Dravyaguna Vijnana: Fundamental Principles of Pharmacotherapeutics in Ayurveda (Volume 1)

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There is no complete text in English on dravyaguna in accordance with CCIM syllabus. Earlier some attempts were made by H.V. Savnur and Moss in English. Still a comprehensive English text is in demand.

With this background, the author has decided to prepare a unique text on fundamental concepts of dravyaguna as well as on drugs in English. This will be useful to the under graduate as well as the post-graduate students of Ayurveda. At the same time practitioners and teachers will also appreciate the references and subject matter.

This book mainly covers the first paper of Dravyaguna for B.A.M.S. students as per the CCIM syllabus. There are sixteen (16) topics in the syllabus which are divided into two parts (A&B). Each part will cover eight topics. After careful examination of the syllabus, several repetitions were found by the author.

Karma chapter is discussed more elaborately with modern pharmacological actions. Several berbs screened for biological and pharmacological activities are mentioned with relavent references.

Research works related to Rasa, Virya etc., are also quoted wherever relavent or necessary. The panchabhoutik aspects of Rasa, Guna, Virya etc., are discussed in respective chapters with scientific background.

Overall, the text is meant for every one who is interested to learn about fundamental principles of dravyaguna in Ayurveda. One can not forget the dictum- "a good physician is a good pharmacologist too". It clearly indicates that a thorough knowledge in the science of drugs engenders excellent success in clinical practice to the physician.

Dr. J.L.N. Sastry hails from a traditional Ayurvedic family. He is born at Narasapuram (W.G. Dist., Andhra Pradesh) on 06-07-1965).

He had School studies at Kakinada (E.G Dist., A.P.) and passed B.A.M.S. in 1989 from Dr. N.R.S. Govt. Ayu. College, Vijayawada (A.P.) in first class. He completed M.D. (Ay.) in Dravya Guna Speciality from Dr. B.R.K.R. Govt. Ayur. College, Hyderabad in 1998 October.

He stood first in A.P.P.S.C. selection (January 1990) and worked as Med. Officer (Ayu.) for Govt. of A.P. in the Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy Dept., (1992-99). Between 1998-99 he acted as Research Projects Coordinator at the Govt. Research Dept. of Ayurveda, Hyderabad. He stood first at the UPSC (1998) and joined as Medical Officer (Ay.) in CGHS, Chennai in June 1999.

The author is the recipient of two gold medals from Nagarjuna Univ. (A.P.) for the merit shown during B.A.M.S. (1988),

The author presented several clinical and scientific papers at Regional, National and International seminars.

He had more than 15 publications in standard journals and also published several articles in newspapers.

Author also had given Radio-talks and given guest lectures at various prestigious institutes (both Ayurvedic & Modern Medicine).

He published a book 40 Years of research in Ayurveda in A.P. (on behalf of grda, Hyderabad).

I am indeed happy to write a foreword to the book entitled Dravyaguna vijnana- "principles of pharamcotherapeutics in Ayurveda" written by Dr. J.L.N. Sastry. Dr. Sastry has taken a Herculean task to compile this book in English after referring voluminous literature of past and present in Ayurveda. He has meticulously prepared the text siting the original references from the textbooks of ayurveda and con- temporary writers. In the introduction he has mentioned the objective of this book is to provide a comprehensive knowledge about the subject "Dravyaguna" prepared in accordance with the CCIM syllabus for undergraduates in Ayurveda. This compendium of dravyaguna vijnana is not totally a substitute for the most refered "Materia medica" of Indian medicinal plants. But this book will be very useful for the students, practitioners and researchers on medicinal plants, both in its contents and structure. The distribution of core subjects into different chapters viz. Dravyaguna sasthra, Concept of Drug, Classification of drugs, concept of Karma, Botanical classification of plants, their col- lection, preservation, parts used in the preparation of medicines, various dispensing forms medicines, administration of drugs, the role of anupanas, brief history of dravyaguna in Vedas and Samhithas, glossary of Nighantus and their authors and an index to references makes this book more informative and easy to use.

Ayurveda, the Knownledge of life sciences bestowed health and longivity in the form of preventive and curative measures. 'Swastha Vritta' and 'Sad Vritta' will cover the preventive aspects of 'body' and 'mind' respectively while 'Sodhana' and 'Samana' (curative & palliative measures) drugs are used in the management of different diseases. Ex- cept few exceptions the preventive aspects are covered by 'Adravya Chikitsa' (treatment without medicaments) and the curative aspects are mainly covered by 'Dravya Chikitsa' (Treatment using drugs).