CHEMISTRY

PROJECT
TOPIC : ANCIENT INDIAN MEDICINS AND
MEDICINAL PLANTS

-SHIVANSH MAHESHWARI
-11TH SCIENCE
-THE SANSKAAR VALLEY SCHOOL
CERTIFICATE
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE
CONTENT OF THE PROJECT ENTITLED CHEMISTRY
PROJECT : ANCIENTINDIAN MEDICIN AND
MEDICINAL PLANTS BY SHIVANSH MAHESHWARI
THE BONA FIDE WORD OF HIM
SUBMITTED TO THE SANSKAAR
VALLEY SCHOOL , BHOPAL FOR CONSIDERATION
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENT OF ISC UNDER THE GUIDENCE OF
MRS.RICHA SHARMA .

MRS.RICHA SHARMA SHIVANSH

MAHESHWARI
___________ _________
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude
to my teacher Mrs Richa Sharma who gave me the
golden opportunity to do this wonderful project
of CHEMISTRY

Who also helped me in completing my Project .

I came to know about so many new things
I am really thankful to them.

Secondary I would also like to thank my school

THE SANSKAAR VALLEY SCHOOL , BHOPAL
who give me supported me in doing this project.

THANKS

SHIVANSH MAHESHWARI
XI SCIENCE,ISC
 INDEX
TOPIC : ANCIENT INDIAN MEDICINE And MEDICINAL PLANT:-

SR. NO. TOPIC REMAR

K
1 INTRODUCTION

2 FATHER OF ANCIENT MEDICINS

3 MEDICINAL PLANT

4 ANCIENT MEDICINES

5 MEDICINAL PLANTS AND THEIR USES

6 PROS AND CONS OF ANCIENT MEDICINE

7 USES OF MEDICIMAL PLANTS IN CHEMISTRY

8 WILLOW TREE

9 SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION OF CHEMISTRY IN

ANCIECT INDIAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

9 MAGARJUNA

11 MEDICINAL PLANT IN INDIA YOU CAN USE TO

BENEFIT YOUR HEALTH

12 BENIFITR AND IMPORTANCE OF MEDICINAL PLANT

13 AYRUVEDA AND THEIR MEDICINAL VALUES

14 ATREYA AND AGNIVESA

15 CHARAKA

16 YOGA

17 ANCIENT INDIAM MEDICIN AND MEDICINAL PLANT

18 CONCLUSION

19 BIBILOGRAPHY
 Topic -
ANCIENT
INDIAN
MEDICINE
and
MEDICINAL
PLANT:-
Introduction
ANCIENT MEDICINES:

Among India's many claims to fame is the ancient

medical science known as Ayurveda (from the
Sanskrit words ayur, or life, and veda, science). This
is a healing method that relies on herbs as medicines
for maintaining good health. The 5,000-year-old
system of natural healing is originated in India's
ancient Vedic culture. It was suppressed during the
years of foreign occupation, but its medical practices
have been enjoying a resurgence both in its native
land and throughout the world.
Early Greek medicine embraced many concepts
originally described in classical Ayurvedic texts
dating back thousands of years. Traditional Tibetan
and Chinese medicine also have roots in Ayurveda.
Over time, Ayurveda has become the science of life,
 encompassing body, mind and spirit. This body of
knowledge is believed to have been originally

delivered by God to sages and seers, who were yogis

renowned in their insight, intuition and keen
observation of human behavior. They handed down
their knowledge to their disciples. An important goal
of Ayurveda is to identify the ideal state of balance
of a person and offer solutions using diet, herbs,
music, massage treatments and meditation to restore
the body's balance.

MEDICINAL PLANTS:

India is one of the richest countries in the world in

terms of biodiversity, has 15 agro-climatic zones.
Out of the 17000-18000 species of flowering plants,
more than 7000 are estimated to have medicinal
usage in folk and documented systems of medicine
like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy
(AYUSH System of Medicine).
Medicinal plants are not only a major resource base
for the traditional medicine & herbal industry but
also provide livelihood and health security to a large
segment of Indian population. About 1178 species of
medicinal plants are estimated to be in trade of

which 242 species have annual consumption levels

in excess of 100 metric tons/year. The domestic
demand of medicinal plants has been estimated
1,95,000 MT for the year of 2014-2015 and export
demand of medicinal plants has been estimated
1,34,500 MT during 2014-2015. Total consumption
of herbal raw drug in the country for the year 2014-
15 has been estimated at 5,12,000 MT with
corresponding trade value of ₹ 5,500 Crore. The
major increase has been recorded in export value
which has increased from ₹ 345.80 Crore in 2005-
06 to ₹ 3211 Crore in 2014-15, registering a nine
fold increase in during last decade.
Father of ancient
medicines:
Sushruta is regarded as the 'Father of Indian
Medicine' and 'Father of Plastic Surgery.'
During the 6th century BCE, an Indian physician
named Sushruta - widely regarded as the 'Father of
Indian Medicine' and 'Father of Plastic Surgery' -
wrote one of the world's earliest works on medicine
and surgery.

Sushruta lived in the ancient city of Kashi, now

known as Varanasi or Banaras in the northern part of
India.He is known for his pioneering operations and
techniques and for his influential treatise 'Sushruta
Samhita' or Compendium of Sushruta, the main
source of knowledge about surgery in ancient India.

Written in Sanskrit,
the Sushruta
Samhita dates back
to the times before
Christ and is one of
the earliest works
in the field of
medicine. It forms
the foundations of
the ancient Hindu
form of medicine
known as Ayurveda
and is highly regarded as one of the 'Great Trilogy of
Ayurvedic Medicine.'
The Sushruta Samhita documented the etiology of
more than 1,100 diseases, the use of hundreds of
medicinal plants, and instructions for performing
scores of surgical procedures - including three types
of skin grafts and reconstruction of the nose.

Medicinal Plants:
Owing to fast paced world that we are living in, we
are getting far from the nature. While the lifestyle
that we live can have adverse effect on us, it is
important to know that by introducing small changes
in our daily life can go a long way in keeping us
healthy and energetic. Therefore, the importance of
Ayurveda holds true in today’s life as it is based on
the principal of bringing us close to nature and
relying on its natural powers to cure us and keep us
healthy without any side effects.
Thanks to the use of natural ingredients and
medicinal herbs, Ayurvedic medicines and products
today have become a symbol of safety in contrast to
 synthetic drugs that are considered unsafe and
hazardous for overall health.
One way of understanding the basic fundamentals of
Indian Ayurved is to spend more time with nature
and observe the plants and herbs.

Each plant or herb has a specific quality and can be

used to treat multitude of ailments and diseases.
Medicinal plants like aloe, turmeric, tulsi, pepper,
elachi and
ginger are
commonly
used in a
number of
Ayurvedic
home
remedies
and are
considered
to be the
best aid
among fighting ailments related to throat and skin.
As a rich source of nutrients, anti-bacterial and
antioxidant properties, ayurvedic herbs are non-toxic
in nature and so the products or remedies made
using them are often recommended for their high
therapeutic value.

ANCIENT MEDICINES:
India is known for its traditional medicinal systems
Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani. Medical systems are
found
mentioned
even in the
ancient Vedas
and other
scriptures. The
Ayurvedic
concept
appeared and developed between 2500 and 500 BC
in India.
MEDICINAL PLANTS N THEIR USES
Molecular Targets Of Ancient Indian
Medicine
Pros and cons of Ancient
medicine

Pros:

1)Safe and chemical free: Being a herbal medicine,

Ayurvedic is not only safe for consumption but also
for curative purposes. It is a natural remedy that
does not require any chemical composition which
makes it healthy for use.

2)Complete cure: Ayurvedic works just like all the

other cures for several illnesses. The best thing about
Ayurvedic is that it also guarantees complete cure
for all issues one may be suffering from.
3)improved health: Ayurvedic is one of the best
remedies that does not only cure existing problems
but also helps in ensuring that people live healthy
and improved lifestyles in the long run.

4) No operation needed: Ayurvedic is a natural

remedy for a variety of illnesses that does not
require the patient to be operated on. This means
that there is less risk involved in curing.

5) Effective cure: Ayurvedic is not only healthy in

curing diseases but it is also effective in ensuring
that people are completely cured from their diseases.

6)Treats a variety of illnesses:

Ayurvedic is vast in
possibilities. It is designed to
treat a variety of illnesses
both internal and external.
7)No side effects: There are no side effects
associated with Ayurvedic as a remedy for diseases.
Unlike other treatment options, there are no
chemical compositions and therefore there is
minimal health risk.

8) Can be used by different people: Ayurvedic can

be applied on a variety of people who are suffering
from different ailments.

9)it is cheap: Ayurvedic is readily available and

affordable to people from all wolks of life.

10)it is easily accessible: The origin of Ayurvedic is

India. However, the medicine has in the recent past
found its way in several parts of the world and can
be accessed by almost everyone around the world.
Cons:

1. It may be toxic: In some circumstances,

Ayurvedic may sometimes be toxic especially for
people who are reactive to the herbs used in making
the medicine.

2. It may have adverse effects on some people:

There are some people who are allergic to this kind
of medicine and they may be reactive to them once
they are exposed.

3. It requires great expertise: There is a great deal of

expertise required to create this type of medicine in
order for it to effective in the long run.
4. It is not accessible to everyone especially to urban
areas: Ayurvedic may not be accessible to everyone,
especially to those people who are found in the
urban areas.

5. It is not given in known doses: There is no

definite dosage for this kind of medication. This
means that it is somehow difficult to know when the
dosage is enough for what age group and so on.

6. Inappropriate for many conditions: Ayurvedic

may be ideal for a variety of ailments but it is
inappropriate for a variety of conditions as well.

7. Risk of poisoning: There is

always the risk of poisoning
when using herbs as a means
 of remedy. This is especially because there is no
known dosage for this kind of message.

8. No proper regulation: There are no proper

regulations for controlling the manufacture, use and
dissemination of this kind of medicine. This means
that everything is currently being done haphazardly.

9. Medication interaction: There is always the risk of

mixing various forms of medication which then
makes it dangerous for the users because of the risk
of reaction.

10. Scarce evidence: There is no proper evidence

that the people who use these kinds of medication
are in fact getting well as a result of using these
drugs.

USE OF MEDICINAL PLANT IN

CHEMISTRY:
Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have
been discovered and used in traditional medicine
practices since prehistoric times. Plants synthesise
hundreds of chemical compounds for functions
including defence against insects, fungi, diseases,
and

herbivorous mammals.
Numerous phytochemicals with potential or
established biological activity have been identified.
However, since a single plant contains widely
diverse phytochemicals, the effects of using a whole
plant as medicine are uncertain. Further, the
phytochemical content and pharmacological actions,
if any, of many plants having medicinal potential
remain unassessed by rigorous scientific research to
define efficacy and safety
 WILLOW TREE
The bark of willow trees contains salicylic acid, the
active metabolite of aspirin, and has been used for
millennia to relieve pain and reduce fever
The earliest historical records of herbs are found
from the Sumerian civilisation, where hundreds of
medicinal plants including opium are listed on clay
tablets. The
Ebers Papyrus
from ancient
Egypt, c. 1550
BC, describes
over 850 plant
medicines. The
Greek physician
Dioscorides,
who worked in the Roman army, documented over
1000 recipes for medicines using over 600 medicinal
plants in De materia medica, c. 60 AD; this formed
the basis of pharmacopoeias for some 1500 years.
Drug research makes use of ethnobotany to search
 for pharmacologically active substances in nature,
and has in this way discovered hundreds of useful
compounds. These include the common drugs
aspirin, digoxin, quinine, and opium. The
compounds found in plants are of many kinds, but
most are in four major biochemical classes:
alkaloids, glycosides, polyphenols, and terpenes.
Medicinal plants are widely used in non-
industrialized societies, mainly because they are
readily available and cheaper than modern
medicines. The annual global export value of the
thousands of types of plants with suspected
medicinal properties was estimated to be US$2.2
billion in 2012.[3] In 2017, the potential global
market for botanical extracts and medicines was
estimated at several hundred billion dollars.[2] In
many countries, there is little regulation of
traditional medicine, but the World Health
Organization coordinates a network to encourage
safe and rational usage. Medicinal plants face both
general threats, such as climate change and habitat
destruction, and the specific threat of over-collection
to meet market demand.[2]
 Significant contribution of
chemistry in ancient Indian
science and technology:
Ancient India, an important role in the development
of chemistry was made by Ayurveda which used a
variety of minerals. Science and technology in
ancient and medieval India covered all the major
branches of human knowledge and activities. In any,
early civilization, metallurgy has remained an
activity central
to all
civilizations
from the
Bronze Age
and the Iron
Age, to all
other
civilizations that followed.
The Indus valley civilization was the earliest society,
the story of early chemistry in India begins from
here. Traces of cement had been ford in the era of
Mohanjodaro.
According to RigVeda, tanning of leather and
dyeing of cotton was practiced during this period.
After Vedas classical texts which give valuable
information about the chemical activities of this
period. The major chemical products of this period
were glass, paper, soap, dyeing, cosmetics and
perfumes, alcoholic lacquers, pharmaceuticals, gun
powder and saltpeter. Nagarjuna (metallurgist) and
Kanada were chemist of ancient period. Indian and
Persian army used arrows tipped with iron. In the
Gupta age metallurgical operations were found.
Nataraja statue the god of dance is made of five
metals Pancha Dhatu and Iron Pillar, Delhi is as a
silent witness to assert the striking metallurgical
skill of the Hindus. Paintings found on walls of
Ajanta and Ellora also testify to the high level of
chemical science achieved in ancient India.
Nagarjuna (metallurgist)
and Kanada were chemist
of ancient MEDICINES
Medicinal Plants in India
You Can Use to Benefit
your Health
Bael

Bael is one of the several medicinal plants available in

India that you can use in order to benefit your health. It is
a tree that many people are familiar with and its leaves
are highly helpful in curing ailments such as diarrhoea,
constipation, and dysentery.

Tulsi
 Tulsi is one plant, which you will see in the courtyard of
every family that you visit in rural India. Also known as
“basil”, the leaves of tulsi can be useful in case of issues
such as cough, bronchitis, cold, and loss of appetite. In
fact, around the world basil happens to be the most used
herbal expectorant. Tulsi leaves contain bright, yellow
coloured and pleas-ant volatile oil (0.1 to 0.9%). The oil
content of the drug varies depending upon the type, the
place of cultivation and season of its collection. The oil is
collected by steam distillation method from the leaves
and flowering tops. It contains approximately 70%
eugenol, carvacrol (3%), and eugenol-methyl-ether
(20%). It also contains caryophyl-lin. Seeds contain fixed
oil with good drying properties. The plant is also reported
to contain alkaloids,
glycosides, saponin,
tannins, an
appreciable amount
of vitamin C and
traces of maleic,
citric, and tartaric
acid.
Pudina

Pudina is also referred to as “peppermint”. Most of its

popularity is due to its cool taste. However, it also has
medicinal values such as healing bruises as well as curing
indigestion.

Henna
Henna is also called “mehndi“. It is a significant cure for
burns and this is one reason why Indian women have
been applying mehndi in their hands for such a long time.

Neem

Neem is mentioned in
Ayurveda as one of the
most precious herbs found
in India. It is said that even
the wind passing through a
neem tree is beneficial for
your health. Extracts from
neem leaves can be used as
a sedative. Its leaves can
also cure
some serious ailments such as analgesic, hypertension,
and epilepsy. Neem leaves are also used in toothpaste
these days and its branches were used as toothbrushes for
ages in India before the modern day toothpaste was
invented. Neem is also used in Indian cooking for its
healing capabilities. Neem kernel lipids are similar to the
normal glycerides from other oilseeds and contains oleic
acid (50-60%), palmitic acid (13-15%), stearic acid (14-
19%), linoleic acid
(8-16%) and
arachidic acid (1-
3%). It is brownish
yellow, non-drying
oil with an acrid
taste and unpleasant
odour. The quality of
the oil differs with the method of processing.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is also popular as an expectorant. It is known

commonly in India as “dalchini“. It can help you cure
your pulmonary issues such as asthma and bronchitis. It
 is effective in dealing with common fever as well as
cardiac disorder.

Lavender

The flower of lavender is known for its smell. However,

this flower can also function as an antiseptic if applied to
bruises and cuts. It can also reduce pain in certain cases.

Marigold

Marigold is known commonly in India as “gaenda“.

Extracts from the leaves can help in problems like
sunburns, blemishes, and acnes. It is a herb with
medicinal qualities and can cure digestive issues as well
as soothe ulcers.
 Benefits & Importance of
Medicinal Plants
Ayurvedic herbs are time tested for their health and other
benefits. The nutritive value that they pack are highly
recommended for their healing powers. Known to induce
no side effects, they have a unique aroma and flavor and
when consumed regularly, they act as a perfect
mechanism to bring about a balanced harmony between
mind and body. They rejuvenate the whole system
instead of focusing on one specific organ or body part.

Benefits of Medicinal Plants:

• They have a holistic approach and aid in proper

absorption and digestion
 • They are not disease specific but act as a preventive
medicine that positively effects the overall health and
well-being by boosting the immune system

• They are at par with allopathic medicines and are at

times known to be effective in treating diseases like
cancer and autoimmune diseases
• They are self-contained and nutritive in nature,
therefore, are non-toxic and harmless
• It deals with the overall well-being and aims to bring
harmony between mind, body and soul
• Several metabolic and chronic conditions can be treated
without any side effects using Ayurvedic medicines and
treatments
Ayurveda and Their
Medicinal Values

• Ayurvedic Herbs and spices such as black pepper,

cinnamon, aloe, sandalwood, ginseng, red clover,
burdock, bayberry, and safflower are used to heal
wounds, sores and boils.
• To reduce fever and the production of heat caused by
the condition, certain antipyretic herbs such as Chirayta,
black pepper and sandal wood are recommended
• Sandalwood and Cinnamon are great astringents apart
from being aromatic. Sandalwood is especially used in
arresting the discharge of blood, mucus etc.
• Ajwain, Amalaki, Aswatha etc., serve as antacids and
are recommended for healthy gastric acid flow and
proper digestion
• Herbs like Cardamom and Coriander are renowned for
their appetizing qualities. Other aromatic herbs such as
peppermint, cloves and turmeric add a pleasant aroma to
the food, thereby increasing the taste of the meal

• Herbs like Aloe, Sandalwood, Turmeric, Sheetraj Hindi

and Khare Khaskhas are commonly used as antiseptic
and have very high medicinal values
Camomile, Basil, Cardamom, Ginger, Peppermint and
Coriander are known to promote blood circulation in the
body and keep the heart healthy.
 Atreya and Agnivesa -
Ancient scholars of India
Ancient scholars of India like Atreya, and Agnivesa
have dealt with principles of Ayurveda as long back
as 800 BC. Agnivesa was a famous physician wrote
an encyclopedic treatise in the eighth- century B.C.
Their works and other developments were
consolidated by Charaka who compiled a
compendium of Ayurvedic principles and practices
in his treatise Charaka-Samahita.

Charaka - Ancient India

Medicine
Charaka

CharakaCharaka was a noted Ayurveda practitioner who

wrote the famous treatise on medicine Charaka Samahita.
He wrote extensively on digestion, metabolism and
immune system. According to him body functions
because it contains three doshas - bile, phlegm and wind.
These are produced when dhatus - blood, flesh and
 marrow act after food is consumed. The body becomes
sick when there is imbalance between three doshas. He
prescribed drugs to restore this balance.
Charaka gives advice that physician who fails to enter the
body of a patient with the lamp of knowledge and
understanding can never treat diseases. He put more
emphasis on prevention rather than cure.

Charaka also wrote about genetics like the factors

responsible for sex of a child. Charaka has theorized
blindness from the birth is not due to any defect in the
mother or the father, but owes its origin in the ovum and
the sperm. The other notable fields Charaka Samahita
deals with are physiology, etiology and embryology.
Yoga - Ancient System of
Medicine
Agnivesa - hysical and Mental Exercise
AgnivesaYoga, a system of exercise for physical and
mental nourishment was part and parcel of the ancient
system of medicine. Though it has been in existence for
long time, it was around 200 BC, Patanjali in his treatise,
 Yogasutra collected all the fundamentals of yoga.
Patanjali surmised that through the practice of yoga, the
latent energy within the human body can be made live
and released, that can have a salubrious effect on the
body and the mind. He practiced and preached yogic
practices that can control of several ailments and chronic
disease.
The ancient system of medicine grew further with trade
and cultural contacts with other countries of the world.
The Indian medical knowledge was transmitted to other
countries through Indian merchants and Buddhist monks.

The Buddhist monks took the Ayurveda system of

medicine to Tibet and China. India’s contact with the
Arab world led to the translation of Indian medical

books like Charak Samhita, Susrut Samhita, into Arabic

language. Indian concepts of medicine also influenced
the Greeks who came in India contact during the Indo-
Greek rule in 180 BC-10 AD.
 The subsequent Kingdoms in India patronized the
ancient system of medicine that led to its further growth.
Today, the Ayurveda system of medicine has great
acceptance in India and the art of Yoga is practiced
widely for healing many chronic ailments. Further, the
ancient system of medicine now has a global reach and
acceptance.
 Ancient Indian Medicines and
Medicinal Plants
Ancient Indian medicine has a great connection to
medicinal plants as much of the medicines were made
with a combination of plants and minerals or even only
plant extracts. Some of the common medicinal plants
used is Ayurveda are believed to have been used since
ancient times. Some common medicinal plants used are -
Amla, Ahoka (even mentioned in the Ramayana),
Aswagandha, Bael, Brahmi, Chiraita, Guggul, Sandal
Wood, Satavari, Tulsi, Pippermint, Gritkumari (Aloe),
Vringraj, Rakta Chitrak, Neem and lots of spices like
turmeric, pepper, dalchini, elaichi etc.
Conclusion
Although some uncertainty exists about the safety,
effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of CAM methods,
expandingtheir use, where reasonable evidence of their
effectivenessand good evidence of their safety exists,
might yield health,social, and economic benefits [35]. For
example, improvingthe information and services
provided in local pharmacies,that are the primary source
of treatment for many ailments inrural areas, might serve
as an effective substitute for allowing unregulated use of
conventional medical treatment. Thus, expanding CAM
would require significant investment of time and
resources if it is to be done appropriately and have an
impact on population health. An important role exists for
CAM. However, more evidence is needed before CAM
approaches can be broadly integrated into national health
systems for diseases for which they have promise.

Also, numerous nutraceutical combinations have entered

the international market through exploration of
ethnopharmacological claims made by different
traditional practices.
To truly consume a healthy diet, the vast majority of the
diet must be composed of health-promoting foods and
nutraceuticals but disease-promoting foods or junk food
must be avoided. Ninety percent of the daily diet should
be made up of nutrient rich plant foods, whose calories
are accompanied by health-promoting phytochemicals,
vegetables, fresh fruits, beans and legumes, raw nuts,
seeds, and avocados, starchy vegetables, and whole
grains. These foods or nutraceuticals construct a health-
promoting, disease-preventing diet with protective
substances. The rich nutrient food intake will provide
maximum protection against not only infections, asthma,
and allergies but also against heart disease and cancer in
adulthood.
Conclusion: Medicinal plants are inseparable from local
livelihoods because they have long been collected,
consumed, and managed through local customs and
knowledge.

BIBILOGRAPHY
www.dabur.com
www.google.com
www.thisismyindia.com
www.researchgate.net
www.youtube.com
THANK
U