Coalescence of traditional medicine Ayurveda and in silico technology is a rigor for supplementary development of future-ready effective traditional medicine. Ayurveda is a popular traditional medicine in South Asia, emanating worldwide for the treatment of metabolic disorders and chronic illness. Techniques of in silico biology are not much explored for the investigation of a variety of bioactive phytochemicals of Ayurvedic herbs. Drug repurposing, reverse pharmacology, and polypharmacology in Ayurveda are areas in silico explorations that are needed to understand the rich repertoire of herbs, minerals, herbo-minerals, and assorted Ayurvedic formulations. This review emphasizes exploring the concept of Ayurveda with in silico approaches and the need for Ayurinformatics studies. It also provides an overview of in silico studies done on phytoconstituents of some important Ayurvedic plants, the utility of in silico studies in Ayurvedic phytoconstituents/formulations, limitations/challenges, and prospects of in silico studies in Ayurveda. This article discusses the convergence of in silico work, especially in the least explored field of Ayurveda. The focused coalesce of these two domains could present a predictive combinatorial platform to enhance translational research magnitude. In nutshell, it could provide new insight into an Ayurvedic drug discovery involving an in silico approach that could not only alleviate the process of traditional medicine research but also enhance its effectiveness in addressing health care.
Network Pharmacology ; Medicine, Traditional ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Drug Discovery/methods* ; Delivery of Health Care

Nano-ayurvedic medicine is an emerging field in which nanoparticles are functionalized with active principles of potent ayurvedic herbs to enhance their efficacy and target-specific delivery. Scientific advances in the past couple of decades have revealed the molecular mechanisms behind the anticancer potential of several ayurvedic herbs, attributed chiefly to their secondary metabolites including polyphenols and other active substances. With the advancement of nanotechnology, it has been established that size-, shape-, and surface-chemistry-optimized nanoparticles can be utilized as synergizing carriers for these phytochemicals. Nano-ayurvedic medicine utilizes herbs that are commonly used in Ayurveda to functionalize different nanoparticles and thereby enhance their potency and target specificity. Studies have shown that the active phytochemicals of such herbs can be coated onto the nanoparticles of different metals, such as gold, and that they work more efficiently than the free herbal extract, for example, in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. Recently, an Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH)-based clinical trial in humans indicated the anticancer potential of such formulations. Nano-ayurvedic medicine is emerging as a potential treatment option for hyperproliferative diseases.
Humans ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Homeopathy ; Naturopathy ; Yoga ; Neoplasms/drug therapy*

Traditional medicine systems around the globe, like Unani, Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, include a number of sugar-based formulations, which contain a large amount of saccharide-containing sweetener, such as honey, sucrose or jaggery. With pervasive lifestyle disorders throughout the world, there have been discussions to consider alternative sweetening agents. Here, from the perspective of Unani medicine, we discuss how the saccharide-based sweeteners may be an essential component of these traditional preparations, like electuaries, which may be deprived of their bioactivities without these saccharides. With contemporary researches, it is known that apart from their own therapeutic effects, saccharides also form deep eutectic solvents which help in enhancing the bioactivity of other ingredients present in crude drugs. In addition, they provide energy for fermentation which is essential for biotransformation of compounds. Interestingly, the sugars also increase the shelf-life of these compound drugs and act as natural preservatives. On the basis of this review, we strongly believe that saccharide-based sweeteners are an essential component of traditional medicines and not merely an excipient.
Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Medicine, Traditional ; Medicine, Unani ; Sugars ; Sweetening Agents

Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; COVID-19/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Medicine, Ayurvedic/methods* ; Plants, Medicinal ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Spices

Betacoronavirus ; physiology ; Complementary Therapies ; Coronavirus Infections ; therapy ; Homeopathy ; Humans ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; therapy

The term Kriyakala refers to the recognition of the stage of a disease's progress, which helps to determine appropriate measure to correct the imbalance in Doshas (biological factors). It is a compound expression, comprised of Kriya and Kala, where Kriya means the choice to treatment (medicine, food and daily-routine) used to improve the disturbance in Doshas, and Kala refers to the stage of progress of a disease. Sushruta, an ancient Indian surgeon, has described the concept of Kriyakala in Varnaprashnadhyaya, an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, which seeks to explain the incidence of Varnas in terms of Doshic disturbances. Varna, in modern parlance, may be described as an inflammatory process that may lead ulceration and chronic inflammation, promoting all stages of carcinogenesis. Abnormal interactions between Prakriti (genotype) and environmental factors vitiate the Doshas and impair immunity, which can lead to aberrant cell growth and cancer. Moreover, the interaction between vitiated Doshas and weak Dhatus (body tissues) manifests as cancers of a specific organ. Shatkriyakala (six stages of progress of a disease), on the other hand, provides a framework to assess the cancer and its pathogenesis in different stages. According to Ayurvedic concepts, all cancer therapies treat the affected tissues indirectly by eliminating vitiated Doshas, rejuvenating Dhatus and restoring immunity in cancer patients. The present review describes the six stages of Shatkriyakala in detail, with an emphasis on research areas to validate the concept of Shatkriyakala. This traditional knowledge can be utilized with modern technologies to detect predisposition for cancer or diagnose cancer in its early stages.
Early Detection of Cancer ; Humans ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neoplasms ; etiology ; therapy

Nearly nothing is known of medicine in ancient Korea due to insufficient materials. With several extant prescriptions and esoteric methods of treating diseases alone, it is impossible to gauge in depth the management of medicine during this period. If one exception were to be cited, that would be the fact that the annotations for understanding the contents on Indian medicine in the “Chapter on Eliminating Disease” in the Sutra of Golden Light, a Buddhist sutra originating from India, reflected the medical knowledge of Buddhist monks from Silla (新羅, 57 BC-935 AD) who were active immediately after the nation's unification of the two other kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula (668 AD) such as Wonhyo (元曉, 617-686 AD), Gyeongheung (憬興, 620?-700? AD), and Seungjang (勝莊, 684-? AD). Along with those by other monks, these annotations are collected in the Mysterious Pivot of the Sutra of Golden Light (金光明經最勝王經玄樞), which was compiled by Gangyō(願曉, 835-871 AD), a Japanese monk from the Heian era (平安, 794-1185 AD). Representative versions of the “Chapter on Eliminating Disease” in the Sutra of Golden Light include: a classical Chinese translation by the Indian monk Dharmakṣema (曇無讖, 385-433 AD); the eight-volume edition by Chinese monk Baogui (寶貴), which differs little from the preceding work in terms of the contents of the “Chapter on Eliminating Disease”; and the ten-volume edition by Yijing (義淨, 635-713 AD), who had full-fledged knowledge of Indian medicine. When the contents of the annotations thus collected are examined, it seems that Wonhyo had not been aware of the existence of the ten-volume edition, and Gyeongheung and Seungjang most certainly used the ten-volume edition in their annotations as well. Especially noteworthy are Wonhyo's annotations on the Indian medical knowledge found in the “Chapter on Eliminating Disease” in the Sutra of Golden Light. Here, he made a bold attempt to link and understand consistently even discussions on Indian and Buddhist medicine on the basis of the traditional East Asian medical theory centering on the yin-yang (陰陽) and five phases (五行, wuxing). In accordance with East Asia's theory of the seasonal five phases, Wonhyo sought to explain aspects of Indian medicine, e.g., changes in the four great elements (四大, catvāri mahā-bhūtāni) of earth, water, fire, and wind according to seasonal factors and their effect on the internal organs; patterns of diseases such as wind (vāta)-induced disease, bile (pitta)-induced disease, phlegm (śleṣman)-induced disease, and a combination (saṃnipāta) of these three types of diseases; pathogenesis due to the indigestion of food, as pathological mechanisms centering on the theory of the mutual overcoming (相克, xiangke) of the five phases including the five viscera (五藏, wuzang), five flavors (五味, wuwei), and five colors (五色, wuse). They existed in the text contents on Indian medicine, which could not be explicated well with the existing medical knowledge based on the theory of the five phases. Consequently, he boldly modified the theory of the five phases in his own way for such passages, thus attempting a reconciliation, or harmonization of disputes (和諍, hwajaeng), of the two medical systems. Such an attempt was even bolder than those by earlier annotators, and Wonhyo's annotations came to be accepted by later annotators as one persuasive explanation as well. In the case of Gyeongheung and Seungjang, who obtained and examined the ten-volume edition, a new classical Chinese translation produced following Wonhyo's death, annotated the “Chapter on Eliminating Disease” based on their outstanding proficiency in Sanskrit and knowledge of new Indian and Buddhist medicine. This fact signifies that knowledge of the eight arts (八術) of Ayurvedic medicine in India was introduced into Silla around the early 8th century. The medical knowledge of Wonhyo, Gyeongheung, and Seungjang demonstrates that intellectual circles in contemporary Silla were arenas in which not only traditional East Asian medicine as represented by works such as the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor (黃帝內經, Huangdi Neijing) but also Indian medicine of Buddhism coexisted in almost real time.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bile ; Buddhism ; Dissent and Disputes ; Dyspepsia ; Fires ; History of Medicine* ; Humans ; India ; Korea* ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Monks ; Prescriptions ; Seasons ; Viscera ; Water ; Wind ; Yin-Yang

OBJECTIVEAyurvedic formulations are preferred over other formulations as well as commercialized on broad level to treat various ailments. The World Health Organization has established certain guidelines for quality control of heavy metals and pesticide residues. Bacopa monnieri, a popular herb with immunomodulator and memory-enhancing properties is the chief constituent of several Ayurvedic formulations, which include Brahmi Vati (BV), Brahmi Ghrita (BG) and Saraswat Churna (SC), etc. In view of the World Health Organization guidelines, two products of each formulation from six different manufacturers were purchased from Ayurvedic Pharmacy, Bulanala-Varanasi, India for testing heavy metal and pesticide residue.

METHODSIn the present study, all the formulations--BV, BG and SC--were selected for estimation of four heavy metals namely lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) by a plasma emission spectrophotometer. Organochlorine pesticidal residues were estimated for dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane, isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and α-endosulfan, etc. in total 12 samples of test formulations containing Bacopa monnieri L. using gas chromatography technique.

RESULTSOut of 12 samples, Pb, Cd, Cr and Ni were present in all samples but below the permissible limit. Although atrazine, aldrin, dialdrin were in below detection limit, but other pesticides were detected in some samples as oxamyl, hexachlorocyclohexanes (α-HCH, β-HCH and γ-HCH), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene.

CONCLUSIONThe presence of heavy metals in the formulations was low to cause toxicity. However evaluation of heavy metals and pesticide residue in every batch is necessary.

Bacopa ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; Pesticides ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study and compare the conventional extraction procedure with microwave assisted extraction (MAE) for some Ayurvedic Rasayana drugs and to evaluate their antioxidant potential and carry out the characterization of extracts by thin layer chromatography.

METHODSThree Ayurvedic rasayana plants Allium sativum Linn., Bombax ceiba Linn. and Inula racemosa Hook. were evaluated for an improved MAE methodology by determining the effects of grinding degree, extraction solvent, effect of dielectric constant and duration of time on the extractive value. Antioxidant potential of all three drugs was evaluated with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing power was determined by using Gallic acid as standard. Further thin layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis was performed on pre-activated Silica Gel G plates and Rf value were compared with those reported for the important biomarkers.

RESULTSThe total extractive value for Allium sativum Linn. was 36.95% (w/w) and 49.95% (w/w) for ethanol extraction respectively. In case of Bombax ceiba Linn. the yield of aqueous extract by MAE was 50% (w/w) compared to 42% (w/w) in ethanol (50% v/v). Percent yield of Inula racemosa Hook. in aqueous extract was found to be 27.55% (w/w) which was better than ethanol extract (50%) where the yield was 25.95% (w/w). Upon antioxidant activity evaluation. sativum extract showed an absorbance of 0.980±0.92 at concentration of 500 μg with maximum reducing capacity. This was followed by. ceiba Linn. 0.825±0.98 and. racemosa Hook. with 0.799±2.01 at a concentration of 500 μg. TLC based standardization of. sativum Linn. extract shows single spot with Rf value of 0.38, B. ceiba Linn. extract shows Rf values were 0.23, 0.58, 0.77, 0.92 and I. racemosa Hook. extract spot had a Rf value of 0.72.

CONCLUSIONSA significant improvement in extractive values was observed as a factor of time and other advantages by using MAE technology. All three drugs have high antioxidant potential and a TLC profiling similar to reported ones. The presence of fructan type polysaccharide can be further utilized for bioactivity directed fractionation and evaluation of immunomodulatory activity.

Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Biphenyl Compounds ; chemistry ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; methods ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Microwaves ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; isolation & purification ; Picrates ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Solvents ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of the present study was to evaluate the nephroprotective and antioxidant properties of Triphala against bromobenzene-induced nephrotoxicity in female Wistar albino rats.

METHODSAnimals were divided into five groups of six rats and treated as follows: Group I was a normal control and received no treatment, Group II received only bromobenzene (10 mmol/kg), Groups III and IV received bromobenzene and Triphala (250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively), Group V received Triphala alone (500 mg/kg), and Group VI received bromobenzene and silymarin (100 mg/kg). Antioxidant status and serum kidney functional markers were analyzed.

RESULTSBromobenzene treatment resulted in significant (P< 0.05) decreases in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase as well as total reduced glutathione. There was a significant (P< 0.05) increase in lipid peroxidation in kidney tissue homogenates. There were significant (P< 0.05) reductions in the levels of serum total protein and albumin as well as significant (P< 0.05) increases in serum creatinine, urea and uric acid. The oral administration of two different doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) of Triphala in bromobenzene-treated rats normalized the tested parameters. The histopathological examinations of kidney sections of the experimental rats support the biochemical observations.

CONCLUSIONTriphala treatment alleviated the nephrotoxic effects of bromobenzene by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes and reducing the levels of lipid peroxidation and kidney functional markers.

Acute Kidney Injury ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Bromobenzenes ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Kidney ; metabolism ; pathology ; Kidney Function Tests ; Medicine, Ayurvedic ; Phyllanthus emblica ; Plant Preparations ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Structures ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silymarin ; pharmacology ; Terminalia ; Treatment Outcome