Rasayana is a specialized branch of Astanga Ayurveda which is primarily
meant for healthy people, because it provides means for preservation and promotion of positive health. Ayurveda the science of life is aimed to maintain the health of a healthy person and to cure the disease of a diseased one. 1 On the other hand it has been an earnest desire of a man to have a disease free long and happy life, from time immemorial. To achieve this first and foremost one Ayurveda has advocated certain rules pertaining to diet and regimen of life under Dinacharya and Ratricharya along with Rasayana and Vajikarana. This Rasayana therapy serves the both purpose of Ayurvedic science i.e. it restore the normal health of a healthy person and to some extent it alleviate the disease of a diseased person also. According to Charaka, the Aushadhi are of two types viz. Swasthaurjaskar and Artasuroganuta. The first category of drug has been stated to promote and preserve the health, strength and longevity in a swastha or healthy person while the second one has got capacity to curing the disease of the ailing and afflicted people.2 Here the first objects related to an increase in bala and oja in healthy persons, is achieved by resort to Rasayana and Vajikarana. Whereas the next objective is obtained mostly by subduing or curative properties of the drugs. 3 A classical Rasayana remedy according to Ayurveda is supposed to promote molecular nutrition through different modes of action. The prominent one are :1. At the level of Rasa 2. At the level of Agni 3. At the level of Srota. Acting through one or all the above mechanism the Rasayana drugs produces its effect on the body leading to improved physical and mental health. The very meaning of the word Rasayana (Rasa + Ayana) refers to nutrition and its transportation in the body. Such a stat of improved nutrition is claimed to lead to a
secondary attributes like prevention of aging and longivity, immunity against
disease, mental competence, increased vitality and luster of the body.4 Rasayana therapy is one of the eight major branches of Ayurveda. With the passage of time this important branch of knowledge has ceased to be in practice in its appropriate form. Comprehensive efforts are needed to revive this useful discipline for the welfare of the humanity at large. A need was felt to bring out the total concept of Rasayana therapy by screening the entire Ayurvedic literature and the allied texts so that an up-to-date idea may be framed. Besides the up-to-date development of the Ayurvedic concepts, there is an equally urgent need of the clinical evaluation of the real efficacy of the Rasayana drugs and measures. Lots of studies regarding the real efficacy of drugs and their application have been going on since ancient period. But the basic difference in between ancient research and modern research is that the efficacy of a drug was assessed by observing their effect on body clinically with the help of pramanas (pratyakshya, anuman, aptopadesh, yukti) and conclusion was made in ancient time whereas modern research is done with the help of modern techniques and sophisticated laboratory investigation along with clinical observation. Hence today if a scientific research with the combination of modern and ancient techniques is carried out, then we can get a wonderful success in re-establishing the science in the field of treatment.