Article: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF DRUG: DARUHARIDRA (BERBERIS ARISTATA DC.)

Article Category: Review articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.15252

Pages: 124-130

Author: Navdeep Kaur *, Pardeep Kapil, Ankita Goyal

Abstract: Ayurveda is an ancient life science that came 5000 years ago and is known as ‘the Mother of all healings’. Knowledge of Ayurveda enables one to understand how to create balance in one’s physical body, mind and consciousness. The Ayurvedic system of medicine has been prevalent in India since the Vedic period and as early as the dawn of human civilization. In Dravyaguna, all the Aushadhadravya (medicinal herbs) are mentioned that act on the body based on their rasa (taste), guna (property), veerya (potency), vipaaka (post-digestive effect) and prabhava (specific property). It includes knowledge of different Aushadhadravya (herbal plants), which could heal different ailments with their pharmacological actions. Crude drugs are the starting raw materials for manufacturing herbal medicines in all indigenous systems of medicine. Daruharidra (Berberis aristata DC.) is one such popular Aushadhadravya (herbal drug) in Ayurvedic literature, and it has been used globally for its aushadha karma (therapeutic properties). It has been mentioned in Vedas, and Brihattari later described it in Nighantus (glossaries of Ayurveda). It has different varieties. It is mainly used in Netraroga (eye disorders), Pandu (anaemia), Kushtha (skin disorders), Mutrakruccha (urinary disorders), Pratishyaya (cold), and Prameha (diabetes). Clinical and experimental studies show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory properties. This article deals with different aspects of Daruharidra (Berberis aristata DC.) and the contribution of different Acharyas towards it.

Keyword: Daruharidra (Berberis aristata DC.), Antioxidative, Anti-inflammatory, Hepatoprotective, Immunomodulator.