Prof. Dr. Narendra Nath Tiwari
Ayurveda Campus, Ayurveda Teaching Hospital, TU/IOM
1. The Modern System of Medication is based on single ingredient formulae
The history of Greek Medicine, in many instances, started with only one herb for one disease. The use of its total active principles was followed by single active component. In later stage, the chemical modification of active components was practiced and it is the most modern view of treatment.
2. Many Traditional Systems of Medication are based on multi ingredients therapy
The medication in these cases is derived from prognostic characteristic of the disease. Moreover, when a certain ingredient shows some signs of side effect of toxicity, another ingredient is put into the formulation in order to counteract the undesired effects. Thus, in traditional medicine (Ayurvedic,Unani & Siddha), no medicine is available having ingredients fewer than three.
The concept of prescription writing was developed on the basis of dispensing at the retail shop to some extent on above facts. But this practice has been reducing substantially these days. Thus, in such a circumstance, the recommendation of a single plant suitable for one disease becomes absolute.
Once the concept of multi ingredient formulae is accepted, it becomes very much localized region to region in the same country and sometimes practitioner to practitioner in the same region. While on the other hand, such a multi-ingredient medicine becomes folk remedy and in many instances, therapeutically ineffective if it falls on the hand of unscrupulous practitioner.
3. The disease character of different parts of the worldIt is amazing that as the main anatomical and physiological features of all the human beings irrespective of its origin of place is same; the characteristics of the established disease are also similar in nature. The signs and symptoms of Malaria are same whether it is in Nepal, India, Africa or Indonesia. Exactly in the same way, the remedy should also be based on same regimen of medicine e.g. Quinine and Cinchona bark. Now, it is a different matter whether the patient is being treated with Decoction of Cinchona of Tincture Cinchona or pure Quinine or 8-amino quinoline. Therefore, one must sort out most effective remedy from the traditionally available formulae and modify it as required and as desired.
Still, it is understandable that the disease pattern of one country varies to a greater extent with the disease pattern of another country while the availability of certain herbs or suitability of soil for cultivation will not be same as for two countries.
For this reason, the herbs grown in one country will not be able to fulfill the demands as per the disease pattern of that country. To illustrate it, take the case of Nepal where at least four different plants containing Anthraquinone are available, but unfortunately the majority of the population in Nepal suffers from diarrhoea, but not from constipation.
4. Modernization of existing traditional method of preparing medicineThe existing technique of preparing medicine is primitive and requires to be modernized for the following reasons:
a. It is not capable of handling a large commercial quantity for national usage and international market. Most of these operations are performed manually and at smaller batch level.
b. The techniques of preparation and treatment are such that the active principles are likely to be deteriorated in the light of modern technology.
c. The quantity of unit dosage form is so big that the intake becomes inconvenient.
d. The taste of many traditional preparations is unpalatable and unacceptable to the patient.
e. The effectiveness is seen on long medication only, possibly either due to deterioration during manufacturing and/or storage.
f. The packing of many traditional preparations are substandard and the doubt of efficacy is raised in the minds of both prescriber and user.
g. At least, the probable acute and long term toxicity should be determined in order to make it safer for use.
h. A channel of national transportation and distribution system for such traditional medicine should be established along with other health supply.
Thus, until and unless there is recommended regimen of herbal drugs be available, cross country of cross regional exchange of trade will not be possible. So, along with it, the program of inclusion of herbal drugs in health service will not be successful.
As a United Nation Agies, it should not be thought that the developing country will have herbal treatment which is cheaper but not so effective, where as the developed country will have only expensive and effective treatment. Therefore, a hand from developed country should be extended to procure herbal goods from developing countries, so that a common, safe, effective and natural therapeutic agent will be made available for human kind.
Here, there should not be an argument in which medicine, herbal or modern, is superior rather an integrated approach to both of the medication systems is desirable and have accepted in one of the health policy meetings of the WHO.
Source: Ayur Info 4th issue
It is to make this title simple to understand. As the science is said to be difficult, Einstein once gave a statement -“The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.” So the dinacharya (dialy routine for health) and ritucharya (seasonal routine for health) are just the systematized common sense based on the experience of many generations of Ayurveda scholars. This is simply like- you have to carry umbrella while going out during rainy seasons, and wear warm clothes during cold season.