Traditional Medicine in Asia

which forms the physico-chemical basis of
the body as well as diet and drugs. The
pharmaco-therapeutics is based on the
theory of tridosha, which controls and
maintains the biological functions and are
the cause of health in a state of equilibrium
and of disease in cases of disequilibrium.
The composition, metabolism and action
of the drug are based on its Rasa (taste),
Guna (properties), Virya (potency), Vipaka
(metabolism), Prabhava (specific potency)
and Karma (action).
Education and Research
College level education in Ayurveda started
about 100 years ago with royal petronage.
Subsequently, modern knowledge was also
introduced in these colleges. At present,
the number of Ayurvedic institutions in the
Indian Subcontinent is 186 (which
includes two graduate-level institutes in Sri
Lanka and 12 in Nepal). In addition, the
National Institute of Traditional Medicines
at Nawinna in Sri Lanka conducts training
programmes for doctors, Ayurvedic
students, farmers and practitioners of
Folklore Medicine. Free Ayurvedic
treatment facilities are available in about
21,000 Ayurvedic dispensaries and
hospitals. Some 50 universities in the
Subcontinent have facilities for Ayurvedic
graduate (BAMS) and postgraduate
(M.D.-Ayu) education. Postgraduate
education in Ayurveda is available in 31
colleges, which include three major
postgraduate centres: the Institute of
Postgraduate Teaching and Research in
Ayurveda at Gujarat Ayurved University,
Jamnagar; Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi, and the National Institute of
Ayurveda at Jaipur. The Faculty of
Ayurveda, Banaras Hindu University, has
made significant contributions in the field
of research in Ayurveda.
Ayurveda
The Government of India has
established a National Academy of
Ayurveda to promote intensive training in
different specialities for graduates and
postgraduates of Ayurveda under the
guidance of eminent scholars according
to the Guru Shishya Parampara-tradition.
In this region, three Siddha colleges are
functioning with the facility of postgraduate
education in one college, 107 hospitals
and 306 dispensaries.
The Government of India, by an Act of
Parliament, established the Central Council
of Indian Medicine (CCIM) in 1972 for
regulating education and registration in
Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine.
Ayurvedic education and registration is
regulated in the neighbouring countries as
well. The Government of India also
established a research council, the Central
Council for Research in Indian Medicine,
Homoeopathy and Yoga (CCRIMH) in
1971, which was subsequently developed
into four independent councils in 1978.
The Central Council for Research in
Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) promotes
research in Ayurveda. The CCRAS has 10
central research institutes of Ayurveda, 17
regional research institutes and nine
regional research centres/research units,
fully devoted to research in Ayurveda. The
Bandaranayake Memorial Ayurvedic
Research Institute at Nawinna, Sri Lanka,
Ayurveda takes care of the
patient as a whole with its
holistic approach. Various
Ayurvedic herbal and herbomineral
preparations are used
for the treatment of chronic
and degenerative diseases
without any side-effect.
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