Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 866-67. 2008. An Overview of Dravyguna
in Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences Curriculum Amritpal Singh, Senior Lecturer and Saurabh Singh Baghel, Lecturer Dept of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Address for correspondence: Dr. Amritpal Singh Department of Ayurvedic
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Issued Curriculum related to Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences has been recently
reinforced in Indian pharmacy schools due to global acceptance of Ayurveda. Some pharmacy schools have continued curriculum
related to Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences as
integral part of pharmacognosy or medicinal
chemistry. Some pharmacy schools pioneered courses related exclusively to Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences. The courses available
range from diploma to master’s level however there is little information has
accumulated for doctorate and postdoctrate level
studies in Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences. Curriculum related to Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences largely bank on Dravyguna (Phytopharmacology)
and Ras Shastra (alchemy
or latrochemistry). Dravyaguna
is essentially compilation of ancient medical knowledge based on Ayurvedic pharmacy lexicons. Charka and Sushruta lists 341 and 395 medicinal plants respectively,
in treatise on Ayurveda. Bhavprakash
Nighantu, the standard book on Ayurvedic
perspective of medicinal plants, mentions medicinal actions and therapeutics
of 470 medicinal plants. With evident of Muslim and Recent times have witnessed
resurgence of medicinal plant industry in Shortage of trained manpower in Ayurvedic pharmacies, has forced the statutory bodies to introduce industry specific courses related to Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences. Introduction of maters course in Traditional Medicine by Mohali based National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research is important landmark in the history of Ayurvedic drug industry. Recent publication of article on heavy metal contents of Ayurvedic formulations in Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) has rocked the Ayurvedic drug industry particularly the metal based preparations. Even recent market analysis has reported decreased sale of mineral remedies of Ayurveda. In light of above developments, systematic study of Dravyguna becomes mandatory as utility of Ras Shastra in Ayurvedic drug industry is expected to suffer after JAMA article. Dravyguna is integral part of course related to Ayurvedic Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The traditional mode of Ayurvedic study i.e. BAMS, incorporates Dravyguna in the third year of six year course. Postgraduate and doctorate study options are available for Dravyguna. Curriculum related to Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences is largely based on Dravyguna and options are available for M.Pharm in Dravyguna. Although it is difficult to correlate Dravyguna with modern subjects, it reaches close to clinical pharmacology and some aspects of pharmacognosy. Recently reverse pharmacology has been used for Ayurvedic Medicine and on basis of this; Dravyguna can be correlated with reverse pharmacognosy. Some experts are of the view that Dravyguna should not be compared with any subject and treated as independent subject. Dravyguna is in transition phase and time is ripe to arrive upon a decision whether it should remain conventional or given a fresh look. Curriculum issued by Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) for BAMS course and post graduation in Dravyguna need rectification keeping in mind the changing scenario. Dravyguna has no doubt contributed to modern medical system by giving lead which has been converted to lifesaving drugs. Even subjects like ethnopharmacology, phytopharmacotherapy and phytopharma-covigilance have roots in Materia Medica of traditional medicine. Dravyguna
is fundamental subject of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical
Sciences and recent developments must be integral part of curriculum related
to Dravyguna. The subject can serve as search
engine for novel drugs and recently chemoinforamtics
approaches have been applied to classical Ayurveda
for searching novel chemical entities. |