Medicine making

The Institute of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine (IAAM) is producing a range of medicine for the exclusive use of Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts. All medicine is plant based, only natural ingredients are being used. No metal or mercury is used in the making of our medicine. IAAM is certified by the Department of Ayurveda to produce Ayurveda medicinal products.

Quality control

The IAAM works closely together with Barberyn as well as a team of professors and botanists to ensure the quality of the medicine, monitoring the complete process of medicine making.

Plant taxonomy

Achieving good quality Ayurveda medicine starts with the medicinal plants, so the correct plants need to be identified and secured. In collaboration with the University of Ruhuna, the main national university in the South of Sri Lanka, Barberyn has catalogued 1300 medicinal plants that grow in Sri Lanka. The results are published on this website (http://www.instituteofayurveda.org/plants/index.php). This ongoing project is a pioneering research venture that is being used by students and practitioners to identify herbs correctly.

Pharmacognosy

While the physicians of the IAAM are well experienced in identifying the raw materials, they are supported by a university professor with practical experience in Pharmacognosy. We are also currently setting up an herbarium at IAAM so the raw materials can be checked against benchmark samples if required.

Cultivation of medicinal plants

Barberyn Ayurveda resorts cultivates medicinal plants in an organic way at several locations (Batakandakale, Dedduwa, Thinduwa). Parts of these plants are harvested carefully - without damaging the plants - and delivered to the IAAM as well as the Barberyn Ayurveda resorts, as required, on a daily basis.

Pharmacology

IAAM is engaged in evaluating the efficacy of the plant based medicine through the patients that attend the special community clinic conducted at IAAM on Wednesday and Saturday at the IAAM.

Medicine making

The Ayurvedic products made at the IAAM include:

Herbal Oils

Arishta (Sweet Elixers)

Choorna (dry powder)

Kalka (pastes)

Swarasa (juice of herbs)

Phanta (hot infusion)



The making of Medicinal oil (Thaila), which is used mainly for external application, is a highly specialized task. The raw material (dry and fresh herbs) are sorted, washed thoroughly, dried, chopped and ground as required and simmered with water. The pulp is mixed with the appropriate base oil and simmered again – over several days until all the water has evaporated.The oil has to be taken off the fire at the correct time. If it is kept too long on the fire the oil gets burnt. If it is taken off the fire too early the oil becomes moldy.

Only natural products are used. Some oils contain cow’s milk, Ghee and Curd (similar to Yoghurt). These nourishing oils are at times simmered on the fire for about 3 weeks.

The base oil(s) used differ from one oil preparation to another. Some of these base oils are:

Thala Thel - Sesame seed oil (Sesamum indicum)

Erandu Thel - Castor oil (Gloriosa Superba)

Kohomba Thel – Margosa/Neem oil (Azadirachta indica)

Mee Thel - Honey tree seed oil (Madhuca Longfolia)

Aba thel – Mustard seed oil (Brassica Juncea)

Arishta (sweet elixirs or wines)

Arishta is a self generated herbal fermentation made with the juices of herbs and fruits – a traditional Ayurveda product. The elixir (sweet wine) is usually taken in small quantities (two table spoons) before or after meals

CHOORNA

Choorna is a dry powder made by crushing and powdering the herbs. Triphala choorna is one of the most widely used Ayurvedic products. As the name suggests (Tri = three) it uses the fruit of three plants (in Sinhala called Aralum Bulu, Nelli)

• Embicca Officinalis
• Terminalia Chebula
• Terminalis Bellrica

The Triphala powder can be taken (orally) mixed with bee’s honey, ghee or war water, depending on the reason for its use.

KALKA

Kalka is made by crushing the herbs and plants to make a paste.

SWARASA

Swarasa is the juice of herbs made by cutting specified parts of the herb into small pieces, pounding it and then squeezing it through a soft cloth.

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To prepare phanta or hot infusion, the herbs, leaves, seeds etc. are immersed in warm water for up to 12 hours and then filtered and given to drink.

Images gathered during the medicine making process

The fermentation process: the prepared juice of herbs and fruits is poured into clay pots and kept for a period of time until they are fermented.



Raw material is cut into small pieces before they are ready to prepare Ayurveda medicine.



Sun-drying of raw ingredients.



Straining of oil, during the medicine making process, and inspection of the rich color of the oil.





Meticulously manufactured finished products ready to be sent to Barberyn Reef and Barberyn Beach Ayurveda Resorts