Chyawanprash - From Vedic to Genomic Era

From the Jacket:

In the changing healthcare scenario, the role of ancient healthcare systems like Ayurveda is an emerging reality. Nonetheless, the practical revival and effective utilization of these ancient thought systems are possible only with a comprehensive and multi-dimensional understanding and needful alternations in the linguistics of concept, products and practices enumerated in these systems.

Chyawanprash is a classical Ayurvedic formulation. It imbibes all the philosophical and scientific virtues of Ayurveda. So do the rest of concepts, products and practices enumerated in Ayurveda. However Chyawanprash differs from rest of them on two accounts. Firstly, it underwent as a formulation, a rigorous scientific scrutiny employing widely acceptable tools of investigation. Secondly, it is backed by a phenomenal business success and popularity. Dabur has contributed a lot on both these accounts. Thus, Chyawanprash stands before us, as a convergence of philosophy, science and business with a tremendous application value. This book is designed to tell about Chyawanprash - excepting its well-known business dimensions.

From a simple perspective, the book in your hands is a monograph on an Ayurvedic formulation - Chyawanprash. The monograph summarizes in nutshell, all available information on Chyawanprash at one place. It traces the origins of Chyawanprash. Undertakes a review of its evolution comprising of modifications and value additions during various periods since its inception. It further, details on the prevailing levels of scientific understanding on this age-old formulation. The work reviews a gamut of experimental and clinical studies on Chyawanprash starting from its anabolic effects to its role as a genoprotective agent. Thus, pooling all knowledge on Chyawanprash starting from ancient ages to the current genomic era.

Nonetheless, this book goes beyond its contents by spirit. It is designed to bring about a consensus on a needful direction for revival of Ayurveda. Every concept, product and practice of Ayurveda can be and should be subject to a holistic understating in terms of both the original and prevailing linguistics. This understanding should be brought into play, to acquire a rightful place in global market, which is a reality today. Chyawanprash is a working example to every individual and organization associated with revival of Ayurveda at emotional, scientific and business levels. Its message is to "loot at Ayurveda as a dynamic science rather than stagnant knowledge."

Chyawanprash from Vedic to Genomic Era is the outcome of teamwork.

About the Author:

The Author, Prof. JK Ojha is an eminent scholar in Ayurveda and is associated with Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Science. BHU, Varanasi. He is an acknowledged authority in the field of Dravyaguna. Dr. Ojha was instrumental in conduction one of the earliest studies on Chyawanprash encompassing pharmaceutical, pharmacological and clinical studies and compiling the same in the form of a book. In recent years too, Prof. Ojha undertook another round of scientific studies on Chyawanprash while working as Dean, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University.

The editorial team is lead by Dr. N.B. Brindavanam. He is a graduate in Ayurveda and backed by multidimensional professional experience. Other members of editorial team hail from varied professional background. Dr. CK Katiyar is a pharmacologist, Dr. Nilanjana is a medical doctor, Mr. RM Dobriyal is a botanist while, Dr. DBA Narayana is a pharmacist. Thus, the editorial team is truly multidisciplinary in its composition. Every one of them had close professional association with Chyawanprash during their career. And each of them had a defined responsibility in ensuring authenticity and precision of information collated in this work.

of Ayurveda, Chyawanprash remains outstanding. It imbibes all philosophical and scientific brilliance of ancient Indian scholars. The formulation enjoyed in the Indian history, a magnificent status of being placed at par with other immortals like Sun, Moon, Himalayas etc. Due to these very philosophical and scientific virtues, Charaka Samhita covers Chyawanprash among foremost formulations listed in Chapter-I of Chikitsasthana.

Chyawanprash is consumed with same degree of enthusiasm. Since the days of its known inception dating back to 1500 BC to the age of technology - it remained in the hearts of Indian common-folk irrespective of political, cultural and scientific upheavals.

Truth is immortal and science is only a tool to discover the truth. Therefore, a factual truth can be measured employing any sort of scientific yardstick. The realistic method of discovering a truth involves three components viz. the intentions, the perceptions and the interpretations. Unless these three components work in harmony and without a bias, the factual truth can't be discovered in its pure form. Chyawanprash as a formulation is an existing phenomenon. And it is a factual phenome- non standing before us, through ages - as a matter of reality. But this reality needs an understanding and interpretation in terms of prevalent thought processes. The present book is purposely written to bring about a factual information on Chyawanprash - comprehended and interpreted in the day's language, i.e. the language of modern science.

A monograph on Chyawanprash was first published during 1978 by the Author. This work covered the earlier attempts to understand Chyawanprash on scientific footing and the outcome of such an enthusiasm. That enthusiasm continued even during later decades. The present work is an attempt to sum-up all the developments in understanding Chyawanprash.

The contents of this work are dispensed under the following sequence:

1. Antiquity of Chyawanprash
2. Ingredients of Chyawnprash
3. Pharmaceutical Aspects of Chyawanprash
4. Pharmacology of Chyawanprash
5. Clinical Studies on Chyawanprash

While Chyawanprash is one singular formulation, variations are seen in its constituent herbs in different texts of Ayurveda. We have reviewed these variations critically and tried to elicit the rationale for such variations brought-in, at different time points of history.

Undoubtedly, there exists a cultural trust on the health benefits of Chyawanprash. At the same time, such trust is not free from myths and apprehensions. Use of Chyawanprash during non-winter seasons is viewed with apprehensions. These perceptions relate to a reduced efficacy or increased risk of adverse effects. We have undertaken both experimental including long-term toxicity and clinical studies to ascertain the extent of truth in these prevalent perceptions.

The book in your hand covers the outcome of these investigations too. It is not out of place to acknowledge the role of M/s Dabur India Limited in taking the benefits of Chyawanprash to the doorstep of masses in this country. The company has been allocating regularly, sizable resources to validate the health benefits of Chyawanprash using acceptable scientific parameters. An enormous marketing endeavor goes from Dabur, to disseminate the health benefits of Chyawanprash so discovered from time to time. Over a period of time Dabur became synonymous to Chyawanprash. So much so, an enthusiastic researcher anywhere in the world today, naturally looks at Dabur for supply of Chyawanprash samples needed for any type of investigation.

When an elnlarged version of this work is proposed, the author approached Dabur Research Foundation to provide the experimental, clinical and other relevant information available with them for review and coverage to an appropriate extent, in this work. Their help came through instantly .A part of these unpublished works is also reviewed and covered as deemed fit for the contents of this work. The author wishes to place on record, his sincere gratitude for their positive gesture in this regard.

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