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The Early Middle Ages
Published in Scott M. Jackson, Skin Disease and the History of Dermatology, 2023
In India, the ancient medical tradition that started in the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE), called Ayurvedic, placed both skin disease and skin health in focus. Disease was generally attributed to supernatural causes such as the curse of a god, or blamed on the machination of a demon or demons. But a humoral system of disease, involving three humors or dosha (vata, pitta, and kapha) and five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and ether), served as a more natural explanation. Traditional Indian medical texts discussed daily care of the skin with oil massage, trimming and care of the hair and nails, and the use of perfumes. In the Sushruta Samhita (unknown date, ca. 600 BCE–100 CE), an ancient Indian physician named Sushruta, who received the Ayurvedic medical knowledge of the god of medicine, Dhanvantari, dealt primarily with surgical management of disease and discussed such procedures as incision and drainage, cauterization, and dermabrasion.71 Sushruta was a Hippocrates-like figure in that many different persons are believed to have contributed to the Sanskrit text under his name. The text contains a complete description of leprosy, including its highly specific diagnostic features of anesthesia. Chaulmoogra oil, which enjoyed a long run as a treatment for leprosy up until the twentieth century, was first mentioned as a treatment in this text. India can claim the first official writings on leprosy, which is not surprising since it appears the disease originated there.
Concept of the Traditional Medicinal System and Holistic Health
Published in Mehwish Iqbal, Complementary and Alternative Medicinal Approaches for Enhancing Immunity, 2023
The Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita are the fundamental writings of Ayurveda; however, they are complemented by a huge number of additions depending upon experiences and observations, none of which influenced the sacredness of the original manuscripts (World Health Organization, 2010). Agnivesha gathered the knowledge he acquired from the Vedas, and it was then subsequently edited by Acharya Charaka and a number of other scholars; nowadays it is recognised by the name of Charaka Samhita, which discusses all features of Ayurveda while Sushruta Samhita discusses the surgical procedures (Jaiswal & Williams, 2017; Mukherjee & Wahile, 2006; Susruta & Kunja Lal, 2006). Ayurveda is certain that the whole universe is made up of five elements: fire, ether or space, air, earth and water. These pancha mahabhootas or five elements are believed to make the three fundamental humours of bodies in different mixtures. These three humours, named pitta, kapha and vata doshas, are collectively recognised as ‘tridoshas' and they regulate the fundamental functions of the human body (Figure 1.4).
The Orient
Published in Michael J. O’Dowd, The History of Medications for Women, 2020
The next stage of medical development was the introduction of the Brahmanas or commentaries on the Vedas (by Brahman priests) that were handed down as an oral tradition for almost 2000 years, until committed to text by the legendary physician, Caraka, probably in the first century AD. His treatise, Caraka Samhita, outlines 341 substances of plant origin, 177 of animal origin, and 64 mineral items that were use as medicines. A second medical text, by Susruta, (it also dealt with surgery) was the Susruta Samhita. With the Caraka Samhita these two tracts form the Aryan Veda (Van Alphen and Aris, 1995).
Screening of Weight-Loss Herbal Products for Synthetic Anti-Obesity Adulterants: A Target-Oriented Analysis by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2021
P. Girish, M. Jayanthi, B. Gitanjali, S. Manikandan, S. Rajan
In the present study, the procured WHPs were found to contain both classical and proprietary preparations (supplementary material). The classical preparations are manufactured based on the formula and indications as mentioned in the traditional text books such as Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita for Ayurveda. Proprietary preparations are also known as patent medicines or modern medicines which are manufactured by the company itself based on expertise and clinical trials. Both classical and proprietary WHPs need a license for manufacturing and marketing from the respective state drug control authorities. The WHPs included in the present study were licensed under the state AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) authority. The state AYUSH licensing authority issues the manufacturing and marketing licenses for the herbal products after fulfilling all the standard requirements.
Where lies the future of Ayurveda-inspired drug discovery?
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 2023
Ayurveda classics Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita provide detailed descriptions of over 800 medicinal herbs and 8000 herbal-mineral formulations, which are being explored by scientists [7]. Several Ayurveda formulations have remained unchanged for thousands of years. The Ayurvedic database provides knowledge of generally regarded safe botanical material used in its medicines. India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL, http://www.tkdl.res.in) has data of over 36,000 classical Ayurveda formulations. Around 500 traditional formulations are estimated to be manufactured by various Ayurvedic drug manufacturers and about hundred are popular even at the community level for preventive and primary health care in Indian homes.
Ancient Indian concepts about phenomenology, biology, and therapeutics of epilepsy
Published in Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, 2018
Charaka Samhitā (translation: Charaka’s Compendium [CS]) and Sushruta Samhitā (SS) are the two foundational Sanskrit texts of Ayurveda that have survived from ancient India. Although the exact period of composition of Charaka Samhita is uncertain, experts have dated the original version from the fourth to second centuries BCE, while the Drdhbala’s revision, which forms the source for current texts, is tentatively dated to the sixth century CE (Meulenbeld, 1999; Maas, 2010). CS describes ancient concepts of human biology in health and disease and the causes, symptoms, and therapeutics for a wide variety of diseases with emphasis on multidisciplinary care including diet, hygiene, drug treatment, and lifestyle modifications. It also discusses the role of members constituting the health-care team including the patient, physician, nurse, and the trainee (Svoboda, 1992; Meulenbeld, 1999; Valiathan, 2009). It consists of eight books with a total of 120 chapters. The eight books include Sutra Sthana (general principles), Nidana Sthana (biology of diseases), Vimana Sthana (training of a physician, ethics of medical practice, diet and nutrition), Śarira Sthana (embryology and anatomy), Indriya Sthana (understanding the subjective sensory response of the patient), Chikitsa Sthana (therapeutics), Kalpa Sthana (pharmaceutics and toxicology), and Siddhi Sthana (hygiene and health promotion) (Hassler, 1893; Sharma, 1998). Chapter 10 of the Chikitsa Sthana is devoted to epilepsy and contains 68 verses. Sushruta Samhita is the complementary surgical textbook of the Ayurveda canon. Though similar to CS in general organization, it is unique in describing surgical training, instruments, and procedures (Bhishagratna, 1911; Rây, Gupta, & Roy, 1980; Valiathan, 2007). In fact, the technique of midline forehead flap for nasal reconstruction described in SS is still the basis of modern rhinoplasty (Oo & Park, 2011). Despite uncertainty in the period of its composition, a careful analysis traces it to the middle of the first millennium BCE (Tipton, 2008). The first chapter of its Nidana Sthana is devoted to diseases of nervous system and has a section on epilepsy (Bhishagratna, 1911).