and nonpolar solvents, indicating that several chemical constituents present in it may have

anti-inflammatory activity. 5 Similarly, herbs showing neuropharmacological activity in

vitro did not have the activity concentrated in any one solvent extract. This indicates that

several constituents with different chemical physical properties may have the same neu-

ropharmacological activity. 6

Ayurvedic therapies are known to be relatively economic. For example, a 1-month dose

of an Ayurvedic formula for arthritis may be obtained at this time for about $20, which

is often the co-payment for brand name prescription drugs for many health insurance and

health maintenance organizations. Other alternative nondrug complementary therapies

may be even more expensive.

The relative safety of Ayurvedic medicine is another reason for its popularity. Ayurvedic

formulas are time tested for safety. These formulas contain vitamins; minerals; biologically

active steroids, alkaloids, glycosides, and tannins; and a variety of antioxidants in a natural

state. A single herb extract or a pure active chemical constituent may cause some adverse

effects under certain conditions and dose levels. For example, guggul extract has been

shown to produce some anticoagulant effect under certain conditions. 7,8 Ayurvedic text

formulas containing guggul may be safer than the guggul extract; the formulas that have

guggul in relatively small amounts, along with many other herbs, act as synergists and

possibly counteract some of the side effects.

Quality of Ayurvedic Formulas

In order to assure quality of Ayurvedic formulas, the government of India, Ministry of

Health, amended the Drugs and Cosmetic Act of 1940 in 1964 to include Ayurvedic drugs

(Ayurvedic herbs and herbal formulas). The Act requires the raw materials to be genuine

and adequately identified; the formulas must contain ingredients listed on the label and

manufacturing must be conducted under prescribed good manufacturing practices con-

ditions. CCRAS developed a formulary of Ayurvedic text formulas called The Ayurvedic

Formulary of India published in 1978. CCRAS conducted research to establish enforceable

standards for Ayurvedic formulas similar to allopathic drugs and promulgated the stan-

dards. The book Pharamcopoeial Standards of Ayurvedic Formulations was first published in

1976 and subsequently revised in 1987. This effort was followed by the development of

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India in 1989. The pharmacopoeia contains the popular

names; macroscopic and microscopic description of herbs; and limits for foreign matter,

total ash, acid-insoluble ash, alcohol-soluble extractive, water-soluble extractive, and

heavy metals in the same way as prescribed in allopathic pharmacopoeias. It also gives

the levels of known chemical constituents, therapeutic uses, and doses.

Organization of the Book

Only a few diseases are selected based on the scientific data available on Ayurvedic

therapies. Specialists in treating each disease searched the worldwide literature, critically

reviewed the information on the basis of their expertise, and summarized the information

in an understandable and easily usable form. Ayurvedic description and therapy of a

disease are first described followed by a discussion using current knowledge. Available