AYURVEDIC MEDICATED SMOKING: PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATION

Smoking is injurious for health but it is specifically mentioned for tobacco. Herbal smoking is a therapeutic practice of Ayurveda used since a long time, particularly in the field of Panchakarma (a special variety of bio-purification). Medicated smoking with herbal and herbo-mineral ingredients are formulated in different classical texts of Ayurveda for the management of diseases of Kapha, predominant in respiratory diseases. An attempt was taken to standardize and evaluate an Ayurvedic herbal formulation as smoking agent for the purpose of treatment of diseases of upper and lower respiratory system including head region. The formulation consists of Commiphera wightii, Piper longum, Saussurea lappa, Terminalia belerica, Randia dumentorum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Vitiveria zizanioides, Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia chebula and Withania somnifera.

Keyword: Smoking, Dhumpāna, Āyurveda, Pharmaceutical Technology, Therapeutic Application