Ayurveda, as a science deals with internal medicine, surgery, external therapies and many more specializations like gynecology or pediatrics. But among all of them, one thing is common that they use some form of medicines.

In BAMS curriculum, method of medicine preparation is taught to students. Second Year BAMS students are guided to prepare medicines on their own in their practical under department of Rasashastra & Bhaishajya Kalpana. Obviously, it is on small scale, and to learn about how these things go on in large scale in Industries, an educational tour was organized by Dr Gaurav Dongare & Dr Milind Chatrabhuji from Dept of Rasashastra & Bhaishajya Kalpana, between 30 June to 6 July 2019.

We visited three different Ayurvedic manufacturing units which are GMP approved. Namely:

1. Ayurved Rasashala, Pune: which is an eighty year old ayurved pharmaceutical center, prepares hundreds of ayurvedic medicines by the same methods as described in classics, along with hi-tech modern instruments. Students learnt here how to combine the classics and modern technology where every medicine like churna, kvath, tablets, syrups, medicated oils, ointments etc. made with technology in classical way.

2. Punarvasu Aushadhashala, Pune: which is an industrial setup to prepare ayurvedic medicines thoroughly in classical way. Students learnt here how to implement age-old pharmaceutical methods on large scale. Ongoing different techniques of Shodhana, Bhasmikarana and making Guggulu vati, Avaleha, Siddha-Taila etc on larger scale were learnt by students. Some practicals like Taamra Shodhana which students performed recently at college practicals; they saw the same procedures on large scale with slightly varied techniques.

3. Dhyan Ayurvedics, Navsari: This pharmacy is dedicated to prepare herbal & herbo-mineral ayurvedic medicines by industrial methods. Students were benefited by seeing all modern instruments & equipment’s to prepare & pack tablets, capsules, syrups and many more medicinal forms. These led to knowledge and enthusiasm about modern & proprietary ayurvedic medicines.