Traditional Medicine in Asia

� Rasayana Tantra (Geriatrics);
� Vajikarana (Reproductive health and
aphrodisiacs);
� Kayachikitsa (Internal medicine);
� Shalya Tantra (Surgery);
� Shalakya Tantra (Diseases of eye, ear,
nose and throat);
� Bhootavidya (Psychiatry);
� Agada Tantra (Toxicology);
� Kaumarabhritya (Paediatrics, obstetrics
and gynaecology).
Approach to the Diagnosis and
Principles of Treatment
Ayurveda stands for extensive and elaborate
clinical examination to understand the
nature of the disease process. It identifies
the patient and the disease separately.
Thus, the Ayurvedic clinical method is
broadly divided into two parts: 14
i) Examination of the patient, and ii)
Examination of the disease. The patient is
not examined as a diseased entity but also
as an individual human being with all its
usual attributes, including his constitution
and lifestyle. The 10-fold examination of
the patient evaluates: 15
� Psychosomatic constitution;
� Disease susceptibility;
� Quality of tissues;
� Body build;
� Anthropometry;
� Adaptability;
� Mental Health;
� Digestive power;
� Exercise endurance;
� Age.
The examination of disease is carried out
by general examination, through
interrogation and physical examination. 16
The eight-fold examination covers. 17
� Pulse;
� Urine;
� Stool;
� Tongue;
� Voice and Speech;
� Skin;
� Eyes;
� Overall appearance.
Ayurveda
This eight-fold examination provides a
comprehensive general survey of the body
and its functions.
Dushya (dhatu and mala), environment,
vitality, time, digestion and metabolism,
body constitution, age, psyche,
acceptability, diet – all these should be
minutely analysed and taken into
consideration before deciding the actual
line of treatment. If the principles are
applied to all the disease conditions,
perhaps a better management can be
evolved. To eliminate and correct the doshic
disturbances, internal medicine, external
medicine and surgical treatment have been
mentioned. 18 Under curative treatment,
Dipan (which also includes appetizer) and
Pachan (helpful in digestion and metabolism)
drugs are indicated for dissolving the
vitiated doshas by correcting the disturbed
metabolism, provided the intensity of the
disease is of a mild to moderate nature. If
the pathological lesion is of a more severer
type than that which stimulates Agni to
improve hunger or appetite, these alone
may not serve the purpose and the internal
purification measure or Panchakarma
therapy should be applied. To deal with
psychosomatic problems, divine therapy,
objectively planned therapy and psychotherapy
have been described. 19
In Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa (Divine
Therapy), Daiv refers to divinity and/or to
the events of one’s past life. It is believed
that many diseases are caused due to
actions or Karmas of an individual past life
which can be treated by appropriate and
auspicious Karmas in this life. This
approach to therapy is called Daivavya-
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