Ayurveda:

Ayurveda is the time tested traditional system of medicine of India that explains the cause of different miseries, imparts the knowledge of life and advocates promotion of physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. It is believed that Ayurveda is originated out of Vedas (particularly Rigveda and Atharvaveda). Numerous references of health, diseases, their treatment as well as use of non-materialistic things such as sun rays, fasting, mantra etc; are available in these Vedas. The knowledge of Ayurveda was first comprehensively documented in the compendia like 'Brahma Samhita 1, lAniveshatantrai, iSushruta Samhita','Bhela Samhita' etc. According to Ayurveda, health is considered as a basic pre-requisite for achieving the goals of life­Dharma (duties), Arth (finance), Kama (materialistic desires) & Moksha (salvation). Ayurveda describes that Satva (mind), Atma (real self), Shareer (the body) collectively known as Tri-danda, is essential for the existence of the man. This conscious combination supports the man like a tri-pod

supports the table, and is the one for which Ayurveda is flourished across the ages. Ayurveda states that human is formed up of five basic elements i.e. Pancha Mahabhootas namely: Prithvi (earth),Jal (water), Agri (fire), Vayu (air) and Akash (ether) and Atma (real self). These five elements are the basic building blocks of Tridosha-three groups of factors which participate in the health and disease known as the Vata (ether-Fair), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (earth+water), Saptadhatu-seven tissue systems explained in Ayurveda, and Mala- metabolic end products. Furthermore, it also explains the individuals' integral relationship with the nature and opines that human body is affected by the daily cosmic changes, seasons and environment and therefore describes daily regimen, seasonal regimen and dietary concepts for a healthy life. This indicates the system approach of Ayurveda i.e. the interaction of different systems within the body and interaction in between body and environment. Ayurveda, being an applied Science and considering the limitations for printing in ancient time, all the ancient texts have concentrated mainly on applied aspects. Understanding of 'Functional Anatomy' i.e. Shareer is the unique contribution of Ayurveda to the modern science which has great potential for new discoveries in System Biology.

Ayurveda describes the philosophy of life, dietetics, constitution, psychosomatic association, concepts of blood circulation, concepts of digestion, etiology and classification of diseases, concepts of pathogenesis, medicinal plants, treatment and body purification techniques. The classification of Prakriti (constitution) gives a good indication of physiologic strengths and weaknesses, mental tendencies, and susceptibility to illnesses of different kinds. The concept of Maria (mh-id indicates that it is the factor required for motivational control of different senses and for feeling of pleasure and punishment processes. It is required for the genesis of knowledge and definitive thought. Furthermore, it stimulates senses to sense their respective objects and is the root cause of emotional changes. The diagnostic principles of Ayurveda include Pancha-nidana (five component of diagnosis), Trividhapariksha (Darshan-inspection, Sparshan-palpation, Prashna-interrogation), Dash-vidhapariksha (ten points of patients' examination), Nadipariksha (pulse examination) etc.

The preventive aspect of Ayurveda is called Swasth-Vritta and includes personal hygiene, daily and seasonal regimens, appropriate social behavior and use of materials & practices for healthy ageing and prevention of premature loss of health attribute. The curative aspect consists of Aushadhi (drug), Ahara (diet) and Vihara (life style). Ayurveda largely uses plants as raw materials for the manufacture of drugs, though materials of animal and marine origin, metals and minerals are also used. Ayurvedic medicines are generally safe and have little or no known adverse side-effects, if manufactured properly and consumed judiciously following the necessary do's and don'ts. The mitigative and recuperative treatment is again a specialty of Ayurveda which is known as Rasayana, in which various drugs and therapies having rejuvenative and immunomodulatory effects are used. Ayurveda has also described about genetic predisposition for health as well as development of a disease and various interventions so as to restrict the transfer of genetic linked diseases to next generation. This speciality of Ayurveda is known as 'Vrishya' or 'Vajikaranal. Ayurveda holds the strength to treat diseases from holistic angle in accordance with the body-mind constitution and other physico-psychological attributes of the patients and as such is proven to be effective in the treatment of chronic, metabolic and life style diseases for which satisfactory solutions are not available in conventional allopathy medicine. Over the years, Kshar Sutra and Panchakarma therapies of Ayurveda have become very popular among the public. Panchakarma is a unique therapeutic procedure for the radical elimination of disease-causing factors and to maintain the equilibrium of tridosha. The Panchakarma therapy minimizes the chances of recurrence of the diseases and promotes positive health by rejuvenating body tissues and bio-purification. Kshar Sutra is a para-surgical intervention using an alkaline thread for cauterization, which is scientifically validated to be effective in the treatment of fistula-in-ano and such surgical conditions requiring excision of overgrown soft tissue like haemorrhoids, polyps, warts, non-healing chronic ulcers, sinuses and papillae.