In the second part of the study the author highlights the merits and demerits of the ancient Indian medicine and establishes that the system is more than a physical medicine because of (1) its monumental theoretical generalization reflect a serious preoccupation with life as a process involved in a ceaseless change and; (2) its underlying ideas have permeated both religion and philosophy and created potentials for the later natural sciences.

Prime Matter is matter-cum-energy. The first substance identified as such was lead. When gently heated it becomes red and redness means soul or energy so that lead was potentially red or soul-like and as such dual natured. Mercury also becomes red and can return to white metal. It was thus dual natured and was the second substance recognized as Prime Matter. First lead alone and then lead and mercury were considered as the source of all metals.

Nilgirianthus heyneanus is widely used in South India in place of Sahachara (Barleria prionitis L) and is considered as an important Vatahara drug. Detailed pharmacognosy of the root of N. heyneanus commonly known as Karim Kurinji (Malayalam) in Kerala has been carried out. Some of the diagnostic features of the drug are pigmented cystoliths in the cortex and pith region; yellow colour cell contents in the cortex region; thick walled and oval-elongated stone cells in the cortex region.

Shilajit, exuding from the rocks of mountains has been proved to be basically derived from the latex of cactus like Euphorbia species. Therefore, in the present communication, an attempt has been made to provide similar information from the ayurvedic literatures.

Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Clinical studies and photochemistry of the four plants, viz., Convolvulus pluricaulis, Evolvulus alsinoides, Canscora decussate and Clitoria ternatea commonly used as the drug Shankapushphi have been reviewed here.

Shankha Prakshalana is an easy and effective technique for cleansing the gastrointestinal canal, thereby removing all the autointoxicants present in the alimentary canal. Moreover, it is a very economical procedure which can be performed by the patients at his own residence. The role of Shankha Prakshalana from our own experience is very effective in overcoming the irritable bowel syndrome. Shankha Prakshalana may also be given to the patients of anxiety neurosis with satisfactory results. Its role in the treatment of renal disorder is encouraging in early cases only. However, in the second and third degree chronic renal failure cases its role is yet to be established and needs further investigation. Similarly, in the case of thyrotoxicosis no conclusive evidence could be observed due to very limited number of cases.

Ingestion of 10 gm. of Isapgul daily for a period of one month decreased the total serum cholesterol level by 9.6% and Triglyceride level by 8.6%.

This study discusses minutely the clinical treatment of acute Bacillary Dysentery by acupuncture method and reports here its proven ability to control the disease.

Dried powder of leaf extract of common Indian plant Moringa Oleifera of Moringaceae family was tested experimentally in albino rats in our laboratory for its antifertility activity. Cant per cent abortifacient activity was found when administered orally in aqueous solution at dose of 175 mg/kg body weight daily to Charles foster strain albino rats from days 5-10 post mated.

Ethno-botanical explorations with regard to the folk-lore medicine in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu and Palghat district of Kerala for jaundice was carried out. Out of twenty remedies thus gathered two are found to be new reports and a few others have got interesting combination. The specimens are identified at Botanical Survey of India, Coimbatore and deposited in the Herbarium of Ethnobiology department of International Institute of Ayurveda, Coimbatore. Two newly reported plants for Jaundice namely Alysicarpus vaginalis DC. and Justicia tranquebariensis L. f, have been taken for phytochemical screening and pharmacological studies. The botanical name of the plant, local name, Sanskrit name and the part of the plant employed are given in table I.

The proper way of using the common ayurvedic drug Haritaki as depicted in Brihatrayee is discussed. It is evidenced that the entire fruits should be used as the drug unless otherwise specified to derive the optimum benefit and discarding any part results in the loss of the particular therapeutic property which in turn lowers the total therapeutic efficacy of the drug/preparation.

Gymnema sylvestre, R. Br., popularly known as Meshashringi in Sanskrit and Sarkaraikolli in Tamil, was investigated for the control of type I (insulin dependent) diabetes in experimental animals. The hypoglycaemic extract was found to bring about blood glucose homeostasis, by increasing serum insulin levels. The islets of langerhans appear to be restored or regulated by the herbal extract. Increased glycoprotein, which is the major metabolic abnormality in diabetes mellitus and the resultant nephropathy, retinopathy and micro and macroangiopathy, is brought under control by the administration of the leaf extract.

The authors attempts to present in this paper different treatments employed for Sodhana with different and its toxicity reduction level.

While conducting the Ethno-Botanical explorations of Jammu and Kashmir State, the authors gathered information from the primitive society, Gujar, Bakarwala and other inhabitants living in far-flung areas not exposed to civilization as well as the villages, on the importance of the plants, used by them in their way of life, as medicine, food, fodder and other religio-social customs and beliefs. The present paper deals with 109 species of the wild edible plants only being used by them for food in various ways. The botanical names of the wild edible plants, local names, places of collection, parts used and mode of use, are also discussed.

Two kinds of 'shapunkha', the 'Shvet' (white) and 'Rakta' (red) are described in some of the Ayurvedic texts and the former is reported therapeutically more effective. Some of the Ayurvedic physicians use T. villosa Pers. as 'Shvet sharpunkha' due to its persistently villous silky white parts. While others have advocated white colour of flowers as main feature for distinguishing "Shvet sharpunkha'. A white flowered form of Tephrosia purpurea which is found in association with red or purple flowered ones is reported by us as T. purpurea (Linn.) Pers. Form albiflora S. R. Paul et R. C. Gupta. In the present work, however, detailed comparative pharmacognosy of all vegetable parts of T. villosa and T. purpurea f. albiflora have been carried out. Also the study reveals that two species exhibit great similarity in their macro - an microscopical feature.

This study discusses maturity onset diabetics and the role of body constitution in the progression of the disease in detail.

This paper discusses in brief stressing the modern scientific views as well as ancient Indian concept of it. A compound developed from the chemical reaction of Haritala (Orpiment), Parada (Mercury) and Palasha Bhasma (white ash of Butea Monosperma) was evaluated here and observed to have market psoriasis healing property.

In the present investigation vessels of 24 species of the family Apocynaceae have been studied. Lot of variation exist in the size and shape of vessels, number of perforation plates and intervascular thickening of walls in the taxa of Apocynaceae.