BIOTECHNOLOGY OF INDIA
AYURVEDA AND MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY:
AYURVEDA AND MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biotechnology is a concept that became popular in 1970 with the development of molecular biology. In countries like India, China, Egypt, Rome, Greece, biotechnology means were utilized for product development from ancient times. Fermentation technique developed by the ancient technique developed by the ancient Ayurvedic physicians. Ayurvedic masters of ancient India, established a four pronged research programme that is directly related to humans, plants, animals and microbes. Their ultimate objective was the sustainable utilization of biological resources for ensuring food and health.
Ayurvedic scholars of ancient India had developed a separate branch of science which deals with plant biotechnology and is known as virkshaayurveda, literally translated as Arboreal medicine. This arboreal medicine was .introduced as a separate branch of Ayurveda. Major subject brought under Vrkshaayurveda contains eg: Identification and classification of soil, soil convertion, treatment with bio-medicines. Also, developed a number of new techniques related to: aroma including technique, colour inducing technique, floral techniques, fruit preservation technique, taste altering technique of fruits.
HUMAN HEALTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY
There are three key words viz human, health and 21ST century. If we look at 20th century we find four major events that have influenced every aspect of human life and projected our journey very fast and at this juncture, we find that the very dignity of man is at stake though technologically we have made great strides.
To define health, the World Health Organization in 1974 provided the most widely used definition for health as : “Health is the complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease” Now that, the 21st century has ushered in, a time has come to reassess and evaluate medical science as a whole and to recall techniques and adapt them to the present day conditions.
Health is not a commodity; it is a culture, an adaptive culture to be developed by the individual. You can provide a plan of action or a tool to help one to promote one’s own health. It is not to confuse health promotion with disease treatment. The latter is a crisis management whereas the former is a discipline. The latter results in the doctor and patient interface whereas the former the patient and environment harmonization. In the latter case, the drug or surgical procedure is the tool. In the former, time, climate, the diet, the dress, the music or even the thought can be the tool of interaction.
We do not find when the East turn to the West. Till recently many were under the impression that with the spread of modern medicine all other native systems will die a natural death. The West looked down upon Indian Ayurveda, Arabic Unani and Chinese medicine as unscientific notations of dead or dying civilization. However, at the dawn of 20th century, Hoernle opened a new chapter with his work and in thirties and forties, research studies of Frenchman J. Filliosat created a new awareness on Ayurveda among Western scholars. Many a writers has upheld the healthy results of the influence exerted by Asian systems on Western medicine, as atonement as it were for its long neglect.
Charaka makes an arrangement of ‘simple medicines’ only, under no less than forty five heads; Susruta divides his medicines under thirty-seven heads. These masters passed on their teachings to their pupils who, in turn, supplemented with new drugs and plenty more in the development Ayurvedisc medicines. The materia medica of the ancient India is a marvel to the modern scientific investigator.
Like other major types of Asian traditional medicines, Ayurvedic medicine is based on humoral theories. That is, the human body substances – bone, flesh, blood, semen, marrow and chyle – are the product of three humors: Kapha, or phlegm, Pitta, or bile and vata or air. Health depends on the equilibrium of these humors and sickness in a disequilibrium. The point of equilibrium depends of age, sex, temperament, climate, nutrition and the nature of daily activities. Ayurveda medicine is considered to be the science of living to a great age and emphasis is placed on diet and conduct of life.
The studies of psychological disorders in Ayurveda deserves to be the supplement to the philosophical therapy prescribed by Buddha, the greatest physician, for sorrow, the worst of all maladies of the mind. The ailments called grahas, a term that literally means ‘to capture’ have been represented as devils with gender and other special attributes.
Biotechnology is a concept that became popular in 1970 with the development of molecular biology. In countries like India, China, Egypt, Rome, Greece, biotechnology means were utilized for product development from ancient times. Fermentation technique developed by the ancient technique developed by the ancient Ayurvedic physicians. Ayurvedic masters of ancient India, established a four pronged research programme that is directly related to humans, plants, animals and microbes. Their ultimate objective was the sustainable utilization of biological resources for ensuring food and health.
Ayurvedic scholars of ancient India had developed a separate branch of science which deals with plant biotechnology and is known as virkshaayurveda, literally translated as Arboreal medicine. This arboreal medicine was .introduced as a separate branch of Ayurveda. Major subject brought under Vrkshaayurveda contains eg: Identification and classification of soil, soil convertion, treatment with bio-medicines. Also, developed a number of new techniques related to: aroma including technique, colour inducing technique, floral techniques, fruit preservation technique, taste altering technique of fruits.
HUMAN HEALTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY
There are three key words viz human, health and 21ST century. If we look at 20th century we find four major events that have influenced every aspect of human life and projected our journey very fast and at this juncture, we find that the very dignity of man is at stake though technologically we have made great strides.
To define health, the World Health Organization in 1974 provided the most widely used definition for health as : “Health is the complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease” Now that, the 21st century has ushered in, a time has come to reassess and evaluate medical science as a whole and to recall techniques and adapt them to the present day conditions.
Health is not a commodity; it is a culture, an adaptive culture to be developed by the individual. You can provide a plan of action or a tool to help one to promote one’s own health. It is not to confuse health promotion with disease treatment. The latter is a crisis management whereas the former is a discipline. The latter results in the doctor and patient interface whereas the former the patient and environment harmonization. In the latter case, the drug or surgical procedure is the tool. In the former, time, climate, the diet, the dress, the music or even the thought can be the tool of interaction.
We do not find when the East turn to the West. Till recently many were under the impression that with the spread of modern medicine all other native systems will die a natural death. The West looked down upon Indian Ayurveda, Arabic Unani and Chinese medicine as unscientific notations of dead or dying civilization. However, at the dawn of 20th century, Hoernle opened a new chapter with his work and in thirties and forties, research studies of Frenchman J. Filliosat created a new awareness on Ayurveda among Western scholars. Many a writers has upheld the healthy results of the influence exerted by Asian systems on Western medicine, as atonement as it were for its long neglect.
Charaka makes an arrangement of ‘simple medicines’ only, under no less than forty five heads; Susruta divides his medicines under thirty-seven heads. These masters passed on their teachings to their pupils who, in turn, supplemented with new drugs and plenty more in the development Ayurvedisc medicines. The materia medica of the ancient India is a marvel to the modern scientific investigator.
Like other major types of Asian traditional medicines, Ayurvedic medicine is based on humoral theories. That is, the human body substances – bone, flesh, blood, semen, marrow and chyle – are the product of three humors: Kapha, or phlegm, Pitta, or bile and vata or air. Health depends on the equilibrium of these humors and sickness in a disequilibrium. The point of equilibrium depends of age, sex, temperament, climate, nutrition and the nature of daily activities. Ayurveda medicine is considered to be the science of living to a great age and emphasis is placed on diet and conduct of life.
The studies of psychological disorders in Ayurveda deserves to be the supplement to the philosophical therapy prescribed by Buddha, the greatest physician, for sorrow, the worst of all maladies of the mind. The ailments called grahas, a term that literally means ‘to capture’ have been represented as devils with gender and other special attributes.
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