This branch deals with the study of poisonous substances, its purification , its medicinal uses etc. The subject matter of medical jurisprudence is also dealt in here. The post mortem procedures and its applications are also told here.

Agada Tantra evam vyavahara ayurveda( Toxicology and forensic medicine) is one among the eight branches of ayurveda. Agada is a subject for BAMS students in second year.

Agada literally means to combat poison (visha) or to pacify a disease condition (gada). And hence agada Tantra is the branch which deals with the treatment of visha or poison and also acquiring wellness from all sorts of diseases.

The subject includes the causes, prodromal signs, diagnostic signs and symptoms, prognosis, management and complications of various poisonous plant and animal sources. It enumerates the poisonous plants including Datura, vatsanaba, karavira, kupilu, etc and the animal poisons including sarpa(snakes), lootha(spider poison), kanabha(wasp poison), vrischika(scorpion), satapadi( centipede), etc;

The subject is of great importance in various pandemic situations as it depicts the management of oupasargika and janapadodwamsa rogas(communicable disease).

The explanation of virudha ahara( incompatible food and adulterations) have the prior concern along with other fields as it leads to various disease conditions including infertility.

Even the concept of kaivisha has been well explained. The various reference of agada Tantra can be seen in ayurvedic classical text books as well as traditional visha vaidya grandhas.
Thorough knowledge of agada Tantra helps for the perfect clinical practices and success in treating almost all diseases including snake bite cases.

Apart from the treatment aspect, a doctor must be aware of his/ her duties, responsibilities and rights. All these legal concepts and procedures are also included in the curriculum of second year. This helps the students to be aware of their legal rights and responsibilities and also to withstand the legal procedures in future for their survival as a clinician. This is an essential part of medical science.