Medical therapies of various kinds practiced round the world have the role of reestablishing a homeostatic balance in an individual. Both the scientific community and populace at large take it for granted that Western (or as it is called, Modern) medicine is scientific while traditional medicine as unscientific and purely empirical, while the first idea may be partly true, the second attitude is completely false. The choice of a medical technology-be it modern medicine, Ayurveda, acupuncture or any other natural or man-made technology-should rest with the society depending on the technology's efficacy for the particular disease in question, its immediate availability, cost effectiveness, psychosocial acceptance etc. several countries in Europe have kept their doors open for different medical technological choices to their population. In India, an attempt is made to provide support through reimbursement-to complimentary technologies in medical therapeutics. Western medicine is export-oriented, expensive and socially foreign to the majority of our patients. It is unavoidable and extremely useful in critically ill patients. However, for a large variety of chronic disorders, complimentary medical technologies are both inexpensive and patient oriented. It is necessary to judiciously blend modern medicine with ancient technologies so that an effective medical umbrella is provided to our heterogenous population.

Having made out our points in relation to the "Anumanajnerya Bhavas" (Inferential examinations (with concrete example of "Manah Pariksana" and its actual practice we proceed in this present paper to 'Pratyaksa" Pariksa (Direct clinical observations). In this paper the utility and actual implementation of Ksaya and Vrddhi of DOSAS is being described. We have formulated out own type of utility and modus operandi. This has been discussed in the paper once again through the perspective of Caraka Cakrapanidatta and other relevant authors of ancient as well as modern times. Some correlations have also been studied at our department by u which also have been discussed. To our surprise some reciprocal correlation which are theoretically anticipated as usually done in not only Ayurvedic but even other sciences sometimes, have not been found in actual practice. Our only attempt is to make some, data based understanding on the basis of the assessment of the "Patient" as a whole and not only the disease. Incidentally the most easily detectable difference between Ayurveda and modern western medicine is the former being patient oriented and later disease oriented.

Svarna Vanga, an important Ayurvedic tin preparation having mercury as one of its ingredients, is mainly indicated in the treatment of Pramehas (genitourinary disorders). What role does mercury play in its preparation is not known. Hence present study has been planned with a view to prepare SvarnaVanga using mercury in different amounts. It was observed that the amount of mercury atleast in half proportion to in tin Kajjali, is considered necessary in making the standard Svarna-Vanga preparation.

This contribution lists all translations into Western languages of ancient works on Ayurveda, Found by the author through searches in various university libraries and other sources.

The author probes in this paper the identity of 'Kumbika' multifaceted plant-species mentioned in the Ayurvedic literature and establishes its identity by interpreting various classical texts.

In this paper, the South Indian crude drug samples of Prsniparni, Sahacara, Hapusa and Renuka are evaluated. Their accepted source, alternative sources along with botanical and chemical constituents for the S. Indian source plants are provided. Suitable photographs of the crude drugs and the herbarium specimens are also provided of facilitate identification.

In the first part the authors have discussed the botanical identity of the drug 'Thamalaki' as it is used in Kerala. The second part deals with the identity of a few more drugs namely, 'Puskaramula, Punarnava, Suryavartha and Nirgundi'.

The present study deals with the pharmacognostic studies on the leaves of Melilotus indica. The drug shows the presence of tannins, Xanthoprotein, starch, cystine, sterols, triterpenoids, reducing sugars, saponins and alkaloids.

The author traces in this paper the origin and development of Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion and discusses its various techniques in detail.

Cyclea barbata Miers is reported for the first time from south India (Silent Valley forests, Kerala). This is commonly used as a medicinal plant in Java, for stomach troubles and as a prophylactic against fever. Nomenclature, description ad other relevant notes are provided.

The article reviews here the medicinal properties of some of the commonly used India Vegetables minutely.

India has a rich heritage of herbal medicine of which the most important system namely Ayurveda needs even today a critical scientific scrutiny both in the correct identity of the proper drug plants and in the standard of the preparation of Ayurveda drugs. Authentic data on the medicinal plants growing in the Srikakulam district of Northern Andhra Pradesh is presented in the paper along with their etnobotainical data and their distribution in the district.