Therapeutic review on panduharadravyas (drugs for anaemia) from nighantus

Summary of article contents:

Ayurveda, one of the oldest recorded medical systems in the world has its own system of classification of diseases and has used certain terminology to describe the drugs which are indicated for the management of various diseases. For this purpose certain technical terms are being suffixed with term in hara, ghna, nashaka, jit etc. which literary means to compact, counteract, overcome etc. Panduroga(~Anaemia), one among various disease condition described in Ayurveda is effectively compared with anaemia on the ground of its similar signs and symptoms. Anaemia one of the more common blood disorders occurs when the level of healthy red blood cells in the body becomes too low. Classical texts of Ayurveda describe drugs which have potency to compact its desire condition. These texts describe these drugs with following actions like; with Pandu(~Anaemia), Panduta, Pandutva, Panduroga, Pandughna, Pandujit, Pandunut, Pandugada, Pandvmaya, Panduhat and Pandushamana properties. 135 drugs were reported to their Panducombatting action in different 15 Nighantus, which 70 are of herbal, 28 are mineral, 15 are of animal origin and 22 are other drugs. Further, the reported haematinic activities of the drugs were reviewed from the available literature.