Traditional system of medicines – Ayurveda

Traditional system of medicines – Ayurveda

Content

•       Role of Ayurveda in traditional
systems of medicine

•       Principle of Ayurveda

Objective

At the
end of this lecture, student will be able to

•       Discuss the role of Ayurveda in
traditional systems of medicine

•       Explain the principle of Ayurveda

Traditional systems of medicine

Ø  Traditional
systems like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani impart knowledge about folklore
practices and medicinal importance of drugs of natural origin

Ø  The
standardization of these drugs is essential since, these drugs are used to
treat various ailments of human being

Ø  The
role of medicinal plants in traditional system made them back bone of these
systems

Ø  Traditional
medicine is the sum of the knowledge, skills and beliefs of different cultures
of different countries for the maintenance of health                     

Ayurveda

Ø  Ayurveda
– Oldest system of traditional medicine

Ø  Dominant
herbal tradition in India

Ø  Enjoys
a faith of large number of people

Ø  Spectrum
of influence is being enlarged as it is encouraged in many countries like
Japan, Germany etc

Ø  Ayurveda
– Two Sanskrit words

       Ayur –
Life,   Veda – Knowledge /Science

       Ayurveda is
knowledge of life or science of life

Ø  Ayurveda
– Incorporates Science and religion

Ø  Aim
include enhancing well being and increasing longevity

Ø  Essence
of Ayurveda lies in providing “ Swasthya “  which is a union of physical, emotional and
spiritual health

Ø  About
5000 years evolved from the deep wisdom of rishies of Himalaya

Ø  Knowledge
had been transmitted orally from teachers to disciples

Ø  Finally
took the form of Vedas during 1500 BC

Ø  Punarvasu
athreya – Ayurveda school

Ø  Recorded
medicinal knowledge of  many plants

Ø  Charaka
– Charaka Samhitha, more than 1500 medicinal herbs

Ø  Sushrutha
samhitha – Basis for modern surgery

Ø  About
75-80% of population is still relying on herbal medicine especially in
developing countries because of better compatibility and lesser side effects.

Principle:

Ø   Based on concept of five basic elements
(Pancha mahabhuthas) and tri doshas

Ø  Whole
universe is made up of five basic elements

Ø  Whole
universe – Material world, plant kingdom an other living beings

Ø  All
the five elements – Basis of all matter

Basic elements

English Name	Sanskrit Name
Ether	Akasha
Air	Vayu
Fire	Agni
Water	Jala
Earth	Prithvi

Properties, location / manifestations

English Name	Sanskrit Name	Property	Location
Ether	Akasha	Non-resistance	Body cavities, mouth, thorax, lung cavity
Air	Vayu	Movements, vibrations	Movement of muscles, pulsation of heart, contraction of lungs
Fire	Agni	Radiation	Digestion, metabolism, vision and Intelligence
Water	Jala	Force	Blood, salivary glands, gastric juice
Earth	Pruthvi	Resistance and solidarity	Hair, nails, bones, skin

Tri Doshas

Dosha	Combination of
Vata (Air principle)	Ether and air
Pitta (Fire principle)	Fire and water
Kapha (Water principle)	Earth and water

 

Ø  Tridoshas
exist in everything and influence physical and mental processes

Ø  Tridoshas
in hormony with each other, however one of them is dominating in every human
being

Ø  Determines
Prakruthi of  the person

Ø  Body
type, temperament, susceptibility to illness – influenced by predominant dosha

Ø  Man
is born with a particular balance of doshas

Ø  Balance
of doshas of parents at the time of conception determines the proportion of
doshas

Ø  Health
– Total harmony of  vata, pitta and kapha

Ø  Sickness
– Imbalance of any one or more of doshas

Ø  Aggregation
of pitta – Indigestion, skin diseases, liver problems

Ø  Aggregation
of vata – Nerve problems

Ø  Aggregation
of kapha – Gastric problems

Ø  Physical,
mental and environmental factors contribute for the imbalance of doshas

Selection of drugs:

Selection

1.       Rasa (Taste)

2.       Virya (Potency)

3.       Vipaka (Taste after digestion)

Rasa (Taste) :

Taste	Combination of	Influence on doshas
Sweet	Earth and water	Kapha increases, vata and pitta decreases
Sour	Water and fire	Pitta increases
Saline	Fire and earth	Pitta increases
Bitter	Air and fire	Pitta increases
Pungent	Air and ether	Kapha and pitta decreases
Astringent	Air and earth	Pitta decreases, vata increases

 

Role of herbs in cosmetics

Virya : Hot drug and cold drugs

Ø  Hot
drugs – Drumstick, garlic

Ø  Cold
drugs – Jeera, Amla

Vipaka : Taste after digestion

Taste	Aggravates	Allevietes
Sweet	Kapha	Pitta and vata
Sour	Pitta	Kapha and vata
Pungent	Vata	Kapha

 

Summary

Ø  Science/knowledge
of life

Ø  Five
basic elements and tridoshas

Ø  Akasha,
vayu, jala, agni, and pruthvi – basis for all matters

Ø  Kapha,
pitta and vata

Ø   Tridohas – combination of  different elements

Ø  Doshas
– Nature of person, imbalance leads to sickness

Ø  Selection
of drugs – Rasa, virya and vipaka

Ø  Six
rasas, three vipakas

Ø  Virya
– hot and cold