Pharmaceutical Considerations in Ancient Indian Surgery- Based on Chapters 28-46 of Sutra-Sthana of Susruta Samhita: Part-2 (An Old and Rare Book)

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Foreword With deep gratitude I accepted a proposal of Dr. G. D. Singhal to write a short foreword to Pharmaceutical Considerations in Ancient Indian Surgery'. All the published volumes of this series have attracted much attention and have received a high appraisal of those who are dealing with the history of medicine.

I do it with a special pleasure because medical relations between the people of India and the Russian people began centuries ago. A famous Russian traveler Afanasiy Nikitin (2nd half of the XV century) in his travel notes Voyage Beyond Three Seas' described the mode of life, diseases and drugs in India at that time. In old Russian medical books we often find references to Indian drugs of vegetable, animal and mineral origin.

This new volume of the Ancient Indian Surgery series deals with the use of pharmaceutical substances in the traditional Indian Surgery. I had an opportunity to read the book before its publication.

I would like to point the great value of the contents of the book, its diversity, well grounded medical views on drugs and methods of their application. For the first time the unique experience of traditional Indian medicine and the famous Treatise of Susruta in such details and so perfectly scientifically interpreted is handed to physicians and research workers.

Preface The documented history of drugs in India goes back to the period of Rgveda though the traditional use of drugs may be traced further lack. The life of the primitive man was imbibed with forest culture and it was but natural that he started using plant materials as diet and drugs in health and disease. Later on he also tried animal products and minerals found in the nature. From constant observations of the effects of the above materials they formulated some concepts so as to interpret them logically. They also classified the drugs according to botanical characters, properties and uses. Gradually this science was developed to a considerable level and the drug was studied in various details such as nomenclature (nama ), identity (rupa), properties (guna), actions (karma) and uses (prayoga). The dosage, parts used, collection and storage, and pharmaceutical processing were also evolved. By the time of Caraka and Susruta (1000 B. C.) all this was completed which testifies the age old and at the san e time dynamic character of the science of drugs in Ayurveda.

The fundamental basis of Ayurveda is the Panca-Maha- bhutas, and Dravyaguna is no exception to this. The body is composed of these Mahabhutas and, on the other band, other physical materials like drugs and diet has also similar composition. The effects of drugs and diet are nothing but interaction of these Mahabhatas. Therefore, primarily the drugs have been classified into five groups as Parthiva, Apya, Taljas, Vayava and Akasty.

Drugs have also been grouped as dosa-prasamana (pacifying dojas), dhanu-predisana (deranging dhanis) and svarthaila (maintaining homoeostasis).

Introduction The 'Pharmaceutical Considerations in Ancient Indian Surgery' contains Chapters 28-46 of Sutra-Sthanas, the first canto of Susruta Samhits. The previous chapters 1-27 of Sutra-sthana are contained in the Fundamental & Plastic Surgery Considerations in Ancient Indian Surgery.

**Contents and Sample Pages**