INDIAN SYSTEMS OF MEDICINES

INTRODUCTION:

Medicinal plants based traditional systems of medicines are playing important role in providing
healthcare to large section of population, especially in developing countries. Indian Systems of
Medicines are among the well known global traditional systems of medicine.

Different types of Medicinal Systems in India:

 Ayurveda

 Unani

 Siddha

 Yoga

 Naturopathy

 Homeopathy

Ayurveda:

The word Ayurveda is comprised of two Sanskrit terms. Ayur means life, while Veda translates into
science or knowledge. Ayurveda has extensively explored natural methods for improving the wellness
of the body and mind for millennia. Ayurveda is considered as one of the oldest of the traditional
systems of medicine (TSMs) accepted worldwide. The ancient wisdom in this traditional system of
medicine is still not exhaustively explored. The junction of the rich knowledge from different
traditional systems of medicine can lead to new avenues in herbal drug discovery process. There are
many avenues still to be explored by the researchers, practitioners and experts in the field who carry
the responsibility of keeping the traditional systems of medicine (TSMs) alive and contributing to
their growth in the future.

Origin:

Ayurveda has an age old history since the 2nd Century BC. Ayurveda has its foundations laid by the
ancient schools of Hindu Philosophical teachings named Vaisheshika and the school of logic named
as Nyaya. It is also related to the manifestation framework, well-known as Samkhya, and it was
established in the same period when schools of Nyaya and Vaisheshika flourished.

Principle:

The main principle of Ayurveda states that the mind and body are connected and the mind has the
power to heal and transform a person’s whole being.

In Ayurvedic practices, treatment is specifically created for each person and will largely depend on
the state of his or her dosha. In particular, an Ayurvedic practitioner will assess the composition of a
person’s dosha and the illnesses he or she is experiencing. It is only then that the Ayurvedic
practitioner will recommend a specific treatment for the illness or imbalance. Practitioners of
Ayurveda believe that the manifestation of illness is not the same for all people, and that sickness will
vary based on how their bodies manifest the symptoms.

UNANI:

Unani Medicine (Unani-tibb) also spelled as Yunani Medicine, is the other form of medicine.
Unani medicine focuses on the four humors of the human body (blood, yellow bile, black bile
and phlegm) and the cause of diseases is caused by the inequality of all the four humors. The
Unani system was first developed in Greece in the ancient time. Father of the medicine is the
name given by the Hippocrates. They always assumed that Arkan (elements), Mizaj
(temperament) and Akhlat (humor) that keeps the body and mind healthy.

Origin:

The Arabs are the one who pioneered the Unani system in India. The Unani system success
period was between the 13 th-17th centuries in India. The valuable contributions to this system
was made by Abu Bakr, Sadruddin Damashqui, Ali Geelani and many more.

Principle:

The seven essential physiological principles are-

 Mizaj ( the bodily temperament of Physio-chemical aspects)

 Quwa (the bodily power)
 A’da  ( the fully developed mature organs)
 A’za ( organs)
 Akhlat ( the structural components)
 Arwah  (essential spirit)
  Af’aal ( physiological and biochemical processes)

Diagnosis in Unani System of Medicine:

First step is to do a patient’s diagnosis in order to know about his ailments. More knowledge of
his diseases is based on symptoms, excretions, dietary intake and the pattern of his activities.
The Unani system diagnose the diseases by examining the artery expansion of the pulse (Nbaz).
Urine (Baul) and Stool (Baraz) are the other procedures for diagnosis.

SIDDHA:

Siddha is one of the oldest systems of medicine discovered in the South India as a part of the trio, the
other two being the Ayurveda and Unani. It is based on the principles similar to Ayurveda. According
to the ancient Siddha texts, a human body is made up of several elements. It is a microscopic
component of the universe. The elements that form a human body are the earth (MUNN), fire
(THEE), water (NEER), air (VAYU) and space (AKASAM). Additionally, there are three humors or
the DOSHAS called the Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Siddha medicine believes that diseases occur when
there is a disequilibrium or imbalance in these humors or if their individual harmony is disturbed. The
balance can be restored by correcting the underlying dosha by the application of the Siddha medicine
system.

Origin:

Siddha system that originated in the South India derives its name from the term ‘Siddha’ which means
an achievement. The practitioners of this medicine system are called the Siddhars. They need to attain
the physical and spiritual excellence to be able to treat people. Eighteen Siddhars have been believed
to have contributed towards the development of this system. The Siddha texts are in Tamil language
and the system is practiced mainly in the Tamil-speaking parts of the world.

Principle:

The fundamental and applied principles of Siddha system of medicine have a close similarity to the
principles of Ayurveda. According to the Siddha system, a human body, as well as the plants and
other living species, are the replica of the elements of the universe irrespective of their origin. This
system believes that all the objects in the universe are made of five basic elements which are:

 Earth
  Water
 Air
 Fire
 Sky
Siddha system considers a human body as a conglomeration of 3 doshas, 5 elements, and 7 basic
tissues together with waste products such as sweat, feces, and urine.

YOGA:

Yoga is an ancient art based on harmonizing system of development for the body mind and spirit. The
continued practice of yoga will lead you to sense of peace and well being and also a feeling of being
at one with their environment.

Origin:

Yoga philosophy is an art and science of living. Yoga has its origin in the Vedas, The oldest record of
Indian culture. It was systematize of by the great Indian sage Patanjali in the yoga sutra as a special
Darshana. Yoga gurus from India later introduced yoga to the West, following the success of Swami
Vivekananda in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the 1980s, yoga became popular as a system
of physical exercise across the Western world.

Principles:

 Yoga means a holistic approach towards the cause and treatment of disease.

 The basic approach of yoga is to correct the life style by cultivating a rational positive and
spiritual attitude towards all life situation.

 Yoga also takes up the cleansing of the body as the first measure to fight disease.

 It preventing the disease and promoting health by reconditioning psycho-physiological

mechanism of the individual.

NATUROPATHY:

Naturopathy is one of the systems of alternative medicine developed in Germany in the 17 th century. It
also has been regarded as the pseudoscientific practice because of their emphasis on traditional and
folk medicine instead of evidence-based medicine. The practice of naturopathy doesn’t favor the
practice of modern medical science rather it has its own principle of following the practices which
have given the names likes ‘natural’, and ‘self-healing’. The idea of naturopathy doesn’t accept the
drugs, vaccination, medical testing and surgery.
Origin:

History of Nature cure movement started in Germany and other western countries with
[Hydrotheraphy] “water cure”. In credit of making world famous goes to Vincent preissnitz who was
a farmer. Dr. HenryLindlahr was called as the “Father of Naturopathy”.

Principles:

 Acute diseases are our friends not enemies, chronic disease are the outcome of wrong
treatment and suppression of the acute disease.

 Nature is the greatest healer. Body has the capacity to prevent itself form disease and regain
health if unhealthy.

 Nature cure treats body as whole instead of giving treatment to each organ separately.

 Nature cure treats physical, mental, social and spiritual.

 Naturopathy does not use medicines. According naturopathy food is medicine.

The whole practice of Nature cure based on the following three principles.

1.        Accumulation of morbid matter.

2.        Abnormal composition of blood and lymph.

3.        Lowered vitality.

It also believes that the human body possess inherent self constructing and self healing power.

The five main modalities of treatment are air, water, fire, mud and space.

HOMEOPATHY:

Homeopathy is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Those who practice
it use tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals. They believe these stimulate the
healing process.

It was developed in the late 1700s in Germany. It’s common in many European countries, but it’s not
quite as popular in the United States.

Origin:
Homeopathy is a system of medical practice that originated with the work of the German physician
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), who as well as being an experienced orthodox physician was
also a competent chemist, a good mineralogist and botanist, and an able translator of eight different
languages. He discovered that patients with certain diseases could be cured with substances that
produce similar toxic effects, e.g. cholera could be cured with a dose of arsenic etc.

Principle:

A basic belief behind homeopathy is “like cures like.” In other words, something that brings on
symptoms in a healthy person can -- in a very small dose -- treat an illness with similar symptoms. This is
meant to trigger the body’s natural defenses.

For example, red onion makes your eyes water. That’s why it’s used in homeopathic remedies for
allergies. Treatments for other ailments are made from poison ivy, white arsenic, crushed whole bees, and
an herb called arnica.