Pratip K. Debnath

Changing scenario for promotion and development of Ayurveda – way forward ☆

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Ayurveda, derives from the Sanskrit words Ayus (life) and Veda (knowledge) is the most ancient system of traditional medicine of the world. It has been practiced in Indian peninsula since 5000 BC to offer natural ways to treat diseases and to promote healthcare. METHODOLOGY We reviewed the literature on the history, principles and current status of Ayurveda. The data have been presented systematically including the initiatives from Government of India. Several aspects of administrative management, education, teaching and related aspects for promotion and development of Ayurveda and other Indian systems of traditional medicine have been discussed. RESULTS This paper reviews on different aspects of development of Ayurveda. Presently, there are 2420 hospitals with about 42271 beds, 15017 dispensaries, 429246 registered practitioners, more than 320 educational institutions, 7699 drug-manufacturing units to promote Ayurveda into the health care delivery system in the country. Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India is the official document for single Ayurvedic drugs (540 monographs) and different formulations (152 monographs). Several aspects in this regard for development of Ayurveda have been discussed. CONCLUSION Considering the widespread use and popularity of Ayurveda worldwide, administrative management and infrastructure facilities, indigenous practices and standards for quality control and its evaluation have been highlighted. In India, all such efforts for integration of Ayurveda provide potential role in the health care benefits.

Ayurveda – Opportunities for Developing Safe and Effective Treatment Choices for the Future

Abstract Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that evolved to a comprehensive health care management since pre-Vedic to Vedic period. Prior to the dawn of Western medical education in India, Ayurveda was considered as mainstream health care facility, starting from the cause of the disease ( Nidana ) to its pathogenesis (Samprapti ) based on five subsets known as Panchanidana . The disease process ( Rogavijnan ) and treatment module ( Chitsa Siddhanta ) covering a whole gamut of prevailing diseases on eight specialties has been discussed in this chapter. Ayurnutogenomics is aimed at justifying the diet and dietetic according to genomic variations. Ayur-pharmacoepidemiology is a branch that documents that the adverse episode due to use of Ayurvedic drugs in continuity outnumbered those due to use of pharmacopoeia and pharmaceutical drugs with regional and racial acceptance.

Effects of adjunct therapy of a proprietary herbo-chromium supplement in type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Chromium chelates/complexes are widely used as nutritional supplements to redress complications of type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients. However, most of these chelates could be susceptible to oxidation into toxic Cr(VI) state. Complexation of Cr (III) with gallo-ellagi tannoids produces a herbochromium supplement (HCrS) that maintains its Cr3+ oxidation state under oxidizing circumstances in vitro. It was tested with conventional oral hypoglycemic drugs [(oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD)] for its beneficial effects in T2DM patients. Objective: A randomized clinical study with three OADs with or without HCrS was carried out in T2DM patients to evaluate the efficacy of the HCrS supplement. Materials and Methods: 150 T2DM patients were randomized into six treatment groups. After 60 days of treatment, fasting blood glucose and post-prandial blood glucose (FBG and PPBG, respectively), HbA 1c , HsCRP, oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL), and urinary microalbumin levels and other diabetic symptoms were evaluated. Statistical Analysis: Findings were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc pairwise comparisons of groups using the least significant difference method. Results: Better control of FBG and PPBG levels were observed in patients receiving HCrS (−12.4 to −16.6%) compared to placebo groups (−3.4 to −9.4%). There was a 5.5–7.4% decrease in HsCRP and LDL levels in patients receiving HCrS, which is better than placebo treated groups. Significant decrease in urinary microalbumin level was observed in patients receiving HCrS (−20.0 to −22.5%) compared to placebo groups (−7.8 to

Risk factors for under- and overweight in school children of a low income area in Kolkata, India

BACKGROUND & AIMS Socio-economic and individual lifestyle features associated with the nutritional state were examined in 7-9-year-old children of lower and lower middle-class families living under the international poverty line. Mild and moderate undernutrition was frequent but overweight also occurred. METHODS Three groups of sex- and age-matched randomly selected children from the Kolkata Child Nutrition Study (data collection between April and November 2001) attending public primary schools of North Kolkata participated (42 children of low body mass index (BMI<12 kg/m(2),=LBMI), 100 children of intermediate BMI (14-16 kg/m(2); IBMI) and 51 children of high BMI (>16 kg/m(2); HBMI). Individual and social characteristics of the three BMI categories were assessed using a structured interview of their families. RESULTS Families of LBMI children owned more TV (83.3% versus 60%; p-value: 0.007) and spent less money for rice (80.4% versus 52.5% of the families spent less than 11 Indian rupees (INR) for rice/day, p<0.003) when compared to families of IBMI children while income of the families of the 2 groups was similar. The families of HBMI children had more income per head per day (62.5% versus 32% earned more than 19 INR/head/day, p<0.02). CONCLUSIONS Lifestyle and socio-economic differences in families are associated with distinct variations in body weight of their children in a population living in a low income area in Kolkata. Various degrees of poverty may lead to a propensity to develop both, underweight and modest overweight.