Collection and Preservation of the Drugs

It is a very small topic as we think from modern sciences but in ayurveda a lot of description is found in various Samhitas. As in Susruta Samhita (su.36/5-6) the specifications of the ecological aspects of the land region are given. The characteristic feature of the land and region from where the herb is to be collected are mentioned. It gives us an idea about the land from which the collection of herbs must be done. The characteristic features of the appropriate land are as follows –

The land must be fertile and evenly spread. It must be far away from samshan (funeral place), vadhasthan (the place where persons are put to death this existed in the old times), it should not be acidic or alkaline in nature, must be covered with grass and the color of the soil must be black red or yellowish gray. Maharishi Charka has also mentioned the above stared criteria. (Charka 1/9.)

Again the features of the herb to be collected are described in details. The herb must have following properties.

It must be un infected
Must be undamaged by organisms like caterpillars or microbes
It must be free from the environmental effects like that of poison (as the pesticide effected vegetables), weapons (mutating conditions)
It must not be hampered by the climatic conditions and also form the sunlight (ultraviolet radiations) agni / fire.
It must be not taken from the roadside areas.
Only herbs having healthy structure long deep rooted and fully grown up must be collected..

In details the herbs must be collected after taking a bath and in poise state. One must wear white clothes for collecting the drugs. The drugs must be collected after praying to god, intellects and the Ashvini Kumars (Physician of God) keeping north or east facing posture. The above description is found in (Susruta su36/4) the scientific aspect of drug collection is explained in the charka Samhita. Charka Samhita states that following parameters to be kept in mind before collecting the drugs –

Kalaagatani- all drugs must be collected at proper times at the flourishing season of the particular drug/herb.
Sampoorana rasa pramana gandha- all drugs must be collected when they are in fully developed structure having all properties like rasa (taste), pramman (parts) and gandha (odor)
Againnit- all drugs that are collected must be free form any damages caused by seasonal/climatic conditions, radiations, insects and poison.

The collection of drugs according to charka is season dependent as in rainy season and spring season the stems and leaves must be collected in the summer season and the autumn (when the leaves are shading) roots must be collected. The bark sap and tuber some parts must be collected in the Sharad (autumn) season or the fall winter season. The flowers inner bark and fruits must be collected in their ripening times in any season.

Susruta followed the concept of collection of drugs as per their virya (temperament). He divided all the drugs into two categories agneya (hot tempered/characteristically bearing fire/hot type properties) and saumya (cold/ characteristically bearing jala / cold type properties).

Thus the collection of drugs must be made according to their virya. The ushna virya drugs must be collected in the addan kaala (seasons when sun is closer to the earth or summer seasons) from hot /temperate regions as Vindhya pradesh (presently the region of central India) again the sheet virya drugs in the visarga kaala (seasons when sun is far from the earth winter seasons) from cold region of Himalayas like cold places. Susruta specially mentioned about taking the bilva phala (wood apple fruit) in unripe condition.(46/209su.su.)

The details of praying and worships before collecting drugs are detailed into several other texts but that is not directly related with Bhaishajiya Kalpana. The preparation of ayurvedic medicines involves various parts of herbal drugs.

The following are the useful part of drugs. This topic is found in Sharangdahar samhita sangya prakaran1/69.it states abut the useful parts of drugs that are mainly.

Saar bhag (stem or inner bark)- Vijayasaar (Pterocarpus Marsupium), Khadir (Acacia catechu), Chandan (Santalum album) and Davadaru (Cedrus deodara)

Twak (Bark)- Vata (Ficus bengalensis), Nima ( Azadirachta indica), Pipal (Ficus religiosa) , Ashoka (Saraca asoca) and Varun ( Crataeva nurvala)

Phala (Fruit)- Amalaki (embilica oficinalis) and Draksha (Vitis vinifera)

Patara (Leaves)- Dhatki (Woodfordia fruticosa) , Kamal (Ludwigia palustris), Tallish (Valeriana), Tejapatr (Cinnamomum tamala) and Sanaya (Cassia auriculata)

Pushpa (flower) – Kamal (Ludwigia palustris), Lavanga (Sapindus mukorossi) and Gulab (Rosa Centifolia Linn)

Ksheer (sap)- Arka ( Capparis aphylla) and Doodhi (Wrightia arborea)

Vallai (creeper)- Gaduchi (Tinospora Cordifolia) ,Manjitha (Rubia cordifolia) and Amlavetas (Rheum spp).

Niryas (concentrated sap) –Hingu (Ferula foetida), Guggul(Commifera mukul) and Ahiphen (Papaver Latex).

Kanda (rhizome) – Varahi (Dolichus biflorus) and Rason (Allium sativum)

Mool (Root)- Mooli (Raphanus sativus ) and Pushkarmul (Inula racemosa).

Apart from this the dravya guna Shastra has all the detailing related with the useful parts of drugs needed for Bhaishajiya Kalpana.

References

Charka Samhita –vol 1&2 by Brmhananda Tripathi published by Chaukhambha Sur Bharti publications

Varanasi India

Sharangdhar Samhita by Brmhananda Tripathi published by Chaukhambha Sur Bharti publications

Varanasi India

Sushrut Samhita – vol 1,2&3 by Anantaram Sharma published by Chaukhambha Sur Bharti publications Varanasi India

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