Yava (barley) is a well-known cereal used as dietary article generally in north India. An Ayurvedic text entails the uses of Yava in religious ceremony, dietary and medicinal preparations. Disease specific dietary measures are the unique concept of Ayurveda. As per Indian traditional drug knowledge, Yava is used for lekhana karma. The drug which reduces or scrapes away the unwanted dhatu (tissue) and mala (metabolic wastes) and thus helpful in removing extra fat (meda dhatu) is known as Lekhana karma. Evaluation of nutritional status was required to check which could be a good nutritional substitute in overweight. The grains were collected, pulverized and analyzed for various physical, chemical, nutritional and organo-leptic qualities. The present paper deals with the physicochemical and nutritional evaluation of yava (Hordeum vulgare Linn.)

Ayurvedic texts glorify the concept of Aahar (food). Acharya Kashyap has quoted that there is no medicine like food. Only a well-balanced diet can cure numerous diseases, sometimes even good medicines are unable to cure certain diseases without balanced diet, that's why food is said to be most important medicine. Today there is increasing public awareness of the importance of diet for the maintenance and promotion of health. A properly selected diet and diet plan plays a critical importance in the management of any disease. Yava is a cereal using since ancient period. It not only provides nutrition but also having many medicinal properties too. This paper reviews the botanical identity of Yava, its traditional, folklore uses, action, pharmacological activities along with agronomy practices.

Background:Blepharis sindica – T. Anders of family Acanthaceae is an important medicinal plant which is mainly used as an invigorating tonic, given to cattle to increase milk production and its roots are used for urinary discharge and dysmenorrhea. It is commonly known as “Bhaṅgārī”. It is extensively used traditionally as Vājīkāraka and Vṛṣya (Aphrodisiac) by vaidyas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The seeds of Blepharis sindica T. Anders are the parts of the plant valued for their medicinal value.Aims:The present investigation deals with the pharmacognostic studies of the root, stem, seed and seed powder.Materials and Methods:The study includes macroscopy, microscopy, preliminary phytochemical analysis and physicochemical evaluation using methods given in Indian Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia.Results:Physicochemical parameters such as total ash value, acid insoluble ash value and water soluble ash value were determined to be 21.449 ± 2.629%w/w, 0.986%w/w, 18.746%w/w respectively. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of extracts were carried out. Different extracts contain carbohydrate, protein, alkaloids, phenols, saponins and steroids prominently. Calcium, zinc, potassium and iron were also present. These secondary metabolites are the active constituents and may be responsible for B. sindica's pharmacological activities. Chief characters of transverse section of stem include ringed vascular bundles, radial striped pith rays and parenchymal pith. Seed shows presence of scalariform tracheids and lignified walls.Conclusions:The result of the present study can be useful for the identification and preparation of a monograph of the plant.