In the past, polypharmacy was referred to the mixing of many drugs in one prescription. Today polypharmacy implies to the prescription of too many medications for an individual patient, with an associated higher risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and interactions. Situations certainly exist where the combination therapy or polytherapy is the used for single disease condition. Polypharmacy is a problem of substantial importance, in terms of both direct medication costs and indirect medication costs resulting from drug-related morbidity. Polypharmacy increases the risk of side effects and interactions. Moreover it is a preventable problem. A retrospective study was carried out at Bhopal district (Capital of Madhya Pradesh, India) in the year of September-November 2009 by collecting prescriptions of consultants at various levels of health care. The tendency of polypharmacy was studied and analyzed under the various heads in the survey. Available data suggests that polypharmacy is a widespread problem, and physician, clinical pharmacists and patients are all responsible. These risks can be minimized through identifying the prevalence of this potential problem in a high-risk population and by increasing awareness among patients and healthcare professionals. Physicians and clinical pharmacists have the potential to combating this problem through a variety of interventions such as reducing the number of medications taken, reducing the number of doses taken, increasing patient adherence, preventing ADRs, improving patient quality of life and decreasing facility and drug costs.

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Despite multiple nutritional programmes and iron supplementation therapies adopted over the past 50 years, Anaemia remains a highly prevalent condition in India. The underlying pathogenesis associated with Anaemia includes not only nutritional deficiencies, but also the issues with optimum absorption, bioavailability of food nutrients, and assimilation of absorbed nutrients. The current review comprises preliminary evidence on Raktda (MA 321), an Ayurvedic supplement for adjuvant or monotherapy use in long term treatment of Anaemia. Raktda has a holistic combination of ingredients including Mandoor Bhasma, Kant Lauh Bhasma, Praval Pishti, Muktashukti Pishti, Giloy Sattva, Yashtimadhu, Shilajit, Amalaki and many other herbs traditionally useful for treating all types of Anaemia and its associated morbidities. The synergy of herbs in Raktda reinstates normal physiology by functioning at five different levels: Agni, Pitta Dosha, Rasa Dhatu, Rakta Dhatu, and Rasayana. A small sample study (n = 16) on Raktda has shown an increase in mean Hb% from 9.231 to 11.046 (paired t-value= 8.5475, SE = 0.212, p<0.0001) - a change of mean by 1.815 points (95% CI = 1.353- 2.278), within a period of 30 days. Another study on Raktda (n = 47) has shown the beneficial effects of Raktda on increasing Hb% (7.16 to 11.13) and other anaemia symptoms such as fatigue, pain in legs, narcolepsy, anorexia, and faintness of skin. The current review outlines the need for conducting large scale investigations on Raktda, which can be used for treating Anaemia in the long run.

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