Associate Professor
Centre For Ayurveda Biology and Holistic Nutrition
Mail: s.kumar@tdu.edu.in

I am working to establish substitutes for rare & endangered medicinal plants (Abhava-Pratinidhi Dravyas) based on Ayurvedic tatva (philosophy), shastra (science) and vyavahara (practice) and traditional quality standards for Indian medicine. I am also deeply interested to contemporize Ayurvedic concepts of food and nutrition, rejuvenator drugs of Ayurveda (Rasayana). I am also actively involved in the researche on medicinal plant conservation and their sustainable use.

Expertise/Achievements:

• Explorative and scientific studies on Ayurvedic concept of drug substitution for unavailable but authentic herbs (Abhava and Abhava Pratinidhi Dravyas) including a list of substitutes suggested by Ayurvedic classical literature for the unavailable plant drugs
• Studies on Ayurvedic concept of Wellness/ rejuvenative medicine (Rasayana)
• A model to resolve the controversies on botanical identification of Ayurvedic plant drugs
• Traditional quality standards for Ayurvedic crude drugs and products based on Traditional Knowledge
• Conducted training programs to common public on ‘commonly available medicinal plants for primary health’
• Authored a book, several research publications and articles in popular print media

Current Interests:

Interested to engage with designing and executing innovative research, educational and outreach programs related to:

• Attempts to solve the controversial identity (including adulteration and substitution aspects) of medicinal plants
• Wellness, rejuvenative medicine of Ayurveda
• Conservation of medicinal plants under threat
• Probiotics and nutraceuticals derived from traditional medicine
• Basic concepts of Ayurveda pharmacology including pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of plant drugs

Ongoing Research Projects / Grants / Specific Research activities:

• Scientific evaluation of marketed substitutes for medicinal plants facing conservation threat
• Holistic Nutrition Research & Education Program: Develop a scientifically validated iron-rich food with enhanced bio-assimilation
• An exploratory pilot study to evaluate the effects of Ayurveda and yoga health practises on Swasthya (wellness) of the health seekers with special reference to respiratory health

Publications:

• Anjana T., Sania K., Subrahmanya SK. and Vishnuprasad CN. An “Ayurveda-Biology” platform for Integrative Diabetes Management. Journal of Ethnopharmacology
• Padma Venkat, Subrahmanya Kumar, Uma Magal. Rasayana for Childcare- Joy of Herbs and Healing. Partridge India, New Delhi 2015.
• Nagarajan M, Kuruvilla GR, Kumar SK, Venkatasubramanian P. A review of pharmacology of Ativisha, Musta and their substitutes. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2015; 6: 121–133.
• Kumar SK, Shashikumar A, Venkatasubramanian P. Fermented milk products: Probiotics of Ayurveda. J Medical Nutrition and Nutraceuticals 2015; 4:14-21.
• Balasubramani SP, Mohan J, Chatterjee A, Patnaik E, Kumar SK, Nongthomba U and Venkatasubramanian P. Pomegranate juice enhances healthy lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster: an exploratory study. Front. Public Health 2014, 2:245.
• Balasubramani SP, Venkatasubramanian P, Kumar SK, Patwardhan B. Plant-Based Rasayana drugs from Ayurveda. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine 2011; 17(2):88-94.
• Venkatasubramanian P, Kumar SK and Venugopal SN. Cyperus rotundus, a substitute for Aconitum heterophyllum: studies on Ayurvedic concept of Abhava Pratinidhi Dravya (Drug substitutions). Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, January 2010, 1;(1):36-39.

Membership of Professional Bodies:

• Member, Expert committee on Access Benefit Sharing, National Biodiversity Authority

Lab Members:

• Dr. Sankeet Sharma
• Dr. Arun Bhanu
• Ms. Ashwini Elango
• Ms. Seema Gaddigeri
• Dr. Somya Saxena
• Dr. Venkatesh
• Mr. Prasanna Simha