Conceptual Foundations of Ayurveda:
Pañcakarma
Dr. Anusree D.
M.D.(Ay.), Ph.D.(Ay.)
Specialization: Pañcakarma
Know Your Editor
Dr. Anusree D is an Āyurveda physician, academician, and researcher specializing in Pañcakarma. She completed her BAMS from Vishnu Ayurveda College, Shoranur (University of Calicut), securing University Third Rank, and her MD (Āy.) in Pañcakarma from Vaidyaratnam P. S. Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal (Kerala University of Health Sciences) with University First Rank. She later obtained her PhD in Pañcakarma from the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur. She currently serves as Pañcakarma Vaidya at the National Institute of Ayurveda (De Novo), Jaipur, and is also a consultant for the national telemedicine service eSanjeevani.
Dr. Anusree has experience in clinical practice, teaching, and research, having worked as Senior Research Fellow at CCRAS and Assistant Professor at Vaidyaratnam P. S. Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal. She has presented papers at several national and international conferences, received multiple Best Paper Awards, and published research articles in peer-reviewed journals on Pañcakarma and related fields. She also serves as a reviewer for reputed journals, contributing to the advancement of evidence-based Āyurveda research.
About the book
Conceptual Foundations of Āyurveda – Pañcakarma presents a comprehensive overview of the principles, procedures, and clinical applications of the classical Śodhana therapies of Āyurveda. The volume begins with the fundamental concepts of Pañcakarma, including its role in both Swastha and Ātura, indications and contraindications of Śodhana, and the importance of Agni and Koṣṭha Parīkṣā in therapeutic planning. It further elaborates the preparatory procedures of Snehana and Svedana, their classifications, materials, indications, and clinical utility in disorders such as Sandhigata Vāta, Vātarakta, Pakṣāghāta, Ardita, Gridhrasī, and Āmavāta. The book also discusses specialized therapeutic procedures including Saṅkara Sveda, Kṣīradhūma, Piḻichil, Dhānyāmladhārā, Takradhārā, Thālam, Thalapothichil, and Annalepa, along with the integration of supportive modalities such as physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises.
The text systematically explains the classical Pañcakarma procedures—Vamana, Virecana, Basti, and Nasya, detailing their Pūrva Karma, Pradhāna Karma, and Paścāt Karma, therapeutic indications, formulations, instruments, and disease-specific applications. Emphasis is placed on the clinical principles of Basti therapy, Nasya formulations, and condition-specific treatment strategies, supported by discussions on emergency management and recent research updates in Pañcakarma and Upakarma. By integrating classical knowledge with contemporary clinical perspectives, this volume aims to provide a clear conceptual and practical foundation for students, academicians, and practitioners of Pañcakarma in Āyurveda.
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