INDIAN HEALTH AND MEDICINAL SYSTEM: FROM ANCIENT INDIA TO PRESENT WORLD.
*Shaifali Dubey, Ankita Gupta, Mayuri Mishra and Sonam Singh
ABSTRACT
Today we have number of therapeutic agents, techniques,
methodologies and ways for treatment of different diseases but the
astonishing aspect is that what was being done and how these diseases
were cured and treated in the ancient time. Ancient Indian health
system includes practice of yoga for maintaining balance of physical
and spiritual energy/health, shastrakarma dealing with surgery and
ayurveda. The ayurvedic treatment plans were having many valuable
medicinal plants. Sushruta Samhita (6th century BC) describes 700
medicinal plants. Actually our past and present medicinal system is
connected in some way like the ayurvedic plants which were the
treatment source are now undergoing the research for exploring their utility. The phytoconstituents
of these plants are being processed for development of semi-synthetic analogues
or the formulations of these are in market. Like the today‟s concept of digestion, metabolism
and immune system the Charak Samhita also discuss it in detail. The present system is
categorized on the basis of different systems of body like respiratory, digestive, reproductive,
genetics etc. These were worked under category of root cause of disease of different system
under the imbalance of three doshas-bile, phlegm and wind. The genetic concept of Charak
and theory about blindness arising due to the defect in the ovum and the sperm is surprising
here. Although deep insight shows connectivity of ancient and present era medicinal system
yet the form and execution techniques and practice of medicines have been changed to a great
extent. But if again moving back and capturing from our present we can generate a better fit
for the health and medicinal system of future.
Keywords: Ancient indian medicine, therapeutic agents, medicinal plants, semi-synthetic analogues.
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