Abstract

Karnam Chandrashekhar*

ABSTRACT

Treatment in Ayurveda is largely depends on the preparations containing botanicals. Many a times, it is observed that different parts of the same plant are used for treating different conditions. Each botanical of a plant produces a particular set of pharmacological actions. They are important not only because they represent their respective plants but also they contain optimum potency to generate a whole bunch of pharmacological activities in the human body. Among all the botanicals mentioned in Ayurveda, niryasa (resinous substance) secreted from a plant is unique in its own way. The reason behind it is the way how it is formed and secreted. The other parts of the plant such as root, leaf, fruit etc. are the anatomical parts of the plant. They are grown as part of the developmental process of the plant. But, the resinous substance is formed either as result of a stimulus or a degenerative process. In both the case, it protects the plant`s health and promotes its survival. The secreted resinous substance heals the wound caused by the injury, tries to kill the pathogens and covers the wounded surface. This fact is well taken by the age old medical science which considers the niryasa (resinous substance) as the useful part for therapeutics. This study reveals 34 plant species that secrete niryasa of special importance.