AYUSH Industry
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INTRODUCTION styles. The Department has, over the years, developed a broad institutional framework to carry out its activities. The National Medicinal Plants The Indian System of Medicine is of great Board (NMPB) functions under the Department to antiquity. It is the culmination of Indian thought of coordinate activities relating to conservation, medicine which represents a way of healthy living cultivation, marketing, export and policy making for valued with a long and unique cultural history, as the development of the medicinal plants sector. also amalgamating the best of influences that There are two statutory regulatory bodies, namely came in from contact with other civilizations be it Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and Greece (resulting in Unani Medicine) or Germany Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH) for laying (Homeopathy) or our scriptures/sages which gave down minimum standards of education, us the science of Ayurveda, Siddha as also Yoga & recommending recognition of medical Naturopathy. Like the multifaceted culture in our qualifications, registering the practitioners and country, traditional medicines have evolved over laying down of ethical codes. Five research centuries blessed with a plethora of traditional councils, for Ayurveda (CCRAS), Siddha (CCRS), medicines and practices. Unani (CCRUM), Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) A separate Department of Indian Systems and Homeopathy (CCRH) are responsible for the of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) was set up officially sponsored research activities. So far, in 1995 to ensure the optimal development and eight National Institutes for Ayurveda (NIA, Jaipur), propagation of AYUSH systems of health care. The (RAV, New Delhi) & (IPGTRA, Jamnagar), Siddha Department of ISM&H was re-named as the (NIS, Chennai), Unani (NIUM, Bangalore), Yoga Department of AYUSH (an acronym for - Ayurveda, (MDNIY, New Delhi), Naturopathy (NIN, Pune) and Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy (NIH, Kolkata) are existing at Homoeopathy) in November 2003. Sowa Rigpa national level for teaching, research and clinical has been recognized under IMCC Act, 1970 by the practices. notification published in Gazette of India on 16th For Standardisation and testing of Drugs, December, 2011. various agencies have been put in plan by the Government of India. Four different On 9th November, 2014, first time the Department Pharmacopoeia Committees are working for of AYUSH is formed as a separate Ministry; known preparing official formularies / pharmacopoeias to as Ministry of AYUSH. evolve uniform standards in preparation of drugs of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy and to With an increase in lifestyle-related prescribe working standards for single drugs as disorders there is a worldwide resurgence of well as compound formulations. A Drug Control interest in holistic systems of health care, Cell is working in the Department to deal with the particularly with respect to the prevention and matters pertaining to licensing, regulation and management of chronic, non-communicable and control of drugs and the spurious manufacture of systemic diseases. It is increasingly understood Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Drugs and other that no single health care system can provide matters. Two apex Laboratories, namely, satisfactory answers to all the health needs of Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine modern society. Evidently there is a need for a new (PLIM) and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeial inclusive and integrated health care regime that Laboratory (HPL) are functioning as Standard should guide health policies and programmes in Setting-Cum-Drug-testing Laboratories for Indian future. India has an advantage in this global Medicines and Homoeopathy respectively. Indian resurgence of interest in holistic therapies as it has Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd. a rich heritage of indigenous medical knowledge (IMPCL), a Public Sector Undertaking, coupled with strong infrastructure and skilled manufactures classical Ayurveda and Unani drugs. manpower in modern medicine. Medical pluralism The Ministry also manages the CGHS Ayurveda is here to stay and the AYUSH sector has a critical Hospital at Lodhi Road, New Delhi. role to play in the new and emerging situation. Bringing AYUSH into the mainstream The Ministry of AYUSH promotes and health care delivery system of the country has long propagates Indian systems of Medicine and been a major policy objective of the Ministry. Under Homoeopathy, and is committed to infuse the the NRHM, AYUSH facilities are being set up in wisdom of traditional medicine with the PHCs and CHCs and are being manned by methodologies of modern science, scientifically qualified AYUSH physicians appointed on contract validating the systems and presenting them in the basis. scientific idiom, relating their efficacy to modern life 1 Since the creation of a separate Ministry, Ayurveda, all objects and living bodies are there has been a substantial increase in the composed of five basic elements, called the infrastructural facilities under AYUSH systems in Pancha Mahabhootas, namely: Prithvi (earth), Jal the country. Presently, there are 3639 hospitals (water), Agni (fire), Vayu (air) and Akash (ether). with about 56250 beds, 26405 dispensaries, The philosophy of Ayurveda is based on the 7,71,468 doctors, 550 educational institutions with fundamental correlation between the universe and admission capacity of about 32256 UG student and the man. Hence Ayurveda has also stressed on 4339 PG students and 8667 drug-manufacturing environmental aspects and has advised various units under AYUSH systems. Under NRHM, measures for conservation of nature as well as to AYUSH facilities have been co-located with 497 avoid the pollution of Air, water and Soil. Ayurveda District hospitals, 2649 CHCs and 8124 PHCs. imbibes the humoral theory of Tridosha- the Vata (ether + air), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (earth + water), A. SYSTEMS which are considered as the three physiological (i) Ayurveda: entities in living beings responsible for all metabolic functions. The mental characters of human beings The word ‘Ayurveda’ has derived out of are attributable to Satva, Rajas and Tamas, which fusion of two separate words- Áyu’ i.e. life and are the psychological properties of life collectively ‘veda’ i.e. knowledge. Thus in literal meaning terms as ‘Triguna’. Ayurveda aims to keep Ayurveda is the science of life. Ayurveda is a structural and functional entities in a state of classical system of preventive, promotive and equilibrium, which signifies good health curative healthcare originating from the Vedas (Swasthya). Any imbalance due to internal or documented around 5000 years ago and currently external factors leads to disease and the treatment recognized and practiced in India and many consists of restoring the equilibrium through countries in the world. It is one of the most ancient various procedures, regimen, diet, medicines and healthcare systems having equal scientific behavior change. Ayurveda, being an applied relevance in the modern world, that take a holistic Science and considering the limitations for printing view of the physical, mental, spiritual and social in ancient time, all the ancient texts have aspects of human life, health and disease. concentrated mainly on applied aspects. It is believed that Ayurveda is originated Understanding of ‘Functional Anatomy’ i.e. Sharir out of Vedas (particularly Rigveda and is the unique contribution of Ayurveda to the Atharvaveda). Numerous references of health, modern science which has great potential for new diseases, their treatment as well as use of non- discoveries in System Biology. materialistic things such as sun rays, fasting, mantra etc; are available in these Vedas. The The treatment approach in the Ayurveda knowledge of Ayurveda was first comprehensively system is holistic and individualized having documented in the compendia like ‘Brahma preventive, curative, mitigative, recuperative and Samhita’, Ágnivesha tantra’, ‘Bhela Samhita’ etc. rehabilitative aspects. The preventive aspect of Out of these, only some part of Bhela Samhita is Ayurveda is called Svasth-Vritta and includes available today. The Agnivesha Tantra was edited personal hygiene, daily and seasonal regimens, by Charak around 5000 years back called Charak appropriate social behavior and use of materials & Samhita and thereafter re-edited by Dridhbala, practices for healthy aging and prevention of which is one of the main text of Ayurveda available premature loss of health attribute. The curative in complete form today. This is the most translated treatment consists of Aushadhi (drugs), Ahara treatise of Ayurveda, which got translated into (diet) and Vihara (life style). Ayurveda largely uses many foreign languages like Tibetan, Arabic, Unani plants as raw materials for the manufacture of and Greek even in ancient time. In recent past drugs, though materials of animal and marine many scholars have translated Charak Samhita origin, metals and minerals are also used. into English, German, and Japanese languages. Ayurvedic medicines are generally safe and have Likewise another full available ancient text mainly little or no known adverse side-effects, if dealing with surgical aspect of diseases is manufactured properly and consumed judiciously Sushruta Samhita, which has also undergone 3-4 following the necessary do’s and don’ts. The editions in past 5000 years. mitigative and recuperative treatment is again a According to Ayurveda, health is specialty of Ayurveda which is