Ayurveda The EXPANDING Frontiers

  • By Dr. K. Devikrishnan
  • May 29, 2024
  • 758 views
  • Know the contents of book Ayurveda: The Expanding Frontiers i.e. a tribute to Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier on his 150th birth anniversary.

Ayurveda The expanding frontiers was brought out by the department of publications, Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, to pay tribute to the memory of Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary. His pioneering efforts in the fields of drug manufacturing, clinical practice, education, and scientific innovation are well recognized. He contributed enormously to the progression of the frontiers of Ayurveda during his time.

 

The essays are under nine headings on select topics, each one of them giving individual attention to the new trends in the current scenario of the Ayurvedic field.

 

This great work (399 pages) comes under Dr.P.K. Warrier Commemoration Series 3, which is edited by Dr. T.S. Muraleedharan, former Chief Technical Services, Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal.

 

Section 1: A Rich Legacy and Its Modern Relevance

1. In-patient care in Ayurveda: an overview by P.M. Varier, Managing Trustee and Chief Physician, Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal. This article presents an overview of the history of hospital-based inpatient care in Ayurveda, citing the Ayurvedic hospital and research centre at Kottakkal.

 

2. Historical and epigraphical evidence of traditional medicine in ancient India is detailed by H. Subhalakshmi Narayanan, former CEO of Aryavaidyasala.

 

3. The will of God and the future of Ayurveda as the most reliable health care system by late P. R. Krishnakumar, Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore.

 

4. D.B. Anantha Narayana explained the role of Ayurveda in healthcare in India.

 

5. Burton Cleetus gives a complete picture of Indigenous traditions, Western science, and the modernization of Ayurveda: P.S. Varier and the Kottakkal movement in the Twentieth century by Kerala.

 

6. The current scenario of the Ayurvedic health care system in Germany is discussed by the practitioner Syal Kumar.

 

Section 2: Enhancing the Inherent Strengths

1. Treatment protocols, the importance of Ayurvedic education, research, and evidence-based Ayurveda at the global level are well explained by M.S. Valiathan in his article, A Road Map for Ayurvedic Advancement.

 

2. Bhushan Patwardhan and Darshan Shankar tried to explain a comprehensive view of a few major scientific efforts made in the recent past with the involvement of scientists and famous organizations.

 

3. S. Dhiman discussed the proposed strategy of research and development of a new drug based on classical Ayurveda texts for diseases of national importance and systemic validation of formulations and therapies.

 

4. T. S. Muraleedharan, former chief of technical services at AVS, makes an effort to explain the clinical arm, current pharmaceutical scenario, its resource base, research, and knowledge base of this medical system in his well-studied, authentic article - Research prospects in Ayurveda: a peripheral view.

 

Section 3: A Visionary Approach to Policies

1. Conservation and propagation of threatened medicinal plants are detailed in the article by M.S. Swaminathan and M. Manjula, Establishing a medicinal plant bio-valley for health and livelihood security.

 

2. Shailaja Chandra, IAS retired, former Ayush, gives a perfect picture of the Five challenges before Ayurveda.

 

3. A new area in the Ayurvedic drug industry, the challenges of implementing pharmacovigilance in AYUSH systems of medicine are presented by Galib, Associate Professor, All India Institute of Ayurveda.

 

4. We can see a comprehensive view of Ayurvedic education, the quality of Ayurvedic education, etc. in the article Ayurveda Education: An Experience Survey by A.K. Manoj Kumar, Registrar, KUHS.

 

5. Palliative care a societal challenge is delivering the challenges of lack of awareness and financial problems for bedridden patients, according to E. Divakaran.

Section 4: Epistemological Concerns

1. The health care needs of the body are interpreted according to Ashtangahridaya by P. Rammanohar.

 

2. A correct collaborative vision of the relationship between rheumatic ailments and modern medicine is the focus of Antonio Morandi's article.

 

3. Along with modern science subjects, the basic principles of Ayurveda must be included in the school curricula, as emphasized by Jayakrishna Naik in his essay.

 

4. Ayurveda practice: senses, technology, and sensibility is a comprehensive article about the technology invasion in the Ayurvedic field by U. Indulal.

 

5. Tantrayukti is a teaching-learning tool article written by K. Murali, chief editor, CTSP who tries to explain how Ayurvedic health care is different from other treatment methods.

 

Section 5: Public Health Management – Emerging Challenges 

1.  Former Minister of Health K.K. Shailaja of Kerala and V. Rajmohan of Government Ayurveda Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, detailed the quick response of the health department to COVID-19.

 

Swasthyam, Sukhayushyam, Amrutham, Bheshajam, Punarjani, and Kiranam programs are well explained in the article. Ayurvedic Covid Response in Kerala and its Future Implications. We can say proudly that Kerala has always been at the forefront of the management of severe pandemics. The Ayurvedic system was most widely accepted during that period.

 

2. Unnikrishnan Payyappallimana explained the recognition and acceptance of Ayurveda globally after the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing global public health landscape—the need for Ayurveda to reflect and respond.

 

3. The actions taken by the ISM department in Thrissur, especially how to prevent the pandemic by using Ayurvedic medicines, are very clearly documented by N.V. Sreevaths, P.R. Salajakumari, and K.T. Jayakrishnan in the article Public Health Care: The Potential of Ayurveda.

 

4. Gopakumar discusses the common health problems faced by IT professionals in his article Ayurveda and the health of computer professionals.

 

Section 6 – Integrative Medicine: Possible Approaches

1. Geetha Krishnan Gopalakrishna Pillai detailed a comprehensive picture of integrative medicine from a global perspective in his article.

 

2. Integration in clinical and therapeutic aspects, drug development, and fundamental principles are well described by Narendra S. Bhatt in his essay Ayurveda, biosciences, and integration: attending to epistemological differences—small into big or big into small?

 

3. G.G. Gangadharan gives a clear thought on Ayurveda-based integrative medicine for diabetes mellitus: prospects and challenges.

 

4. Patient care protocols for lymphedema and an integrative approach are well explained by S.R. Narahari in the article Multisystem Integration for Patient Care and Skin Disease Management.

 

5. Lakshmi Pulakat, Molecular Biology Research Institute, USA, dedicated the article to her parents, Aryavaidyan N.V.K. Varier and P. Madhavikkutty. The challenges in the treatment of heart disease induced by obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in the current scenario are well documented.

 

6. Anup Thakar has written an article about teaching Ayurveda to healthcare experts from other systems in this anthology.

 

Section 7: Medicinal Armamentarium – The Widening Scope

1. Muhammed Majeed, founder and chairman of the Sami Sabinsa Group, updated Ayurveda by focusing on its pharmacological and therapeutic potential in the article Modern Takeoffs from Ayurveda.

 

2. C.Chandra Kant Katiyar, Yanamandala Nitheesh, and Sunil Kumar Dube explained the various aspects of drug discovery from Ayurvedic medicinal plants.

 

3. Amit Agarwal, Rojison Koshy, Nikita Agarwal, and C.L. Prathima wrote the article Quality Challenges Faced by the Indian Herbal Industry.

 

4. A. Sindhu, Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, gives a clear idea about the historical evolution of the Ayurveda drug sector, its current status, and way ahead.

 

5.  The health-beneficial potential of spices: a marriage of traditional medicine with modern medicine by K. Anees, S. J. Eapen, and K. Nirmal Babu.

Section 8: The Natural Resource Base - Its Manifold Scope

1. N. Ravindran, formerly National Coordinator for Spices and Director of ICAR, contributed an article titled Beyond Flavor and Taste: Spices in Health Care and Wellness.

 

2. The article titled Spices as medicines by Minoo Divakaran, K. Nirmal Babu, and K.V. Peter

 

3. The international recognition of medicinal plants in the Ayurvedic system of health and wellness is described by Alice Kurian, M. Asha Sanker, and K.V. Peter.

 

Section 9: Interactions with Modern Science

1. A comprehensive authentic document of evidence-based Ayurveda is contributed by S. C. Lakhotia, a distinguished Professor, in his article My experiences in Ayurvedic Biology Research.

 

2. P. Guruprasad and K. Satyamoorthy, Manipal School of Life Sciences, contributed to the scientific study of two formulations: the influence of the Brahma Rasayana and the Amalaki Rasayana on DNA repair.

 

3. Haridas, Kannur University provided an article titled Integrating Ayurvedic and Modern Methods for Novel Medicinal Products.

 

4. Abhava Pratinidhi Dravya A unique ayurvedic concept for the identification of substitutes for endangered medicinal plants is written by Subrahmanya Kumar Kukkupuni and Padma Venkatasubramanian.

 

5. The Science of Traditional Ayurveda Knowledge Base is well explained by Indira Balachandran and C.T. Sulaiman, CMPR, AVS, Kottakkal

 

This anthology is filled with authentic invited essays by professional experts in their field and is very useful to research scholars, Ayurvedic teachers, and those who are interested in studying the development of Ayurveda.

 

In the introduction of this book, T.S.Muraleedharan explained the objective of this work. The general trends of changes happening in the way science and practice of Ayurveda were being academically followed by distinguished subject experts. This anthology reveals that Ayurveda seems to have crossed some of the conservative and traditional barriers of knowledge.

 

Global recognition of Ayurveda demands evidence based studies.

 

This work helps to know the current status of Ayurvedic health care system.

 

Author    Dr. K. Devikrishnan, Chief Sub Editor, Centre for Textual Studies and Publications, Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal.

 

This article was first published in Oushadham Magazine (Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Association of India). Author has asked esamskriti to share article.

 

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