Introduction:

The Department of Dravya Guna is essentially involved with the research, teaching & training at undergraduate, post graduate and Ph. D. levels. Specific stress is laid on imparting scientific pharmacological basis of drugs originated from all natural sources viz. vegetative, animal, mineral and marine. In an era when neo-scientific world demands data based evidence bodies to substantiate and accept the millennia old facts of therapeutic benefits of the natural substances described in Ayurveda, the department recognizes and sincerely plays the leading role in creating scientific basis to rational ayurvedic therapeutics. The department deals with natural drug research in a synthetic manner by adopting both Ayurvedic and current scientific methods to generate globally acceptable data.

The Department is equipped with a highly sophisticated pharmacognosy & phytochemical laboratory with instruments like HPLC, Spectrophotometer to undertake analytical studies of the drug sample. Various aspects of flora are studied for exploring and determining their properties.

The Department maintains a demonstrative medicinal plant garden within the campus. The department has a National Repository of Genuine Drugs and a rich museum of dry drug samples.

During the year under report, 1 Professor, 1 Associate Professor and 3 Assistant Professors with other supporting technical and non-technical staff were working in the Department.

Aims and Objectives

1. To impart education of Under-Graduate, Post-Graduate and Ph.D. students about therapeutically used substances both at a fundamental and applied level.

2. To create evidence bodies for rational therapeutic with these natural substances.

3. To establish quality control parameters of natural therapeutic substances.

4. To undertake research in a synthetic manner so that the essence of Ayurveda gets global acceptance while maintaining its originality.

5. To produce quality researchers and teachers in the field of Ayurvedic drug research.

Achievements

Academic:

A) Under-Graduate Level: Theoretical & practical teaching of Dravyaguna, as per the prescribed curriculum of C.C.I.M and as adopted by Rajasthan Ayurveda University was provided in a comprehensive but simpler manner with inputs from the recent developments in natural drug research. The students were given live demo for better grasping at medicinal plants gardens both within the campus and off the campus in Jaipur. The students were also taken for a Vanaspati Parichaya Yatra to the state of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand which are known for its rich flora. Periodic class tests were held to keep the students continuously keen & attentive. The students were also encouraged to collect and prepare herbariums of important medicinal plants.

B) Post-Graduate Level: Department imparted teaching, training & practical guidance of Dravyaguna to PG students. More emphasis was given on clinical application of fundamental principles as well as on various ways of research methodology, their application and utility in Ayurveda. On the other hand, PG students of the respective Dept. were provided with proper learning, pronunciation, translation, explanation & expoundation of Basic texts as well as their various commentaries .The students of the Deptt. Actively participated and presented research works in the weekly seminars of the dept. Eminent persons in these seminars also delivered keynote lectures in the Department. Students also participated in different National and International Seminars during the reported year.

C) Ph.D. Level: Teaching, training and guidance were given to Ph.D. scholars on their subjects as per rules and directions of Rajasthan Ayurved University. Research works were also conducted.