ATIVISHA AS A DRUG OF CHOICE IN PEDIATRIC AILMENTS
Dr. Pushkar Shekhar Badhe* and Dr. Harshal Chandrakant Bhirud
.
Abstract
Ayurveda strives to maintain a person's senility by extending healthy
life spans in terms of mental, physical, spiritual, and social health as
well as by preventing diseases. When we discuss Ayurveda, we must
give thanks to the countless plants and herbs found in nature that are
being used for therapeutic purposes and sustaining its very existence
purpose. Throughout ancient times, India has served as the birthplace
of phytomedicine. The availability of modern spectroscopic methods
of structural determination have heralded a new era in organic natural
product chemistry, In the past the difficulty isolable micro constituents
were seldom investigated. As a result of this, minor constituents of
physiological importance in a plant remained unidentified. These days,
however, a complete analysis, of a plant material can readily be accomplished. Today, a
number of plants are used in different Indian system of medicine. The conventional medicine
is also using a lot of plant derived chemicals as therapeutic agents but there is a need to
further evaluate different uses of these medicinal plants which are concealed in Ayurveda
treatise. The aim of this study is to collect and evaluate different medicinal properties of
Ativisha with special reference to its importance in childhood ailments. Aconitum
heterophyllum proved to be a milestone drug in various children's diseases therefore famous
in Ayurvedic physicians as Shishu Bhaishjya. Recent research revealed that Ativisha exhibits
various activities like anti-bacterial, antipyretic, anti-microbial, immune-modulatory, etc. Due
to these multitasking qualities, it is a drug of great interest in children's diseases. As Ativisha
is considered an endangered species, therefore Mustaka (Cyperus rotundus) is used as its
Pratinidhi Dravya (Substitute).It is a highly valuable drug and is mentioned in different
Ayurvedic literatures like Brihadtrayee, Laghutrayee, Chikitsagrantha and Nighantus.
Keywords: Ativisha, Brihadtrayee, Sishubhaishajaya, Aconitum heterophyllum.
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