The concept of immunology in Ayurveda is discussed in this article.

The effect of alcoholic extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia vulgaris Linn on estrous cycle and implantation, in female albino rats, was studied. The drug induced an irregular estrous cycle with random disappearance of estrous phase and increase in the number of metestrus phases within the estrous cycle, observed for the total test period of 18 days. It exhibited 80% anti-implantation activity without showing any gross malformations in pups delivered, possibly due to its non-toxic nature even at the high dose of 3000 mg/kg p.o. These facts suggest the drug to possess some antifertility effect.

Search for naturally occurring compounds with antifungal activity has become quite intense due to the side effects of synthetic fungicides and the development of pathogens against such fungicides. Hence screening of various Siddha drugs for their antifungal activity against various strains of Candida albicans  was considered worthwhile. Seven such Siddha drugs were screened for their antifungal activity against fourteen strains of Candida albicans . The results indicate that the drugs Nandhi mezhugu, Vaan mezhugu, Erasa Kenthi mezhugu and Parangi pattai choornam possessed significant antifungal activity against various strains of C.albicans .

The constitution of a man is considered to determine his susceptibility to different diseases, the pattern of their presentation, the general course, complications and the over all prognosis. Accordingly it also determines the individual response to the therapy given.

The present communication describes a simple and modified colorimetric procedure for the estimation of caffeine content in both commercial and locally available tea samples. Comparative data of caffeine content in different brands of tea samples are shown here. The present method is no doubt an improvised procedure for estimating directly caffeine content from the tea extracts. A possible explanation to account for the variability in caffeine content in different samples is offered.

The alcoholic extract of the bark of Zizyphus jujuba possesses antinociceptive, anticonvulsand and anti-inflammatory activities. The CNS depressant activity of the plant might be responsible, to some extent for these activities.

Effect of ethanolic extract of Buplerum marginatum has been studied on the periodicity of oestrous cycle in adult rats. It is found that the extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day when given for 10 days caused significant increase in the duration of metaestrus phase of the oestrous cycle. Other longer durations of treatment also caused similar changes. Percent increase in the duration of metastrus phase at 10,20 and 30 days has found to be identical. No significant effect on body weight was recorded during and after the treatment with extract. Irregularlity in the oestrous cycle of treatment with extract. Irregularity in the oestrous cycle of treated rats resumed to normal after discontinuation of treatment, however, the period of recovery depended on the dose administrated.

Asavas and aristhas are medicines prepared by fermentation. In some medicines alcohol produced by fermentation is distilled and added to the powdered drugs for a fixed period, filtered and the filtrate is used as medicines. Karpurasava is prepared by distilling the alcohol. The quantity of alcohol in the distillate was 9.87% by the textual method while it was 5.77% by glass distillation apparatus. The alcohol content in Karpurasava was 8.7%.

Siddha system is the ancient Dravidian system of medicine presently practiced predominantly in South India. In practice, generally the plants used are often in the compound form to which either herbs, metals, minerals and animals products are added. This paper attempts to describe the need for standardizing the drugs since the efficacy of medicines depends on their genuineness, indicating the methodology to be adopted for standardization.

Dosha Dhatu Sammurchana is the basis of all pathogenisis. The state of Agni also should be considered in the pathogenisis. This will explain the disease at the cellular level in the parlances of Ayurveda. In cancer, enormous research is going on to understand the molecular and cellular level of Carcinogenisis, to formulate a cure for this disease. In Ayurveda with the help of various explanations can be made in the context of cancer. An effort is made in this paper in this regard which will definitely carve new ways in the field of cancer research.

The essential oil of Leonotis nepetaefolia  (Family - Labiatae) was tested for its antibacterial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and found to be moderately active excepting Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The essential oil also was found to be inhibitory to dermatophytic fungi and suppressive to other aerial fungi. Hence the oil may be quite useful in skin infection due to dermatophytes even with secondary bacterial infections.

The hepatoprotective activity of a fraction of the leaf extract of A.indica against carbon tetrachloride : liquid paraffin (1:1) induced liver damage in rats at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg was evaluated. A significant dose dependent hepatoprotective activity was evidenced by lowering of the elevated levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the serum of CCl ₄  : liquid paraffin (1:1) treated rats.

The gastric antiulcer and ulcer healing effect of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the dried leaves of Wedelia calendulacea . Less was found to be significant. The effect of the aqueous extract was observed to be more pronounced in comparison with that of the ethanolic extract.

The present note includes 29 wild plants of Chhindwara District which are used as food by Gond and Bharia tribes of the District.

The authors conducted survey of medicinal plants used by the tribal of Thrissur district. The investigation revealed several plant remedies to escape from the attack of insects and flies which are described in this paper. These could be used as soft common remedies in our households also.

Saponification equivalent values of Dasamula taila are very useful for the technical and analytical work. It gives the mean molecular weight of the glycerides and acids present in Dasamula Taila. Saponification equivalent values of Dasamula taila are reported in different packings.

Some secondary metabolites of herbs and certain products of traditional systems of medicine as possible sources of anti-AIDS drug potentials are presented and discussed.

Rasa sindura , is a famous and prestigious Ayurvedic Preparation, prepared by Kupipakwa method through Baluka Yantra system of healing. It is supposed as a toxic drug due to presence of Mercury. Therefore, it needs experimental proves and such type of experimental study shows that there are no toxic effects in therapeutic doses. Gamdhaka Jarana  process reduces the unwanted effects, along with potentiating its diseases curing capacity.

The anxiolytic activity of Ocimum sanctum  leaf extract was studied in mice. O.sanctum  leaf extract produced significant anxiolytic activity in plus - maze and open field behaviour test models. The effect was compared with diazepam, a standard antianxiety drug.

About 35 plants are enumerated for their medicinal uses in curing diseases like anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, asthma, malaria, snake bites, diabetes, etc. Their family, binominal local name and part of the plant used with the ailment for which administered are tabulated.

Many purificatory practices are described in Hathayoga. The erudite author tries in this article to trace the origin of these Satkarmas.