How to Record Ayurvedic Prescriptions in a Modern Health File
A modern medical record has a well-understood shape — medicine name, dose, frequency, duration. An Ayurvedic prescription has a shape too, but a slightly different one: preparation name, source, dose in specific units, timing relative to meals, anupana (the vehicle it is taken with — warm water, milk, honey). If the record only captures half the information, the person taking the medicine six months later has to reconstruct the rest. Better to record it properly the first time.
The full set of fields
- Field: Preparation name · Example: Chyawanprash, Ashwagandha churna · Why it matters: The identity of what is being taken
- Field: Manufacturer · Example: Dabur / Baidyanath / Himalaya · Why it matters: Traditional formulations vary between makers
- Field: Type of preparation · Example: Churna (powder), asava (fermented), kwath (decoction), bhasma (metal preparation) · Why it matters: Storage, safety and dose depend on this
- Field: Dose · Example: 1/2 tsp, 5g, 15ml · Why it matters: Ayurvedic dose units are not standardised — record specifically
- Field: Frequency and timing · Example: Once daily, 30 min before breakfast · Why it matters: Absorption depends on empty vs full stomach
- Field: Anupana · Example: Warm water / warm milk / honey · Why it matters: Prescribed as part of the treatment; sometimes essential
- Field: Duration · Example: 3 months, then review · Why it matters: Some preparations are for short courses; others long-term
- Field: Prescribing vaidya · Example: Name, clinic · Why it matters: For the review conversation and for records
- Field: Condition treated · Example: Chronic acidity, stress-related sleep issues · Why it matters: So the review can assess whether it worked
- Field: Cost per month · Example: ₹200 / ₹800 / ₹2000 · Why it matters: For household planning and for comparing options
What to photograph
The container itself, front and back. Ayurvedic labels in India are increasingly required to disclose ingredients under AYUSH labelling rules, and the batch number is on the container. If quality concerns emerge later, the batch number matters — the same way it matters for any medicine.
The reconciliation with modern medicines
Every time a modern doctor is consulted, the current list should include Ayurvedic preparations. Every time a vaidya is consulted, the current list should include modern medicines. The reasons are simple:
- Interactions exist. Some combinations shift dose requirements or increase risk.
- Symptom attribution matters. A new symptom in a person on ten preparations is hard to attribute — knowing what is being taken is the first step.
- Duplication happens. Two systems can prescribe for the same complaint, and taking both is often unnecessary.
A note on 'proprietary' preparations
A large fraction of what is sold as 'Ayurvedic' in Indian pharmacies today is proprietary — a modern brand, formulated with Ayurvedic ingredients but not a classical formulation. Some are well-manufactured; some are poorly regulated. Record the brand name, the manufacturer, and — if available — the ingredients list. A preparation whose ingredients are not disclosed is one to be cautious with, particularly if it produces effects that seem strong for a herbal product.
References
Free for 90 days, no card needed. After that, keeping the record costs ₹349 for the year.
General information, not medical advice. Always talk to a qualified doctor about your own care. Where this and your doctor disagree, your doctor is right.