A LOOK INTO THE CONTRIBUTION OF RAJA NIGHANTU, AN AYURVEDIC LEXICON OF 14 TH CENTURY AD, TOWARDS DRUG SAFETY

摘要

Pharmacovigilance is a basic and fundamental concept which plays an important role in assessing drug safety in any system of medicine. There is need to boost the drug safety concepts already noted in the classical texts of Ayurveda including all the possible adverse reactions and consequences of medicines when they are either prepared or used inappropriately during clinical practice. Nighantus (lexicons) of Dravyaguna are the best evidence for the illustration of above lines. In the present review, an attempt has been made to emphasize the contra-indications and possible adverse effects caused by inappropriate administration of certain medicinal drugs documented in Raja nighantu. About 845 drugs of different origin are mentioned in various chapters of Raja nighantu. When the different varieties of the drug are excluded, it is found that, about 698 drugs of plant, animal and mineral origin are mentioned under 11 different Vargas (groups). Among these, 240 drugs along with food items have been found for their possible adverse drug reactions, if consumed wrongly or against regular protocol. The description of adverse reactions is mainly based on imbalance of Dosha, Dhatu and Mala. The present review reports the possible adverse effects due to improper administration of certain drugs and dietetic items. These mentioned possible risks of adverse effect can be minimized by adopting various guidelines and instructions mentioned in the classical texts.