Today Indian Government wanted to develop Ayurveda as an independent treatment option because, government believes that, in ancient days we are far more advanced in terms of treatment and medicine - compared to modern or conventional medicine. I personally feel It's a great idea, we should definitely develop good medicines. In modern days we have many challenges to solve. If Ayurveda can help to solve those issues it will be a great achievement towards mankind. We always be in a state of confusion, that why shouldn't we encourage our indigenous technologies rather following western world? Should look for an Alternative medicine..
Alternative medicine, why should we think about it? What is the need for it? What are characteristics an ideal medicine should have?
An ideal medicine, Firstly it should have the capacity to cure illness if not should have capacity to control the imbalance. Secondly it should not have side effects or very minimal in unwanted effects. Cost should be less & affordable
The capacity to cure or control the illness is called - efficacy. Ease of administration and patient comfort while taking medicine and during the treatment is called as - Tolerability. These two important parameters along with safety, should consider while choosing a medicine for illness.
So, now the question is how can we come to conclusion wether the choice of treatment is efficacious, tolerable and safe? Conventional medicine has a standard procedures to measure. If we put Ayurvedic products on that measuring scale many of them will fail. There aren’t enough well controlled clinical trials and systematic research reviews, the gold standard for Western medical research to prove that the approaches are beneficial.
Safety is a big question mark? There is Myth stating that Ayurvedic medicines are herbal products no chemicals use to prepare them, so those are safe. But Many Ayurvedic products also contain other than herbs such as heavy metals, minerals as ingredients. Even many plants have toxic in nature which can cause allergic reactions and other illnesses some times mortality too.
So I would like to make few points here to conclude -
Ayurveda's main objective to promote good health and wellbeing not fight against a disease. So it will never become a treatment option for any disease except few..
Ayurveda designed based on the belief - maintaining balance among Vata, pitta & kapha. A medicine should based on evidence, not on belief.
Ayurvedic medicines failed to prove their efficiency, tolerability and safety and don't have enough evidences to show their beneficial effects
Safety was a big concern USFDA warned that every 1 in 5 Ayurvedic medicines contain toxic metals, like lead, mercury, and arsenic.
An Ayurvedic practitioner not required any license to prepare his own medicine to dispense his own patient as per the Indian Law. So we don't have regulatory authority on manufacturing quality and safety of particular medicine.
- Viswanadh Jayanthi
https://youtu.be/cqGEsG7JC-8
ReplyDeleteAyurvedic medicine one of the ancient and holistic healing systems. It was developed and designed based on the belief that health and wellbeing depending on a delicate balance among mind, body and soul. The main objective of Ayurveda to promoting good Heath but not to fight against disease. But treatments may be geared for specific health problems. Ayurvedic medicines cascaded generations to generations through word of mouth. There are few books available like "CHARAKA SAMHITA" "SUSHROOTHA SAMHITA" & "ASTANGA HRUDAYA" will consider as major text for Ayurveda.
ReplyDeleteToday Indian Government wanted to develop Ayurveda as an independent treatment option because, government believes that, in ancient days we are far more advanced in terms of treatment and medicine - compared to modern or conventional medicine. I personally feel It's a great idea, we should definitely develop good medicines. In modern days we have many challenges to solve. If Ayurveda can help to solve those issues it will be a great achievement towards mankind. We always be in a state of confusion, that why shouldn't we encourage our indigenous technologies rather following western world? Should look for an Alternative medicine..
Alternative medicine, why should we think about it? What is the need for it? What are characteristics an ideal medicine should have?
An ideal medicine, Firstly it should have the capacity to cure illness if not should have capacity to control the imbalance. Secondly it should not have side effects or very minimal in unwanted effects. Cost should be less & affordable
The capacity to cure or control the illness is called - efficacy. Ease of administration and patient comfort while taking medicine and during the treatment is called as - Tolerability. These two important parameters along with safety, should consider while choosing a medicine for illness.
So, now the question is how can we come to conclusion wether the choice of treatment is efficacious, tolerable and safe? Conventional medicine has a standard procedures to measure. If we put Ayurvedic products on that measuring scale many of them will fail. There aren’t enough well controlled clinical trials and systematic research reviews, the gold standard for Western medical research to prove that the approaches are beneficial.
Safety is a big question mark? There is Myth stating that Ayurvedic medicines are herbal products no chemicals use to prepare them, so those are safe. But Many Ayurvedic products also contain other than herbs such as heavy metals, minerals as ingredients. Even many plants have toxic in nature which can cause allergic reactions and other illnesses some times mortality too.
So I would like to make few points here to conclude -
Ayurveda's main objective to promote good health and wellbeing not fight against a disease. So it will never become a treatment option for any disease except few..
Ayurveda designed based on the belief - maintaining balance among Vata, pitta & kapha. A medicine should based on evidence, not on belief.
Ayurvedic medicines failed to prove their efficiency, tolerability and safety and don't have enough evidences to show their beneficial effects
Safety was a big concern USFDA warned that every 1 in 5 Ayurvedic medicines contain toxic metals, like lead, mercury, and arsenic.
An Ayurvedic practitioner not required any license to prepare his own medicine to dispense his own patient as per the Indian Law. So we don't have regulatory authority on manufacturing quality and safety of particular medicine.
- Viswanadh Jayanthi