Indian Journal of Applied Microbiology, (2006) 6(1): 11-15

Present Status of Alternative in Tamil Nadu

K. Veeramani & C. Balakrishnan

ABSTRACT Herbal medication and its usage has been in existence even from genesis of first humans. Ancient man probably looked at the healthy charming herbs and a collapsing sick man nearby and pondered upon rejuvenating the sick with herbal preparation. It could have been an eye opener for the evolution of traditional medical systems. Though there are no literature available to unfold accurately the earlier instincts and responses against diseases and deaths of the people in Tamil Nadu, a reasonable body of data available on some of the traditional medical systems in practice, help us, construct about their history to a fairly reasonable extent. The well established traditional medical systems in Tamil Nadu are , Ayurvedha and Unani. This paper attempts to describe and discuss on the present status of these systems of medicine. Traditional Medical systems in Tamil Nadu in immortals” - who were, and are still, believed to have View of Their Present Status super human powers. They had firm faith in the Medicine, as every one knows, is not merely a “deathless” physical body being in tune with the science but an art as well. It consists not merely of spiritual/immortal “soul”. Significantly, one of the compounding mixtures, preparing decoctions, pills, definitions of Siddha Medicine is conquest of death: plasters and drugs of all kinds but it also with the “that which ensures prevention against mortality”. different processes of life. The practice of such This statement is attributed to Tirumular, (A.D in India dealt not merely with the external 10000 – 4000 BC) a revered whose treatise body of man but also with the inner man or the soul called “” has 3000 stanzas and is regarded as a classic text on the basic philosophy of since times immemorial. The science of medicine is 1 of fundamental importance to keep our total mind Siddha Medicine . According to Tamil tradition, and soul in harmony and peace. The two major Siddha Medicine is associated with 18 , with systems of medicine, which are ancient to the Indian Agastyar, Tirumular, and Bhogar being the most soil, are the Siddha and . The Siddha important. System of Medicine is the oldest. It flourished most popularly in and more particularly in Main Characteristics of Siddha System of Tamil Nadu. Ayurveda was followed in North India. Medicine Later it spread to all parts of India. With the arrival of the Muslim rulers in India, the Unani system of (i) Drugs and Adjuvants: Bhogar, one of the medicine, which is the direct outcome of the important Siddhars, according to the , was a Greeco-Arabian medicine, was also introduced in Chinese philosopher, who came to south India. In one India. Thus the dominant three systems that have of his works, he has described about 175 drugs some been in practice in India from the ancient and of which have alchemical undertones. He is said to 2 medieval periods are Siddha, Ayurveda and Unani. have described about 475 drugs in his several works . All these are based on humoural pathology or, in In Agastyar Pallu, 82 Siddha drugs are described. other words, on the same physiological doctrine that According to Bhogar even a single drug, with dietary air, bile (fire) and phlegm (water) are the three regimen, can cure several diseases by varying its humours which mountain the human body through adjuvants or adjuncts (anupanam) such as honey, the combined functioning. The following pages throw clarified butter, milk, herbal extracts, ginger juice, some light on these indigenous systems of medicine betal leaf juice, hot water, and other appropriate which still continue to be popular in India. carriers. It is postulated that the success of Siddha Medicine depends upon its carrier, which also varies The Siddha System of Medicine according to seasons, and that drugs are potentiated by the efficacy of the adjuvant used. There is a tacit The name Siddha Medicine owes its origin to belief that the adjuvant for a drug would also modify medicinal ideas and practices of a class of Tamil the latter’s potency and curative capability sages called the Siddhars - “perfected” or “holy synergistically for better therapeutic results. In any case, a Siddha mineral or metallic drug is Department of History, IDE, University of Madras administered in extremely small quantities. 12 Indian Journal of Applied Microbiology Vol. 6 No. 1

(ii) Diagnostic Methods: Like Ayurveda, Siddha the presumed immortalisation of the human body. Medicine accepts the three humoral concepts-air This treatment includes breathing regulation for (vata), bile (pitta), and phlegm (kapha); in addition, conserving vital of the body; conservation of the latter attaches considerable importance to the sperm; administration of meticulously processed examination of the pulse (natai; Sans: nadi) for mercurial and other mineral drugs; use of certain determining the disposition of three humours. A potent products of plants such as Aloe indica, Eclipta Siddha physician, by practice coupled with intuition, alba, and neem which are supposed to be distinguishes six pulse readings (three in each writs) extraordinarily beneficial to the human internal by his fingers suitably placed on both writs and system as a whole; and, above all, the intake of sometimes one by one. According to Theraiyer muppu, a specially prepared mixture of three salts. Siddhar, the movement of the pulse in the case of Of the mercurial drugs, according to Bhogar, deranged wind humour would be that of a swan or mercuric sulphide with gold and borax would be good peacock, whereas that in respect of improper bile for rejuvenation and he has described a method for would be similar to the movement of a hen or ant. its preparation5. Both the three traditional medical The pulse in the case of vitiated phlegm would have systems Siddha. Ayurveda and Unani have receiving a motion like that of a fly or vulture3. An experienced considerable encouragement by both the Central and Siddha physician classifies pulse movements in terms State Governments since Indian’s Independence. The of right-side and left-side humours and tries to Government of Tamil Nadu has extended special determine the status of humours vis-a-vis the nature patronage to Siddha Medicine in Tamil Nadu. of disease. An examination of urine is also a Siddha diagnostic method; the intensity of a disease is The Ayurvedha System of Medicine determined on the basis of its colour. If the urine is The word “Ayurveda” is derived from “ayus(r)” ruby or milky white, the disease is said to be meaning life, and “veda” meaning knowledge; thus, incurable, whereas yellow or honey-coloured urine Ayurveda literally means “science of life”. It is one would indicate the curable stage of a disease. of the ancient (before 2500 B.C.) Indian Systems of Medicine. Ayurveda takes a holistic view of man, his (iii) Classification of Substances health, and illness. It aims at positive health, which Minerals, metals, salts, certain toxic has been defined as a well-balanced metabolism substances, and numerous potent herbs are classified coupled with a health state of being. Disease, as male and female and also friendly and inimical, according to Ayurveda, can arise from the body possibly in relation to their mutual compatibility or and/or the mid because of external factors or intrinsic otherwise. There is a also a classification in terms of causes. Ayurvedic treatment is aimed at the patient 120 auxiliary (uparasas) substances, which include as an organic whole, and treatment consists of mica, copper sulphate, loadstone, and other minerals; salubrious use of drugs, diets, and certain practices. 64 toxic substances (32 natural and 32 prepared); Ayurveda has a vast literature is Sanskrit and nine metals, including brass and bronze; and nine various Indian languages, covering various aspects of gems; each category requires elaborate processing diseases, therapeutics, and pharmacy. Pharmaceutics with herbs to ensure that it is fit for use in a occupies an important place in Ayurveda. Medicinal medicinal composition. There is also an attempt at preparations are complex mixtures including categorisation in terms of five elements-earth, water, plant-and animal-derived products, minerals, and fire, air, and a ubiquitous one called akas’a. metals. Plants form a dominant part of Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia. The earliest references to such plants (iv) Theory of panchakarnam, is in fact, the are found in the Rig Veda and the Atharva Veda, functioning of the above five elements in the human dating back to the second millennium B.C. The body. Besides these five bodily components, life in a Chakra Samhita is the first recorded treatise fully human body depends on the presence of normally devoted to the concepts and practice of Ayurveda; its functioning sense organs and of the mind and the primary focus was therapeutics6. This work listed 341 soul4. The Siddha System is a complete system of plants and plant products for use in medicine. The medicine, which forms a part and parcel of the next landmark in Ayurvedic literature was the ancient indigenous Indian medicine. This system is Sushruta Samhita which lays special emphasis on aimed at keeping the body and mind in a perfect surgery. It described 395 medicinal plants, 5 drugs condition. of animal origin, and 64 minerals and metals as (vi) Rejuvenation One of the notable characteristics therapeutic agents. Sushruta, the father of surgery, of Siddha treatment relates to an intricate technique lived and practiced surgery in Varanasi, India7. (called Kaya Kalpa) that is used for rejuvenation and Another important authority on Ayurveda was December 2006 Present Status of in Tamil Nadu 13

Vaghbhatta of Sind, in present day Pakistan, who biomathematical data, but it is nearly always safe.14 practiced around the seventh century A.D. His work there are no two opinions that the cure and care of Ashtanga Hridaya is considered unrivaled for the the suffering humanity should be the sole objective principles and practice of medicine8. The Madhava of every system of medicine. The Unani system has Nidana (800-900 A.D.) was the next important proved its efficacy and it enjoys a good deal of milestone; it is the most famous Ayurvedic work on popular acceptance. What is of prime importance for the diagnosis of diseases9. The last celebrated write the system to meet the people’s requirements in the on Ayurveda medicine was Bhava Mishra of current times is the research support to enhance and Magadha, whose treatise Bhava Prakasha, written establish its curative powers to establish their around 1550, is held in high esteem by modern productive life. Ayurvedic practitioners for its descriptions of 10 approximately 470 plants . Other than these The System monumental treatises, many Nighantu Granthas Besides Siddha, Ayurvedha and Unani, nature (Pharmacy lexicons) were written, mostly between the cure principle might have been obvious to early man seventh and sixteenth centuries. Raj Nighantu by before systematised medicine came into being. Early Narhari Pandita and Madanpala Nighantu by Egyptians used; the Romans used baths extensively; Madanpala are considered masterpieces on medicinal Jews had rules of diet and hygiene; paracalsus in plants11. All ancient texts on Ayurveda divide medical 1493 was renowned for his natural methods. Vinconz knowledge into eight branches (Ashtanga), and this Priessnitz (1799-1851) was the man who first started is no different from the contemporary approach. In a nature cure clinic in Grafenburg over a hundred addition, Ayurvedic descriptions of diseases are much year ago. Dr.Henry Lindlahr is one who devoted his like the modern delineation. Currently, Ayurveda is life and started to spread nature cure. He established widely practiced in the Hindustan peninsula (India Lindlahr Institutions, and under these, he conducted and the neighbouring countries) and, in recently two nature cure sanatoriums for the treatment of years, has attracted much attention economically patients. His leading motto is “Nature’s remedies are developed countries such as those in Europe and in 15 the best”. the United States and Japan. Present Status The Unani System of Medicine The Indian National Congress insisted since The origin of Unani Tibbor, Greeco-Arab 1938 the absorption of the practitioners of indigenous medicine, may be traced to that system of Greek system of medicine into the State health care medicine, which was developed during the Arab institutions. In 1946 the Health Ministers Conference civilization.12 The muslims still call it Unani (lonian resolved for making financial provisions for research, medicine out of adherence of its true historical establishment of teaching institutions, absorption of derivation, whereas European historians call it Arab indigenous medical practitioners after proper training medicine. It is now practiced in the Indo-pakistan and inclusion of them in official boards and councils. subcontinent. The Muslims introduced the Unani However, it was only after independence some system of medicine in India. The maximum concrete efforts were made to promote the indigenous contribution made to this indigenous system of system of medicine in India. medicine was by the famous Hakim, Abu Ali Hussain Ibne-Seena also known as Sheikh-ul-Rais. The government of India constituted the Unanu practitioners hold a respectable place in Central Council of Indian Medicine as a statutory society, particularly in rural communities In urban Body in 1970. This Council was reconstituted in 1984 areas, Tabibs are often consulted for treatment of and 1995. By that time they appeared in India diseases and in matters relating to the protection of Institutions started to offer education in Ayurveda, health. The Tabibs adhere to the traditional moral Unani and Siddha. For Siddha there was one college and social values while treating their patients.13 The with 75 seats till 1982 and it increased 2 with 150 pharmacopeia consists of an extremely rich seats in 1998. armamentarium of natural drugs, mainly herbal, but The creation of the Central council led to the also including animal, mineral, and marine drugs. maintenance of a Central Registrar which helps us The drugs can be used singly or as to assess the importance of Siddha medicine also. Till poly-pharmaceuticals, in the form of decoctions, 1994 there was about 71,042 indigenous medical infusions, tablets, powders confections, syrups and practitioners (65.849 Doctors of Ayurvedha 4,370 aquae. It is true that the Unani pharmacopoeia is Unani and 823 Siddha). Two medical colleges are lacking in detailed experimental, physiochemical and functioning exclusively for teaching Siddha Medicine 14 Indian Journal of Applied Microbiology Vol. 6 No. 1

Table 1. Patients treated under Traditional medical systems in Tamil Nadu

Hospitals Beds 1985 1999 Siddha 204 1681 Out Patients 35,32,279 80,64,400 In Patients 94.419 1.38.132 Ayurvedha 2189 33145 Out Patients 1,82,246 1,01,628 In Patients 19,726 21,537 Unani Out Patients 1,01,628 89,956 189 4157 In Patients 18,150 22,753

Table 2. Status of register practitioner and dispensary in Tamilnadu

No. of Regd. Practitioner No. of Dispensaries Siddha 12,911 357

Ayurveda 3,6,812 14252

Unani 40,748 96 namely the Government Siddha Medical Colleges at may seem to be less in comparison with that of Palayankottai with 250 beds and another at Chennai Ayurveda and Unani. with 120 beds. So far as Tamil Nadu is concerned Modern medicine attracts everyone due to easy Siddha is more popular than the other two. It could medication procedure with known medicinal be understood from the TAble which speaks of the ingredients, supported by principles and mechanisms number of out-patients and in-patients treated under of action, rapid action and control of diseases. Siddha, Ayurveda and Unani in Tamil Nadu. However, the concept of “diseases can be treatable” Number of both out-patients and in-patients came from the experiences and reports provided by seeking Siddha treatment increased significantly from traditional medical systems which survive even after 1985 to 1999. But in Ayurvedha and Unani systems the advent of allopathy. Traditional medicines are there was a decrease in both out patients and administered as natural products. Since traditional in-patients. medicines are passed on to the next generation by reliable and sincere disciplines, the knowledge on From the Table-I we can understand that there many medicinal preparation were lost. However, if is the facility of Siddha treatment available in more prompt attention and researches are undertaken on than 200 hospitals with more than 1600 beds. There those systems, they may prove their worthless to cure are more than 350 dispensaries. Most of these are certain untreatable diseases which pose challenges in available in Tamil Nadu. Many of them are wings of the medical world. modern medical hospitals and Primary Health Centers. These are only the official figures. Between 1960 and 1970 the demand for promoting the References indigenous systems of medicine as a separate one 1. V.Narayanaswami, Introduction to Siddha System of increased. Medicine (Madras, 1975), pp. 227-249. There are about 475 licensed pharmacies, one 2. S.V. Subramanian and V.R. Madhavan, Heritage of the unit each for drug standardization, clinical research Tamil - Siddha Medicine (Chennai, 1983), p.6. and rearing of medicinal plants, two for tribal health 3. B.V. Subbarayappa, India’s Contribution to the History care, and one mobile clinical research Unit. The of Science, Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee number of registered practitioners in Siddha Medicine (Chennai, 1970), p.47. in 2000 was over 1290. It could be understood from 4. A. Shanmugavelan, Siddhar’s Science of Longevity and the table. Since Siddha medicine is popular only in Kalpa Medicine of India, Sakthi Nilayam (Madras, Tamil Nadu, the number of registered practitioners 1963), pp.67,68, 95-133. December 2006 Present Status of Alternative Medicine in Tamil Nadu 15

5. K.C. Veeraraghava Iyer, The Study of in 11. V. Gangadhara Thevar, Theraier Yemakaa Venba Tamil Nadu South India (Madras, 1932), pp.60-67. (Chennai, 1976), pp.13,63. 6. V. Gangadhara Thevar, Theariar Yemaka Venba, 12. P.M. Abdullah Sahib and Thyagarajan, Aastyar Bhogar Yelairam (Madras, 1975), pp.132-133. Pallo-200, Palani Temple Siddha Publications Committee (Madras, 1975), pp.82-85. 7. P.M. Abdullah Sahib and Thyagarajan, Aastyar Pallo-200, Palani Temple Siddha 13. Swami Satyanand Saraswathy, Nidra (Bihar, 1970), pp 187-191. 8. Publications Committee (Madras, 1975), pp.82-85. 14. S.P. Sharma Vol.I (Varanasi, 1984 9. Thyagarajan, Theraier Venba (Madras, 1974), pp.136. pp.49-53 10. C.S. Uttama Royan, Siddha Pharmacopeia (Chennai, 1978), pp.45-47.