago. Charak and Sushruta described a large number of crude drugs and a large part of them had originated from plants. Ayurvedic medicines are based on herbs, either single herb or in combination posses one or more therapeutic principles. The ayurvedic preparation entirely is considered as the active substance and the constituents are either of known therapeutic activity or are chemically defined substance generally accepted to contribute substantially to the therapeutic activity of the drug. According to Bhavprakash the drug is sweet, cooling, and mucilaginous, increases Kapha, reduces Pitta, daha, acts as stimulant, it gives strength. (Mishra 2012., Bhise and Salunkhe 2009) In the present study we have discussed the medicinal properties of a genus Chlorophytum Ker Gawl, which is commonly known as” safed musli”. It was found that it is extensively used by the ayurvedic practitioners for a wide variety of ailments and particularly an ingredient of aphrodisiac preparations. It is also employed as ayurvedic rasayana because safed musli is a constituent of Chyawanprash, an outstanding rejuvenator. It is important constitution of Jeevaneeyagan (vitalisers). Total eight herbs constitute the Jeevaneeyagan (vitalisers). These herbs are aphrodisiac, strengthening, blood purifier, conception plus and galactogogue. Collectively these herbs are also named as Astavarga. Chlorophytum Ker Gawl (safed musli) is one of the important constituent as it contain properties like antidiabetic, antistress, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, aphrodisiac, anti-ageing, and increases immunity.( Haque et al., 2011. Mishra, 2012., Deore and Khadabadi 2008, Sing, 2007) The genus Chlorophytum Ker. Gawl. (Asparagaceae) contain 198 species, six subspecies and eight varieties is distributed in the old world tropics especially in Africa and India. It is now represented by 17 species in India of which 15 occur in the Western Ghats. Most of the Chlorophytum Ker Gawl. species are usually forest dwellers and ephemerals making it difficult. This reviews is focused on various aspects of plant saponins and high medicinal properties of Chlorophytum species and its uses in Auruveda (Govaerts et al. 2012, Chandore et al 2012, Kaushik 2005, Bhatnagar, 2003. Gaikwad, et al 2012). Chlorophytum borovilianum Santapau & R. R. Fern.

Swarna (Gold) is well acclaimed for its therapeutic efficacy in Ayurveda texts. Both internal and external use of Swarna (Gold) has been prescribed. As a cultural practice, swarna prashan/lehan is very popular in india. In this samskara, swarna Bhasma with herbs like Vacha Churna (Acorus calamus ), Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri) mixed with Honey and ghee is administered to the new born baby for enhancing immunity as well as for intellectual development. All ancient Ayurvedic texts and particularly Kashyap samhita, details of swarna lehan with it therapeutic utility is described. Swarna Prashan is done by various means including raw gold, Swarna Bhasma etc. Studies shows that by classical bhasmikaran process as described in texts of Ayurveda, there is reduction in the particle size of gold to dimension of about 56-57 nm. Analysis of Various experimental studies shows that Swarna Bhasma possesses immunomodulatory, free radical scavenging activity, antistress activity and analgesic activity. Toxicity study shows that chronic administration of Swarna Bhasma is non toxic as judged by various laboratory and histological parameters. However, scientific evidences regarding the safety and efficacy of Swarna prashan in pediatric practice is lacking and hence this practice should be avoided or used with utmost caution.

Major rural population of India is malnourished and live below poverty line. The food intake by such people is of substandard with respect to nutritive value and often leads to some disorder. Common and easy to eat food for such people is biscuit. The advantages of certain ayurvedic herbs are well documented in literature. Low cost nutritive biscuits made of ayurvedic components shatavari, Ashawagandha and Yastimadhu powder was developed. It is rich in carbohydrate, energy, protein and fat which add to its medicinal importance for malnourished population. Newly formulated biscuits were investigated for its chemical and sensory characteristics by method reported in the literature. A brief microbiological studies were also planned evaluate shelf life of the product. Finally a survey was conducted to ascertain its over all acceptability amongst the population.

The objective of the present investigation was to isolate the active components present in rhizome of euphorbia wallechii. The plant material were extracted with various solvents (pet. ether, methanol and water), water was found to be more active among them. Preliminary phytochemical investigation of the aqueous extract of the rhizome of euphorbia wallechii showed that the saponins, steroids, and triterpenoids were found more active among the active constituents. Whereas flavonoids, Cardiac Glycosides showed the less positive nature. The aqueas water extract of Euphorbia wallichii was undergone column chromatography with different solvent fractions. Fraction E which was obtained after purification as a cream color powdered material with the elution of 10 % ethyl acetate in hexane: chloroform and methanol: water from the silica gel column loaded methanol soluble fraction of the plant. It was noticed that melting point apparatus measured 210-212 °C. Hence, it was concluded that fraction E was found very close to the multiflorenol (multiflorane) class based up on the spectral analysis the compound was named as Pentacyclic tri-terpenoid saponin. The structure of the isolated compound was characterized by using IR, CNMR, HNMR and Mass spectrophotometric methods. Therefore, further biological investigations needs to be carried out on isolated compounds present in this plant.

Acne (MUKHADUSHIKA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous units, common in puberty and characterized by the formation of comedones, erythematous papules and pustules, less frequently nodules or cysts and in some cases, scarring. Four major factors are involved in the pathogenesis: increased sebum production, an abnormality of the microbial flora, cornification of the pilosebaceous duct and the production of inflammation. Teenagers all over the world spend huge amounts of money in order to solve the problem of their acne. But what they only manage to do is to reduce the surface problem, while the acne persists under the skin. Therefore, the acne problem reoccurs throughout the youth of the person. In Ayurvedic medicinal texts this disease is mentioned as “Mukhadushika” or “Yuvana Pidika” or “Tarunya Pitika". According to Ayurveda, the Shalmali thron like eruptions on the face of adolescents due to vitiation of kapha, vata and rakta are known as “Mukhadushika” or “Yuvana Pidika”. As Mukhadushika is one of the raktavaha srotadusti janit vikaras and yakrit and pliha are the roots of raktavaha srota so, by treating the root of the disease through the drugs acting on Sroto moola i.e. yakrita and pliha like Rohitaka and Sharapunkha, desired results on acne (Mukhadushika) can be obtained.