CCRAS AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE FIELD OF AYURVEDA – REVIEW ARTICLE

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) is an autonomous body of the Min-istry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy Sowa Rigpa) Gov-ernment of India. It is an apex body in India that formulates, coordinates, develops, and promotes re-search on scientific lines in the Ayurveda system of medicine. The research activities of the Council include Medicinal Plant Research (Medico-ethno Botanical Survey, Pharmacognosy and Tissue Cul-ture), Drug Standardization, Pharmacological Research, Clinical Research, Literary Research & Doc-umentation and Tribal Health Care Research Programme. [1]The activities are carried out through its 30 Institutes/Centres/Units located all over India and through collaborative studies with various Universi-ties and hospitals in the Country. It has been engaged in Clinical Research, Medicinal Plant Research (Medico-Ethno Botanical survey, Pharmacognosy, and Cultivation), Drug Standardization, Pharmaco-logical Research, Literary Research, Documentation and various outreach activities. This paper pro-vides information on the significant achievements of the Council in the different areas of research and development along with public health care services for Ayurveda scholars, researchers and other stake-holders in the field of research and development in Ayurveda.