A BRIEF KNOWLEDGE OF BANAFSHA (VIOLA ODORATA LINN.) & OTHER VIOLA SPECIES

All over the world Viola genus in the Violet family Violaceae is broadly distributed. It is the largest genus in the family containing 500 species. Products isolated from them as are- Essential oils, Glycosides (Iridin, Violaquercitrin, Violutoside), Carbohydrate (Inulin), Ester (Methyl salicylate), Mustard oil (Phenyl ethyl), Colouring matters (Luteolin, Quercetin) etc. Importance of Violaceae family in traditional medicines has been mentioned. Many medicinal herbs used for therapeutic applications such as act as blood purifier, treatment of bruises, ulcers, respiratory infections, renal disorders etc belong to this family. Viola odorata also known as sweet violet & it is a rich source of vitamin c. Traditionally is very much effective in jaundice, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, anti bacterial, hepato-protective activity. Viola odorata syrup made from flower petals improves cough suppression in children with asthma. Intranasal administration of Viola odorata extract oil is sedative to the brain and is helpful in insomnia suffering patients. A Unani medicine named as Joshanda used in form of decoction for cough & colds contain this valuable herb. In Chinese system of medicine it has been prescribed against Cancerous growth. In France Viola syrup is used as cough remedy. Cultivation of Violets in England occurs largely Startford-upon-Avon for syrup formation, which when mixed with Almond oil used as laxative in children. In olden time it was believed that Viola flowers are beneficial for eyes. Traditional knowledge when tested Pharmacologically & Phyto-chemically it will give us new effective therapeutic agents. This article is compilation of different aspect of Viola odorata and other Viola species such as their botanical classification, morphological feature, geographical distribution, chemical constituents, pharmacological properties and ethno-medicinal uses.&nbsp

REVIEW ON ARGYREIA SPECIOSA (L. f.) SWEET. (VRDHHADARU): PLANT OF INDIAN MEDICAL LEXICONS

Argyreia speciosa Sweet. is a popular Indian medicinal plant, which has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for various diseases. It is commonly known as Vidhaara or Vrddhadaru. It is a large creeper and is covered with hair all over. Flowers are either pink or red or purple coloured. It is not mentioned in Samhitas, but described in the Nighantu granthas. Vrddhadaru is a controversial drug. It is mainly confused with Ipomaea petaloidea. In Nighantus it is described by name of Vrddhadaru. It is mainly described in Dhanvantri Nighnatu, Shodhal Nighantu, Abhidhan Ratnamala, Madanpal Nighantu, Raj Nighantu, Nighantu Adarsh and in Priya Nighantu. The Importance of Plant is well recognized by its presence in almost all Nighantus and by its therapeutic potential. Therapeutically prove action of Argyreia speciosa Sweet. Is in aphrodisiac, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antihyperglycemic, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiulcer, anticonvulsant, analgesic and central nervous depressant activities. A wide range of phytochemical constituents have been isolated from this plant. Its seeds mainly contain eragine, isoeragine which has hallucinogenic properties. It is a comprehensive account of the Taxonomy, Synonyms, Vernacular names, Classical review, Properties, Controversy, Morphology, Microscopy of root, stem & leaf, Chemical constituents & their action, Indication, Part used, Dosage, Therapeutic usage, Formulations & Preparations and recent research findings which shows the importance of plant and help to gain knowledge about the plant

WOODFORDIA FLORIBUNDA SALISB: A BACKBONE HERB FOR ALL ASAVA AND ARISHTA

Woodfordia floribunda salisb is a high demand medicinal plant for pharmaceutics and dye industries. Its flowers are highly valued medicinal material used in Indian System of Medicine. The plant is distributed in North-eastern India. This review Woodfordia floribunda salisb, or Fire-flame bush, a plant of Indian origin, is extensively used in folk medicine for the treatment of various ailments. Various parts of this plant possess valuable medicinal properties as anti-inflammatory, anti- tumor, Hepato-protective and free radical scavenging activity, but its flowers are in maximum demand. It is the backbone herb of almost all Asava and Aristha preparations and used as a fermenting agent. Not only to speed up fermentation process in the formation of Asava and Arishta but also Dhataki flowers add colour and taste to them. Dhataki is mainly emphasized in the ancient Ayurvedic texts as one of the most important fermentation product, hence the names Madhyhetu and Madakara. Charak quoted it among the fermentating agents (Asava yoni). He also described Dhataki among the Purisasangrahaniya and Mutraviranjaniya group of drugs. So this review paper is an attempt of the author to provide details of this medicinal plant along with its spectacular properties in fermentation process

Phyto-pharmacognostical study of Mocharasa (exudate of Shalmali)

Shalmali (Bombax malabaricum DC.) is a very useful Ayurvedic herb. The exudates of Bombax malabarica is known as Mocharasa. It is a Reddish-brown colored extract that oozes out from the broken crevices of the trunk of the Shalmali tree. Medicinal uses of Mocharasa have been reported in many traditional system of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine since ancient times. Acharya Charak and Asthanga Samgraha mentioned Mocharasa under Sandhaniya Mahakashaya while Acharya Sushruta mentioned Mocharasa under Priyangvadigana, which has property as Sandhaniya. In present study, all aspects about Mocharasa have been taken like name, geographical source, Macroscopic, Microscopic, Physicochemical, Phytochemical (Qualitative & Quantitative) & Chromatographic activities. The macroscopic features of the Mocharasa were observed under magnifying lens. The powder microscopy showed the presence of starch grain, calcium oxalate, and stone cells. The physicochemical properties such as foreign matter, moisture content, ph value, aqueous soluble extract, alcohol soluble extract, petroleum ether soluble extract, total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash values of stem were carried out. In phytochemical study powder of Mocharasa showed the presence of many important classes of phytoconstituents like carbohydrates, alkaloids, amino acid, protein, saponin, glycosides, phenolic compound, steroids and tannins. Estimation of carotene, total flavonoid content, steroidal content, vit C, vit D, calcium and saponin analysis were carried out for quantitative analysis

A CRITICAL REVIEW ON CONCEPT OF PRABHAVA

Ayurveda The science of life has been practiced in India from time immemorial and has stood test of time. This is due to the vast conceptual canvas and framework of Ayurveda. It is important to realize that, Ayurveda is not confined to medicines only, it tackles the whole subject of Life in its various ramifications. The basic fundamentals of Ayurveda are to be understood and thoroughly implemented to achieve the target of promotion of health in its true sense and complete cure from disease. According to Ayurvedic pharmacology the drug action is attributed to certain principles namely Rasa, Guna, Virya, Vipaka and Prabhava. It was observed that both the drugs as well as the living body have Panchabhutika composition in common and if the drugs are used sensibly, they can alter the body components accordingly. However if the Ayurvedic concepts are not properly understood and interpreted in globally accepted language; the tremendous efforts in research would go meaningless and futile. It is therefore strongly needed to utilize the tools derived from the advancement in technology in the new millennium for re-establishing concepts of Ayurveda in current perspectives. Although many Ayurvedic concepts described in the Samhitas seem very easy, but they are actually very difficult to understand, as the Samhitas presented everything in a concise form. There are certain concepts which need to be explored and evaluated through their practical applicability. One of such concepts is the concept of Prabhava. In a nutshell there is an urgent need to develop a process and scientific method to understand these principles. This review is an attempt to highlight the concept of Prabhava and its significance in present era

A REVIEW ON CHITRAKA WITH ITS MEDICINAL PROPERTIES W.S.R TO ITS AMA PACHAN AND AGNI DEEPANA ACTION

If we talk about Ayurveda, Science of life, the concept of AMA is unique. Ama is a Sanskrit word that translates literally to mean things like "unripe," "uncooked," "raw," "immature," or "undigested. Essentially, it is a form of un-metabolized waste that cannot be utilized by the body.To some degree, the formation of small amounts of Ama is a normal part of the digestive process, provided it is efficiently removed. But when it is not regularly cleared and eliminated, ama becomes hugely problematic. In fact, Ama is said to be the root cause of all disease, and Amaya, a Sanskrit word for disease literally means "that which is born out of Ama. The connection between Ama and the disease process makes perfect sense because the qualities of Ama are in direct opposition to those of Agni. Strong Agni is essential to the maintenance of proper health. In other words, when Agni is compromised and when Ama accumulates, our health suffers, and the two situations are mutually reinforcing. In Ayurveda, the concept of Agni, is of central importance. In fact, the strength of Agni in the body is among the most critical factors in determining overall health. By contrast, Ama is a toxic, disease causing substance that forms as a result of impaired Agni, and that, in turn, destroys Agni. In this way, impaired Agni and the creation of Ama routinely enter into a vicious and self-perpetuating cycle. Unfortunately, the accumulation of Ama is extremely detrimental to our health; it can lead to all kinds of imbalances and is a causative factor in any number of diseases. Ama pachan and Agni Deepana is the best concept to improve all heath issues, for this the wonderful drug Chitraka is mentioned in our Ayurvedic texts. Here in this article we are going to discuss about Chitrak & its medicinal aspect as mentioned in Ayurvedic texts

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF WOODFORDIA FLORIBUNDA SALISB.

Indian medicinal plants are the essence of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic treatments. When used judicially and clocking with the basic principles they produce miraculous effects. Fire flamed Bush (Woodfordia floribunda salisb), commonly called as Dhavari, Dhataki, belongs to the family Lythraceae. It is an important medicinal plant of tropical and subtropical India. Dhataki is a deciduous shrub, usually with a much fluted stem, spreading branches, 1-3 m high, rarely up to 7 m, commonly occurring throughout North India, ascending to an altitude of 1,500 m in the Himalayas, but rather scarce in South India. Acharya Charak quoted it among the fermenting agents (Asava yoni) and described under Purisasangrahniya, Mutravirajaniya and Sandhaniya group of drugs. The reported pharmacological activities of Woodfordia floribunda salisb. are antitumor activity, DNA inhibitory activity, immunomodulatory activity, antioxidant activities, antihyperglycemic activity, anti- inflammatory and analgesic properties, antimicrobial activity, hepatoprotective activity, etc. Dhataki is one of the major ingredient of many important formulations used in Ayurvedic system of medicine such as Dhatakyadi taila, Dhatakyadi curna, Pusyanuga curna, Brhat Gangadhara curna, Arvindasava. So this review paper is an attempt of the author to provide details of this medicinal plant Dhataki about its classical references, synonyms, botanical description, phytochemical and pharmacological activity and classical medicinal uses

MACROSCOPIC IDENTIFICATION OF CRUDE DRUGS FOR AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS

There are certain diseases in which western medicines are still lacking cure. It is important to note that western medicine is undoubtedly effective for symptomatic control of these disorders but still lacking cure for potential. Apart from this these drugs are having numerous side effects. Keeping this fact in mind the attention diverts towards our ancient system of medicine i.e Ayurveda for radical cure of these diseases. The demand for plant derived products is increasing day by day. For preparation of any Ayurvedic formulation proper identification of crude drug is extremely necessary. Identification of crude drug involves the morphological or macroscopic details and microscopic parameters. These parameters are necessary for the preparation of accurate and potent formulations. Identification of crude drug is the most important step in development of standards for herbal drugs a lot of adulteration is being done. The major problems affecting the quality of crude drug are adulteration or substitution, degradation due to faulty collections, drying or storage. A well known example is of drug Ashoka which is the stem bark of Saraca indica, the material available in the market is frequently found to be Polyalthia longifolia

IDENTIFICATION OF PUM KUTAJA AND STRI KUTAJA MENTIONED IN THE AYURVEDIC LITERATURE

Kutaja is one among the frequently used medicinal plants in Ayurveda. Kutaja is the drug of choice for bleeding piles. Acharya Charak quoted Kutaja tvak as the best Sangrahika dravya. It possess properties like Deepana and Pachana and is useful in the management of diarrhoea. Charak enumerated eighteen yogas of Kutaja with the name Vatsaka in Kalpasthana. In this context he described male and female varieties of Kutaja. Modern experts have also described two varieties of Kutaja i.e., Sveta and Krishna variety. The bark and seeds of Kutaja are used for different medicinal purposes. The seeds of Sveta Kutaja and the seeds which are Tikta, possess better medicinal property. The market sample comprises of seeds of both Tikta and Madhur variety mixed together. Market sample of Kutaja mostly comprises of Madhur seeds. There are three species taken under the name of Kutaja i.e., Holarrhena antidysentrica, Wrightia tomentosa and Wrightia tinctoria. It is a matter of confusion that which one is to be taken as Pum Kutaja and which one as Stri Kutaja. This article is to throw some light on different species taken as Kutaja and decide which species should be taken as Pum Kutaja and which one is to be taken as Stri kutaja

A INTACT REVIEW ON NELUMBO NUCIFERA W.S.R TO ITS THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

Last few decades have again shown a notable interest in herbal products for food or in medicinal aspect, the reason behind this is the increasing awareness about the limitations of the synthetic agents. Kamal is a well known plant in ancient medical sciences. It is extensively described in almost all Samhitas and Nighantus of Ayurveda, which reflects its great medicinal value. It has been used extensively by Ayurvedic Physicians for centuries to treat a wide variety of disorders. It is edible used for food and medicine both. Kamal is Nelumbo nucifera Grertn (syn. Nelumbium speciosum Willd.; Nymphaea nelumbo Linn.) of Nelumbonaceae family. It is a perennial aquatic herb bearing the famous red lotus flowers. It has miraculous cooling effect and anti-haemorrhagic property. Its flowers contain robinin an glucoside. Leaves contains nuciferine an alkaloid, asmilobine & irinidine. Root contain isoliensinine neferine, seed contains armeparine. The different part contains different chemical constituents which enhance its medicinal value in different diseases. This article review the Ayurvedic literature, traditional uses, phytochemistry & therapeutic reports on different parts of N. nucifera. The review also describes various compound isolated from different parts of this plant & the therapeutic benefits derived from those phytoconstituents