Inter-country Workshop on Management of Herbal Net
Digital Repository Bangkok, Thailand,
14-15 June 2011
By
Dr.(Ms) D. G. Srikanthi
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Bandaranaike Memorial Ayurvedic Research Institute
of Sri Lanka
Country Report on Collected Publications and
updating of Collaborating Institutes in Sri Lanka
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General introduction
Sri Lanka is a small and an attractive island in the Indian Ocean
with a land area of approximately 62,705 square kilometers. The
Island stretches to a maximum length of 435 kilometers and a
width of 225 kilometers.
The population of Sri Lanka is about 2.1 million.
Sri Lanka’s census in 2001 showed that the Sinhalese represented
82%, Sri Lanka moor 7.9%, Indian Tamils 5.1%, Sri Lanka Tamils
4.3%, Burghers 0.2% Malays 0.3% and others 0.2%.
The majority of the population in Sri Lanka is Buddhist (70%) the
other three main religions are Hinduism (15%) Christians (8%) and
Islam (7%)
Sri Lankan traditional medicine
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Sri Lanka has its own indigenous scheme of traditional medicine.
(Ayurveda) This system has been practiced for many centuries in
the in the Island nation. The Sri Lankan Ayurvedic tradition is a
mixture of the ancient Sinhala traditional medicine.
Ayurveda and Siddha systems are of Indian origin, while Unani
medicine has come from Greece through the Arabs. But most
importantly, the Desheeya Chikitsa is the indigenous medicine in
Sri Lanka.
History of Traditional Medicine
Sri Lanka developed its own Ayurvedic system based on a series
of prescriptions handed down from generation to generation over a
period of 3000 years. The ancient kings, many of whom were also
prominent physicians, sustained its survival and longevity. King
Buddhadasa (398AD), the most influential of those physicians,
wrote the Sarartha Sangrahaya, a comprehensive manuscript
which Sri Lankan physicians use even today for reference.
Ancient inscriptions on rock surfaces reveal that organized medical
services have existed within the country for centuries. In fact, Sri
Lanka claims to be the first country in the world to have
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established dedicated hospitals. The Sri Lankan mountain
Mihintale still has the ruins of what many believe to be the first
hospital in the world. Old hospital sites now attract tourists who
marvel at the beautiful ruins. These places have come to symbolize
a traditional sense of healing and cure, which was a prevalent at
that time.
Distribution of Government Ayurvedic/Traditional Institutes
Institutions
Ayurvedic/Traditional
Teaching Hospitals
Provincial Hospitals
Base Hospitals
District Hospitals
Rural Hospitals
Central Hospitals
Research Institutes
National Institutes of Traditional
Medicine
Ayurvedic Drug Co operations
Ayurvedic Colleges
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49
230*
123
01
01
01
02
*Free Ayurvedic Dispensaries set up in rural areas
Present organizational structure of the BMARI
1. Literary Research Division
2. Drug Research Division (with following sub division)

Botany Section
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

Standarzation Section
Drug Production Section
3. Clinical Research Division
1. Literary Research Division
The activities of this division are mainly focused on carrying out
literary surveys of suitable formulas and information needed for
research work. The main resources of the division are the
collection of ola-leaf manuscripts, old Ayurveda text books and
hand written manuscripts.
2. Drug research Division
Botany Section
Research activities carried out by this division are as follows:
 Identification and authentication of plants
 Cultivation and post-harvest techniques of medicinal plants
 Botanical and chemical studies on controversial medicinal
plants used in Ayurveda and traditional medicine
 Pharmacognostic studies on raw materials and adulterants
 Conservation of endemic medicinal plants
Drug Standardization Division
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The main activities of this division include the testing of the drugs
used in BMARI by standardized quality control techniques.
3. Clinical Research Division
This section carries out human clinical trials relevant to the major
and minor ailments in society. It is mainly focused on the
traditional system.
Objectives:
1) To help develop the health system of the member countries
2) To take concerted effort in solving the common health
problems of the countries
3) To give an impetus to the development of traditional systems
of medicine
4) To find the ways and means of supporting the researches of
traditional medicine of the member countries
The proposed fields identified for collaborative research:
1) Collection of information in basic traditional medical systems
of the member counties
2) Compilation of a report based on the above information
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3) Determination of suitable research areas in traditional
systems of medicine in member countries
The proposed research activities:
1) The collection of traditional formulations
2) Documentation of knowledge pertaining to plants/plant
products and other raw materials used for safe keeping of
oral knowledge
3) Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) covering Traditional
knowledge, recipes and medicinal plants
4) Research components such as clinical trials, safety and
efficacy of drugs, ethical issues, toxicology studies and
standardization
5) Exchange of the knowledge of traditional system of medicine
6) Exchange and facilitation of the modern technology among
the BIMSTEC counties
7) Finding the possibility of establishing a common research
fund for the BIMSTEC countries
8) Development of link programs viz: training programs,
research programmes etc.
Publications by the Department of Ayurveda
 Ayurveda Sameekshawa Volume I- 1-12 Parts
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Volume II- 1-4 Parts
 Ayurvedic Pharmacopeias Volume I - III
 Thalpathae Pilium Volume 1-21
 Compendium of medicinal plants a Sri Lanka study
Volume I - II (2001)
 Sri Lankan Deshiya Chikithsa Sangrahaya First Part,
Dr. Ariyadasa Kumarasinghe – 1984
 Osuthuru Visithuru Volume 1- 4
 Doshadathu Malawingana, Dr. D.M.R.B
Dissanayake
 Padartha Vinganaya, Dr. D.M.R.B Dissanayake
 Dravya Muladarma, Dr. H.I. Chandrasena
 Ayurveda Chikithsa Muladarma, Dr. I.G.A.
Jayathilake
 Panchanidhana
 Sharira Vinganaya, Dr. Karunadasa Jagodaarachchi
 Kumaraushada Malawa, Dr. A.J Perera (1980)
 Yogarathnakaraya (Sinhala translation)
 Jwara Nidanaya
 Sarasanshepaya (Sinhala translation)
 Charaka Sanhithawa (Sinhala translation)
 Shushrutha Sanhithawa (Sinhala translation)
 Madhawa Nidhanaya (Sinhala translation)
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 Bhawa Prakashaya
 Thalpatha Osu Mahima Volume 1-3
Publications by the BMARI

Ayu Vidu Kalasa 1-3

Samarpana 1-10

Dravya Guna Vingana First Part, Dr. William
Alvis

Osu Pala Saha Ath Beheth (Medicine of usage
plants), Dr. D.W.J. Senaratne
Publications of the National Institute of
Traditional Medicine

Mehewara Magazine

Medicines of Usage
Publications of the institute of Indigenous
Medicine, University of Colombo

Samhitha (monthly paper)
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THANK YOU
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