Ayurvidye Trust, Bengaluru has released a book on Good Ayurvedic Therapy Practices which is a therapy manual for ancient Ayurveda treatment and pancha-karma. The authors are Dr. Arun B. Jainer, Ayurveda clinician and Dr. DBA Narayana, pharma consultant.

Good Ayurvedic Therapy Practices provides a detailed account of the primary ayurvedic therapies of traditional Ayurveda, particularly in Kerala, in use and helpful today. It gives detailed and well-illustrated information as to how to apply these therapies in a modern clinical setting and relative to the concerns of patients today. Notably the book provides extensive information on pancha karma procedures, but also mentions many other helpful related therapies.

The book has 3 sections. While the first section deals with therapies, the second covers on resources and research and the third covers a number of annexures.

Part 1 has detailed procedures and steps to perform 29 ayurvedic therapies in a format that resembles a standard operating procedure (SOP) commonly adopted in pharma or food companies. These have been carefully called as common working procedures and guidelines which include aspects of responsibility and accountability. Many of these procedures have useful illustrations. All therapy practices for each of the 29 therapies covered provide materials required, benefits, indications, contra indication, preferred oils or powders to be used and provides format to document any changes made to the common working procedure.

Part 2 of the book deals with resources and research related to ayurvedic therapy and its administration. Chapter 30 is a visionary documentation on human resource development for Paricharaka/Paricharika in Ayurveda and highlights the need for proper training of the ‘masseurs’.

Authors have provided in chapter 33 a short review of research and their results conducted on a number of ayurvedic therapies in India and abroad. Studies conducted on medicated oils provide information on the dosage form of Ayurveda.

Part 3 though an annexure is a store house of useful information. Annexure 1, extending to almost 47 pages a list of post graduate or PhD thesis research conducted in India for various therapies duly acknowledging the source of information.

The 334 pages book is priced at, Price: Rs.700 for India and US$ 50 for overseas is a manual of both ayurvedic clinical treatment and management. It is a valuable companion for ayurvedic. practitioners in India and abroad, ayurvedic colleges should procure copies of this book. Since therapies are not currently regulated under the Drugs Regulations for Ayurveda, organisations like Quality Council of India should consider taking up the part 1 and part 2 of this book and adopting them with or without modifications as SOPs while certifying the therapy centers and ayurvedic hospitals, said Dr. Narayana.