The harvest management studies on an improved lemongrass strain Jor Lab L2, were carried out at the farm of regional research Laboratory Jorhat during 1991-94. The crop was harvested at 60,70,80,90 and 100 days interval. Maximum oil yield was obtained when harvested at 90 days interval. The citral content ranged from 88 to 90% irrespective of crop age and harvesting schedule. Harvesting time has an important bearing on oil yield in Jor Lab L2.

A myth in Matsyapurana (Bhagawan Narayana in the form of the body on Banyan leaf) conveys a logical message that being autotrophs, plants alone can provide shelter to the human race baffled by the complexities of creation and dissolution.

The genus Trigonella is an annual plant distributed in the Mediterranean region and it comprises several species. The present report deals with the dietary, medicinal, biochemical biological and various pharmacological properties.

The paper deals with the common edible fruit yielding plants, During the course of medicinal plant survey of shevaroy hills of Eastern ghats. Salem district, Tamil Nadu. Thirty species belonging to 23 genera and 21 families yield edible fruits. They are listed in alphabetical order followed by family, common name and Tamil names.

This paper presents an account of the origin of Kattunayakas , one of the tribes of the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.

The non-availability of reliable and standardized drugs, their high cost, and ambiguity in the identity of the ingredients used are a few of the major problems encountered today in the utilization of compound drugs in Ayurveda. There is thus an urgent need to reemphasize the use of single plant drug formulations recorded in the classical texts. The present study is an attempt to list out all the single plant drugs mentioned in the treatment of various Netrarogas from the classical texts of Ayurveda and to fix their proper botanical identity. The study of 7 classical texts has revealed that there are 41 single plant drugs in 80 preparations for treating 9 lakshanas and 29 rogas. They have been correlated with their botanical identities based on nomenclature correlation studies published over the last century. The drugs are arranged alphabetically with their botanical names, habit, indications, parts used, method of preparation, mode of administration and the reference, A primary analysis has also been made on the nomenclature, qualities and applications of the drugs.

The ayurvedic proprietary antacid preparations available in the Indian market were analysed for their antacid activity and compared with allopathic antacid preparations. This study urges the need for standardization of antacid products with in vitro  parameters.

Various strength of alcohol were utilized for the preparation of tincture of asparagus racemosus roots by maceration for 7, 14 and 21 days. 50% (V/V) alcohol after 21 days of maceration showed maximum yield of total solid. The tinctures were evaluated by studying their different physico-chemical characteristics along with thin-Layer chromatography.

Ayurveda is gaining popularity in European countries. Because of the unique curative properties, Pancakarma is being sought by many. However, there are some limitations in its application to western people. These points are highlighted in this article.

Ativisha (Aconitum heterophyllum wall) of family Ranunculaceae is an Ayurvedic herb which is known for its important medical properties. The roots of the plant find use in one form or the other in various ayurvedic preparations and, therefore, an attempt has been made to review the various studied carried out in its chemistry as well as pharmacology.

Hypoglycaemic activity of shilajeet and Yashada Bhasma was determined in normoglycaemic and alloxanized rats. Significant activity was observed in the treated groups. However, the activity was found to be comparatively milder in shilajatu treated rats compared to Yashada bhasma treated rats.

whole part and mother tincture of Ammi majus were chemically analyzed for setting the standards in Homoeopathic system of medicine. Extractive value, Ash value, TLC UV study and the absorbance spectra in the range of 200-500 nm can be taken as parameters to fix standards.

The presence of vesicular – arbuscular mycorrhizae in the roots of Kaempferia galangal is reported in the article.

Callus cultures were induced from leaf segments of Cephaelis ipecacuanha on modified gamborg medium containing 2,4 – dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2mg/1) Indole acetic acid (1mg/1), kinetin (1mg/1) and sucrose (20g/1). The biogenetic profile for alkaloids was established. The established callus cultures were transferred to modified gamborg medium supplemented with L- DOPA (40 mg/1) and L methionine (3mg/1). After four weeks of their growth, the biomass and medium were extracted for emetine alkaloid and analysed by HPLC. The bioproduction of emetine was found to be extracellular in nature. The emetine content had increased to 0.587% mg FW as compared to control cultured (0.0245% mg FW).

The physical and chemical characteristics differ depending upon the pharmaceutical processing of medicated oils. These changes eventually influence the actions of these medicaments this particular aspect is highlighted in this article.

Nowadays many drug industries are manufacturing a number of oil formulations and which are not assessable to know the specific Pakas (stage) of oil preparation. In Ayurveda five stages have been mentioned for medicated oils, these Ama, Mridu, Madhya Khara and Dadgha Paka, Medicated oils obtained by Mridu, Madhya Khara and Dadgha Paka, are considered to be of therapeutic value and are advocated for clinical usage but those obtained by Ama and Dadgha pakas are not recommended. Most of the pharmacies are marketing the oils only by name but are not mentioning the Paka. In order to standardize these pakas with scientific explanation a oil preparation called Ksheerabala taila is selected for the study.

The formulation of polyherbal hair care powders was attempted in our laboratories. There formulation (A-C) were found to be ideal and evaluation of these formulations is reported here.

Sodhana is a particular aspect to be followed meticulously in ayurvedic pharmaceutics. Failure to subject certain ingredients to this process of "purification" can have a negative effect on the efficacy of the preparations(s). This aspect is detail in this article.

The effect of the indigenous drug Picrorhiza kurrooa Benth was studied on experimental acute inflammation in rats. It was observed that Picrorhiza kurrooa at a dose of 100 mg/kg b.w. has significant (p<0.01) anti inflammatory effect with respect to control, vehicle and standard drug.

Our body needs food everyday that supplies all the nutrients in required amount to keep the body healthy. But eating of food sometimes gets affected by socio- cultural factors that condition the dietary habits of the people which contribute significantly to nutritional deprivation in the communities, these faulty feeding habits arising from ignorance, superstitions, and social prejudices have bee so strongly entrenched that it is very difficult to dislodge them from the community in which malnutrition aggravates.

Vitex genera is reputed for their medicinal properties. Of the 12 species reported to be present in Indian only 8 species are medicinally useful. Of these six species were colled and their pharmacognostic characters were studied and described.

The plant Lippia nodiflora (Family-Verbenaceae) has medicinal properties and particularly used as an antidandruff agent. The essential oil of the plant was tested for its antibacterial activity against both gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. It showed good activity and compared with standard neomycin sulphate. However, it was inactive in the case of shigella flexneri.

The traditional medical system of cuba is an amalgam so the medical knowledge of the Africans, Hispanics and the Amerindians of cuba. An attempt is made is this article to provide a short introduction to this fascinating body of knowledge, which awaits further investigations by scholars of ethnic medicine.

Plants used for curdling of milk practiced by kollimalayalis, the tribes of kolli, hills, Salem District, Tamil Nadu are discussed.

Samples of marketed Lauha bhasma from different manufactures were evaluated chemically. Apart from the 81 -85% iron content, the 15-19% other constituents were determined therein. Ferrous ferric and total iron in a single aliquot were determined spectrophotometrically, Qualitative and chromatographic analysis indicate the presence of sodium, potassium, calcium copper and cobalt in the samples, silicious matter and traces of ascorbic acid were present while tannin was absent in Lauha bhasma . Quantitatively sodium and potassium were determined by flame spectrometry. Upon fractionation, water soluble and acid soluble contents were determined.