Ayurvedic Pharmacology and Thereapeutic Uses of Medicinal Plants (Dravyagunavignyan)

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Medicinal plants and it's usage has always remained a subject of research. There has been a lot of research on medicinal plants in the last decade. For many years, Vaidya V. M. Gogte's 'Ayurvedic Pharmacology and Therapeutic Uses of Medicinal Plants', is admired in the field of Drayaguna.

While bringing out the second volume of this monumental book, editors Prof. (Dr.) Tanuja Nesari, Professor, Head, Dept of Drayaguna, & Dept. of Translational Research. All India Institute of Ayurved, New Delhi and Prof. (Dr.) Apoorva Sangoram, Head, Dept. of Drayaguna, Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune, have added the updated research information to medicinal plants of the first volume of the book. This volume is a new addition to the book, which contains the recent synonyms, addition of phytoconstituents and outcome of screening of pharmacological activities and clinical studies on the medicinal plants.

While introducing the advanced research and standardization component to the Dravyaguna, this volume also covers the latest syllabus of the subject as prescribed by Central Council of Indian Medicine. This will definitely prove to be of a great importance to the scientists, scholars, researchers and students of Dravyaguna.

The author had the good fortune to be born as a son of Vaidya Mahadev Hari Gogte, in a long family tradition of Ayurveda. He had academic experience, as a teacher in Ayurveda, of over five decades, He lived in areas where tribal medicine abounds and enriched himself by the field experience of extensive tracks in the hills, with experts on medicinal plants. Hence he had a cumulative experience and health-wisdom of half-a- century, which he shared with the world, through this textbook.

Besides, he held important public positions in Ayurveda Seva Sangh, Maharashtra State Vaidya Mandal, Sarvajanik Vachanalaya (Public Library), Spring Lecture Series, Maharashtra Science Cong- ress, Municipality, Homeguard, Civil Defence etc. His inspiring presence at the Conference organized on "Selected Medicinal Plants" by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's SPARC and CHEMEXCIL, led to very fruitful and practical dialogue. This later led to major publication, which has put India on the global map of useful medicinal plants. Vaidya Gogte also gave lectures on Ayurveda and Dravyaguna vignyan in Europe, which were very erudite and appreciated.

He was closely associated with many of his contemporary eminent vaidyas, ethnobotanists, pharmacologists, pharmacists, forest officers, Adivasi leaders, doctors etc. He, with an unmatched modesty, gave credit to many of his colleagues for the Textbook of Ayurvedic Pharmacology.

Ayurveda, like the vedas, has existed and has been committed to memory in India since prehistoric times. Today, many institutions are engaged in teaching Ayurveda, either in its original form or integrated with modern medical subjects. People have been studying Ayurveda owing to their innate motivation as well as for the benefits derived thereby and this will continue in the future too. For hundreds of years, Ayurveda shouldered the responsibility of treatment of diseases and maintenance of health in India. It has admirably proved equal to this responsibility.

Notwithstanding the creditable performance, India, a multigeoclimatic sub-continent which was frequently invaded and fragmented, could never have a standard curriculum for the study of Ayurveda. Although the same textbooks were used, in a country like India, with different climate and conditions from Kashmir to Kerala and from Saurashtra to Assam, there was a marked diversity in

Ayurvedic education and treatment methods. Different states had varying syllabi. As a consequence, Ayurveda was never able to achieve a consistent and organised image in the minds of the people. Barring a few exceptions, this led to a negation of Ayurveda. What was needed was organised unity of this science of health.

Eventhough based on firm philosophical foundations and its practical utility in day-to-day life, Ayurveda was neglected. Ayurveda had once treated and maintained health for 80% of the population. It was realised that to make Ayurveda again acceptable in the present day situation, it was extremely important to have a unified approach. With this aim, efforts were made throughout the country and a committee set up at the administrative level, which initiated work in this direction.

This committee, known as "Central Council of Indian Medicine", outlined a common syllabus so that all over India, a uniform education in Ayurveda would be imparted. Accordingly, acclaimed authors were asked to write books in their respective subjects. After evolving a common syllabus, the need for having text books in thirteen to fourteen Indian regional languages arose. "Dravyagunavignyan" is one of the important subjects included in the syllabus. It was the need of the hour to have a book on this subject, in Marathi, which would include the basic principles of Ayurveda, as found in the original texts, as well as experiences derived from generations of use of Ayurvedic medicines.

Vaidyaraj Bhalchandra Nanal, a member of the "Central Council of Indian Medicine", requested me to write a book on "Dravyagunavignyan" in Marathi, as he was acquainted with my work. I accepted the offer. It was in June 1973, that I started working on the book. After 26 months of continuous work, it was finally completed on 15th August, 1975. Before getting the book published, I thought it extremely important to have it approved by leading professors in the subject. The idea behind this was to overcome the shortcomings, resolving of perplexities and Integration of new thoughts.