The Ancient Indian System Of Health Care - Ayurveda
Ayurveda is the ancient (before 2500 b.c.) Indian system of
health care and longevity. It involves a holistic view of man, his
health, and illness. It is based on the idea that the body, mind, and
spirit are interconnected and that all three must be "balanced" to
achieve the highest degree of health. The mind is also thought to have
a deep influence on the body.
Ayurvedic treatment of a disease consists of salubrious use of
drugs, diets, and certain practices. Medicinal preparations are
invariably complex mixtures, based mostly on plant products. Around
1,250 plants are currently used in various Ayurvedic preparations.
Many Indian medicinal plants have come under scientific scrutiny
since the middle of the nineteenth century, although in a sporadic
fashion. The first significant contribution from Ayurvedic materia
medica came with the isolation of the hypertensive alkaloid from the
sarpagandha plant (Rouwolfia serpentina), valued in Ayurveda for the
treatment of hypertension, insomnia, and insanity. This was the first
important ancient-modern concordance in Ayurvedic plants. With the
gradual coming of age of chemistry and biology, disciplines central to
the study of biologic activities of natural products, many Ayurvedic
plants have been reinvestigated. Our work on Commiphora wightti
gum-resin, valued in Ayurveda for correcting lipid disorders, has been
described in some detail; based on these investigations, a modern
antihyperlipoproteinemic drug is on the market in India and some other
countries. There has also been concordance for a few other Ayurvedic
crude drugs such as Asparagus racemosus, Cedrus deodara, and Psoralea
corylifolia.
Ayurveda is the ancient (before 2500 b.c.) Indian system of
health care and longevity. It involves a holistic view of man, his
health, and illness. It is based on the idea that the body, mind, and
spirit are interconnected and that all three must be "balanced" to
achieve the highest degree of health. The mind is also thought to have
a deep influence on the body.
Ayurvedic treatment of a disease consists of salubrious use of
drugs, diets, and certain practices. Medicinal preparations are
invariably complex mixtures, based mostly on plant products. Around
1,250 plants are currently used in various Ayurvedic preparations.
Many Indian medicinal plants have come under scientific scrutiny
since the middle of the nineteenth century, although in a sporadic
fashion. The first significant contribution from Ayurvedic materia
medica came with the isolation of the hypertensive alkaloid from the
sarpagandha plant (Rouwolfia serpentina), valued in Ayurveda for the
treatment of hypertension, insomnia, and insanity. This was the first
important ancient-modern concordance in Ayurvedic plants. With the
gradual coming of age of chemistry and biology, disciplines central to
the study of biologic activities of natural products, many Ayurvedic
plants have been reinvestigated. Our work on Commiphora wightti
gum-resin, valued in Ayurveda for correcting lipid disorders, has been
described in some detail; based on these investigations, a modern
antihyperlipoproteinemic drug is on the market in India and some other
countries. There has also been concordance for a few other Ayurvedic
crude drugs such as Asparagus racemosus, Cedrus deodara, and Psoralea
corylifolia.
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