ANALYTICAL REPORT ON
“CONSUMER’S PERSPECTIVE ON AYUSH”
The Indian System of Medicine is of great antiquity. It is the culmination of Indian thought of medicine which represents a way of healthy living valued with a long and unique cultural history, as also amalgamating the best of influences that came in from contact with other civilizations be it Greece (resulting in Unani Medicine) or Germany (Homeopathy) or our scriptures/sages which gave us the science of Ayurveda, Siddha as well as Yoga & Naturopathy. Like the multifaceted culture in our country, traditional medicines have evolved over centuries blessed with a plethora of traditional medicines and practices.
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Dear Sir,
Greetings to you.
In continuation of my earlier Blog dated 15-01-2021 regarding the Ayush survey you had conducted I wish to add the following:
Even though the allopathic system has been practiced in this country only for the last one hundred years, it has made us to reduce our dependence on Ayurvedic system of medicine practiced for several hundred years for that matter any AYUSH system.
At least for the last fifty years, the common man in our country mostly prefers allopathic system of medicine since the treatment and the medications are made available to him more than any other systems of medicine. An exception to certain extent in this regards being the state of Kerala wherein which Ayurvedic system is equally popular.
One of the main reason is, in allopathic system efforts have been made to have better understanding in regard to Pharmacology, Biochemical pathways, Pharmacokinetic principles followed by thorough evaluation of safety issues & the side effects while designing a drug. Then only with due approval of the Drugs control authorities the medicines have been put to use. Most of the research work relating to a particular medicine has been published in the national and international peer reviewed scientific journals. These drugs when marketed, pamphlets are enclosed in the packings giving complete details for reference of the physicians to bring in confidence in all stake holders about the products.
The other important reason being single synthetic molecule drug therapy (mostly) has been adopted in allopathic system. These synthetic drug molecules can be identified and evaluated more easily by various advanced analytical methods where as in Ayush system multiple phyto constituents form a medication and the analytical methods for standardization and to pinpoint which molecule is responsible for the curative action requires extensive research.
However in recent times, even in the advanced western countries there is growing awareness that the modern allopathic system has increased incidence of unwanted side effects and this has led to the search for safe alternative system of medicine. Now there is realization that unlike allopathic system Ayurvedic therapy works on the immune system of the body to cure diseases and it is a personalized therapy based on age, food habit, lifestyle etc. But the allopathic physicians in our country and in the western world are yet to accept this as an approved therapeutic system and see Ayurvedic products as dietary supplements and as botanicals.
This global opinion can be changed if medications used by the Ayush systems provide clinical evidence for therapeutic efficacy and safety, mentioning the active drug molecules responsible for the cure. But the need for the same has been questioned by many scholars since Ayush medications have been formulated and used as per the reference found in ancient literatures for treatment for the last several hundred years unlike new synthetic drugs of allopathy.
Even though allopathic system claims credit for validation on each medicine they prescribe, most of the prescriptions written by the doctors have multiple drugs prescribed for the same disease. Insufficient clinical research has been carried out and related data is made available regarding “drug-drug” interactions causing severe side effects due to such prescribing habits having several drugs for cure.
It is not that Ayush systems do not have validated system of evaluation. After elaborate work, Indian Pharmacopoeial commission has brought out detailed pharmacopoeia for each system under Ayush. Subject experts from various fields have worked together to bring out authentic details of the basic materials and the formulations with details regarding description, identity purity and strength, constituents, properties and actions, important formulations and their compositions , method of preparation, storage, therapeutic uses and dose.
Still the allopathic system centric healers and regulators seek proof for the clinical efficacy as per the parameters as followed by the allopathic system for Ayush products also.
This is not an impossible task. Already the Govt.is making commendable efforts to popularize the Ayush systems to benefit the mankind. To make the Ayush systems the most preferred and popular system, certain additional initiatives have to be taken by the concerned. The Govt. of India Ayush dept. has acknowledged in every edition of the Pharmacopoeias, the role played by scientists from the fields of Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Pharmaceutical scineces and Ayurvedic Pharmacy for developing the Pharmacopoeial standards. With the advent of advances made in the field of biotechnology a team consisting of the particular field physicians along with the scientists from the four fields of Pharmaceutical sciences, namely Pharmacognosy, Pharma chemistry, Pharmacology , Pharmaceutics and also Bio-technology can be assigned to work as a team to carry out and submit report relating to clinical efficacy, dosage and side effects for each product included in the Ayush Pharmacopoeias with adequate support given by the Pharmacopoeial commission. These findings should be be published in national and international scientific journals. National and regional research centers only focusing on such activities should be created. To begin with a five year plan on priority basis may be drafted for this purpose.
Also to make this happen on long term basis we have to strengthen our educational system inculcating the advanced methods as adopted by allopathic system in regard to designing of a formulation and in their evaluations.
All aspects relating to the medications used in allopathic system of medicine including Pharmacokinetic aspects and clinical efficacy have been structured exclusively in the 4 year B.Pharm and 2 year M.Pharm course. Nearly 1400 degree colleges impart pharmacy education in our country and nearly 50% of them conduct research oriented PG courses also. These graduates and Postgraduates play pivotal role in the Indian drug industry relating to quality control, manufacture, evaluating the drug efficacy, research and drug innovations.
Web reference indicates that at present there are nearly 250 Ayurvedic, 8 Siddha, 35 Unani and 163 Homeopathy colleges in our country.
Such reference also indicates only few Ayurvedic colleges/universities in our country offer B.Pharm course in Ayurveda and few even M.Pharm course in Ayurveda. But the syllabus content and the orientation may have to be modified and revised to suit the present day needs.
If advanced and updated B.Pharm and M.Pharm curriculums are designed for implementation at national level, incorporating the basic concepts of that particular system having detailed course content relating pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, Drug design exclusively relating to Ayush medications in all the Ayush colleges, it will give a major boost in regard to the design, validation and standardization of the medications used and in regard to global acceptance of Ayush Systems.
With Regards.
Dr.V.Madhavan
Professor- Research
Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences
Bangalore-560054
Mobile no :9448087328
Interesting reading and shall look forward to the final survey report based on inputs from experts on the subject. I also feel Dr. V. Madhavan has raised an excellent recommendation to be inserted in the report. AYUSH needs to get lots of focus and support from the Government of India. Our Hon’ble Prime Minister is endorsing the Traditopnal Science and at the same time stressing on the need for credible evidence. Great PORTAL for the citizens. Suman Misra, New Delhi 110048. INDIA
It is with pride I fully endorse the recommendation made by Dr V Madhvan. A single point mission of PSAIIF should be to take this recommendation forward in the interest of AYUSH with the Government of India.
With warm regards Prafull D Sheth, Former Vice President, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Vadodara (Gujarat) INDIA
I have gone through the Draft Survey Report on AYUSH. I am very glad to see such an useful survey to promote AYUSH globaly. In this regard I wish to add the following:
The popularity and acceptance of the allopathic system is due to its 100% product validation which includes excellent dosage form formulations specifying the active ingredients, dosage and also the side effects. If Ayush systems have to become popular like allopathic systems, the need of the hour is the proper validation and standardisation of Ayush products and details of the same should reach the doctor and the patients. Ayush doctors alone cannot undertake this task since those doctors focus on the patient care. The standardisation process is possible only if qualified experts from the fields of Pharmacognosy,Pharmacology, Bio- technology and Natural products chemistry are involved in the standardisation. For the Ayush systems to emerge as the most scientific system there is an urgent need to create validation centers at national and regional level exclusively for Ayush products having the above indicated experts from various fields.
This also will help the manufacturers of Ayush preparations to use the herbal ingredients obtained from the same species since the present system there is a huge variation regarding efficacy from manufacturer to manufacturer. These details also should be made available to patients also as pamphlets alongwith the products. Hence I recommend you to include in your report under “Recommendations” the following.
“Creation of standardization and validation centers at national & regional level exclusively for Ayush products having academicians and researchers from the field of Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Biotechnology and natural products chemistry etc.,” . With regards, Dr. V. Madhavan
Professor-Research, Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore-560054.
The survey findings are interesting because it seems it was administered amongst already aware consumers on AYUSH in India. I strongly feel a larger study should be conducted by Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India on the level of awareness about AYUSH and the consumers’ perceptions on AYUSH in India and globally. Thanks to IAPO and COF for conducting this study and bringing the core issues to be considered in developing the communication strategy and consumer/citizen focus in all the Government related schemes.