For public regarding Ayurveda is what NOT.

1. Dr.RemyaKrishnan MD ( Ayu) PhD
Associate Professor& HOD,
Dept of Dravyagunavijnan

2. MYTHS
 Ayurveda is an open cookbook Medicine
 Empirical use of medicinal plants as part of
different traditions, culture and practices is
Ayurveda .
 Any use of single drugs or formulations is
Ayurveda .
 Those who practice with medicines are all
Ayurvedic physicians.

3. TRUTHS
 Ayurveda incorporates “ Science based
Medicine” and not “ Medicine Based Science “.
 There are specific indications and
contraindications for mode of use as well as
use of medicines in different situations .
 Ayurveda incorporates specific scientific
principles, guidelines and protocols in
Diagnostics, Applied Pharmacology and
Medicine .

4.  It emphasises upon “HOW TO CHOOSE “ a
therapy more than ‘WHAT TO CHOOSE “.
 Treatment Principle Oriented Approach(TPOA)
of use of therapies is advocated in this
science .
 Hence “This medicine – That disease “
employment of medicinal plants is irrational
& UNSCIENTIFIC in Ayurveda.
 Ayurveda targets at intended effect (health)
and not mere some “benefits outweighing
risks”

5.  Tradition is that which is blindly followed by
different generations irrespective of their risks,
benefits and without any scientific basis .
 Tradition therapies possess uncertainity factor in
effects.
 Owing to the reasons mentioned before ,
Ayurveda is neither tradition nor culture, but
rather SCIENCE .
 Those practices like postpartum package care
and Karkkitaka therapies performed in Kerala are
some examples of tradition .

6.  “ jagathyevam anaushadham “-All plants are
medicinal ----BUT NOT IN ALL SITUATIONS”.
 The factors which chiefly determine the
medicinal effect are
:a.Yukti – Upaya – Science based rationale for
the choice of the drug in specific .
b. Artha – Prayojana- Utility of the drug as
mentioned by the science

7.  Ayurveda is not Herbal Medicine because it
has Science Based Evidence to guide Applied
Medicine .
 The public many times are misled that
Ayurveda is tradition and culture .
 Hence they use medicinal plants without any
appropriate medical guidance just either
because ,”many are doing this way ” or “we
have been doing this way for years “
 Manytimes, this end up in fatal health
hazards .

8.  To provide discriminative knowledge between
Traditional medicine and Science Based
Medicine.
 To promote public awareness regarding the
potential risks and dangers by irrational use
of medicinal plants in health care .
 To promote the rational use of medicinal
plants as First Aid .
 To clarify the suspicions regarding the use of
medicinal plants

9.  When you use even the most common
medicinal plants in your house yard , you
need to be cautious about the situation which
necessitated their use .
 Common cold with fever , insect bites , acute
trauma /wounds , acute vomiting / diarrhoea,
bleeding from fresh wounds etc are some
indications of First Aid .
 Do not use the medicinal plants in any
situations unless you are accurately directed
by medical practitioner.

10.  There will be abnormal secretions from nose
which could be white , yellow or green
depending on the grade of infection.
 Fever may or may not be associated .
 Lack of appetite, excessive tiredness , head
ache and lack of enthusiasm are mostly
present .
 Cough (productive / dry) may be present .

12.  Start the medicated water at the earliest –
Good for prevention and cure .
 Avoid any other ingredients in this water .
 Inclusion of other herbs would make this
combination unscientific and action
unpredictable.
 Drink this preferably hot in every hour little
by little

13. Chukku- 1 piece
crushed
Malli- 1 tsp , whole
malli
Karuppetti
Pepper – ¼
tsp+coffee
Boil in water for
some time and filter it

14.  Avoid Tulsi in coffee as it is not ideal for all
individuals.
 Tulsi could aggravate body temperature in
certain types of fever and can also fast
precipitate haemorrhage in those with
bleeding tendency .
 These drugs facilitate metabolism of
pyrogens and toxins released by the
pyrogens and ensures effective drainage of
them through circulation .

17. 15gms 10gms 5gms
Boil in 4 glasses of water , reduce to 1
glass and 1/3 glass to be taken thrice
in empty stomach

18.  Observing accurate scientific diet , medicated
water and regimen along with is important .
 Do not interfere this evidence based First Aid
by any other kinds of medications, both
internal and external.
 First Aid does not mean treatment , hence it
is compulsory to seek help from Ayurveda
medical practitioner , if recovery is not
attained in two days.

20.  Most commonly due to
infections/inflammation in GIT or as an
independent disease.
 Fever may or may not be associated .
 Could lead to severe dehydration and
electrolyte imbalance, if not properly
attended.
 Could lead to malnutrition in chronic cases .
 The cause is to be reversed not just
symptoms.

21.  The intrinsic cause of the disease could be
identified by a science based practitioner of
Ayurveda and hence seeking medical help is
important.
 But first aid medicated water ( Ayurvedic ORS)
should be started at the earliest.
 The ingredients of Ayurvedic ORS not only
checks the abnormal secretory activity, but
also improves digestion , metabolism and
fast restores the electrolyte imbalance .

22. Malaru + jeera
( 3 parts + 1 part )

23. Boil in four glasses of water and
reduce to 1 glass , take small doses
frequently and finish one glass in 24
hours.
Drink Ayurvedic ORS in small doses
frequently

24.  Do not use lemon tea in diarrhoea .
 Avoid using tender coconut, fruit juices,
unboiled water and all other health drinks .
 Avoid milk and milk products because if the
cause is infective/inflammatory, all these
could aggravate the cause.
 Stick to rice gruel + cooked green gram with
sufficient salt and pepper for 48 hours and
monitor the changes in your body
 Seek medical help if not subsiding

25.  Wash the wound thoroughly with clean water
 Dry and sprinkle turmeric powder abundantly
over the wound .
 Bleeding will stop fast and healing is also
facilitated.
 Turmeric could be used for bandaging in
insect bites also .

26.  Growing medicinal plants like, Guduchi
Neem, Amalaki , Vasa ( Adalodaka ),
Punarnava , Moringa, Bhoonimba ,
Kirathatiktha , Vacha, Brahmi , Kumari,
Haridra, Maricha, Kaidarya etc will help to
conserve these rich medicinal plant
resources.
 It will also help to purify the environment .
 But self use of them in both health
maintenance and curative aspects could invite
potential health hazards.

27.  All these drugs are medicinal do not mean
that they are the pertinent for you .
 The medicine for a situation is purely
determined by Science based evaluation and
appraisal of patient, disease and treatment
guidelines which is done by science based
practitioners of Ayurveda.
 Grandma’s medicine recipees or Tribal
Medicine do not have established scientific
basis which clearly demarcates them from
Ayurveda.

28.  Wide irrational use of herbs is reported in South
India as South India is abundantly rich in
medicinal plants .
 Self use and quack use is widely reported for
conditions like fever, gall stones, kidney stones,
Haemorrhoids , Jaundice, dysfunctional uterine
bleeding, Diabetes Mellitus, pregnancy and
postpartum care , health care as part of
traditions , skin diseases etc.
 More badly such kind of irrational use is seen
encouraged by many qualified Ayurvedic
practitioners also which gravely mislead the
public and the users.

29.  Ensure that you are using it under Ayurvedic
medical supervision.
 Single drugs are very potent unlike
formulations and unless they are cautiously
used, might cause potent health hazards.
 Never stick to any single drug therapy for
more than three days, unless it is medically
supervised.
 If you get any specific undesirable effect ,
then report the matter to doctor urgently .

30. Shashtika
Green gram
Rakthasali
Rock salt
Amalaki
Yava
Cow’s ghee

31. Paneer Beef
Pork
Fish
Curd
Black
gram

32.  “Oushadham hyanavijnatham namaroopagunaishthribhihi
Vijnatham chaapi duryuktham anarthayopapadyathe
Yogadapi visham theekshnam uttamam bheshajam bhavet
Bheshajam chaapi duryuktham theekshnam sampadyathe visham
Tasmaat na bhishajaa yuktham yukthibahyena bheshajam ”
( Cha. Su. 1 )