Traditional Medicine in Asia

to give priority to research and development
of traditional medicines. The health
policy of China aims at integrating modern
medicine with the traditional Chinese
medicines and conducting research in
traditional practices in a rational way. India
has set up the Central Council for Research
in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) and
Unani systems to investigate a number of
herbal medicines to establish the scientific
basis of their use. The Indian Council of
Medical Research has established a
programme of Composite Drug Research
(CDR) whereby herbal drugs are investigated
by a team of traditional and modern
medicine practitioners, a botanist, a
phytochemist and a pharmacologist in a
coordinated manner.
More than a hundred medicinal plants
used in Ayurveda have been investigated
in the CDR scheme and have provided
some promising leads for further
investigation. In some cases, the therapeutic
claims made by Ayurveda practitioners
have been justified by pharmacological
studies. The plants selected in CDR
have been botanically identified and their
pharmacognostic data have been
reported. Phytochemical studies have
yielded some novel chemical structures. 2
Thus, the Satavari (Asparagus racemosus)
root used in Ayurveda as a galactogogue
was studied in experimental animals and
reported to possess galactogogue and
anti-oxytosic activities. (3,4) The plant is
reported to contain Shatavarin having a
specific pharmacological action. Picrorhiza
kurroa has been reported to posses
hepatoprotective activity and its active
principles have been identified as
Picrocytes. Butea frondosa, which is used
in Ayurvedic preparations as an anthelmintic,
has yielded an active principle called
palasonin. Guggulisterone from guggul
resin has been isolated. 2 The resin is used
Research, drug development and manufacture of herbal drugs
extensively by traditional practitioners in the
treatment of inflammation of joints, obesity,
lipid disorders, etc., on the basis of the
description of Medorog (Lipid disorder) by
Susruta. Chemical investigation has yielded
two active compounds, namely z-
Guggulsterone and e-Guggulsterone. 5 It
is evident that such a composite approach
in the investigation of medicinal plants is
likely to be more rewarding in establishing
the therapeutic claims of traditional
remedies and obtaining novel chemical
entities.
Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka
and Nepal, have all given priority to
research in traditional medicines in their
health and drug policies. Several countries
have established pharmacopoeias of
traditional medicines and established
institutes to undertake research in all
aspects, including standardization and
quality control of herbal medicines.
Objectives of Research in
Herbal Medicines
The hallmark of modern medicine is the
scientific approach in promoting health,
preventing diseases and curing ailments.
Scientific methodology consists of the
following approaches:
� Astute observation;
� Formation of hypothesis;
� Experimentation to prove or reject the
hypothesis;
� Acceptance and incorporation of the
results of research in modern medicine.
Since most herbal medicines used in
traditional practices are based on
empiricism, there is a need to separate
chaff from the grain and prove, beyond
reasonable doubt, the efficacy, safety and
cost-effectiveness of herbal medicines. Such
an approach not only enriches modern
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