AYUSH Medicines: The Role of AYUSH Medicine in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer...

AYUSH Medicines-

AYUSH medicines refer to the medicinal products and treatments based on the systems of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. These systems of medicine are recognized and promoted by the Indian government under the AYUSH ministry. Here's a brief overview of each system and the medicines associated with them-

1. Ayurveda: Ayurvedic medicines are derived from a wide range of natural sources such as herbs, minerals, and animal products. These medicines are often prepared in various forms like powders, tablets, decoctions, oils, and ointments. Ayurvedic medicines are believed to restore balance in the body, treat diseases, and promote overall well-being.

2. Yoga & Naturopathy: While not directly involving medicines in the traditional sense, Yoga and Naturopathy focus on holistic healing through lifestyle modifications, physical exercises, breathing techniques, and natural therapies. These practices aim to promote health, prevent diseases, and support the body's innate healing mechanisms.

3. Unani: Unani medicine originated in ancient Greece and has been influenced by traditional Indian, Persian, and Arabic medical practices. Unani medicines are often derived from plant sources, minerals, and animal products. They are believed to restore the balance of the four humors (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile) in the body and promote health.

4. Siddha: Siddha medicine is a traditional system of medicine originating in South India. It utilizes a combination of herbs, minerals, and metals to prepare medicines. Siddha medicines are based on the concept of maintaining equilibrium among the three doshas (Vatham, Pitham, and Kapham) and treating diseases. 

5. Homeopathy: Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on the principle of "like cures like." Homeopathic medicines are highly diluted substances derived from plants, animals, and minerals. They are believed to stimulate the body's self-healing abilities. Homeopathy focuses on individualized treatment based on the unique symptoms and constitution of the patient.

It is very important to note that the effectiveness and safety of AYUSH medicines can vary, and not all conditions can be treated solely with these medicines. It is recommended to consult qualified practitioners who specialize in the respective systems to ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, it's essential to integrate AYUSH medicines with evidence-based medical treatments, especially in the case of serious health conditions like cancer. 

The Role of AYUSH Medicine in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer-

AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) is an Indian government initiative that promotes traditional Indian medicine systems. While AYUSH medicine can offer supportive care, it's important to understand that cancer treatment should primarily be based on evidence-based approaches. AYUSH medicine can play a role in cancer prevention and treatment in the following ways-

[Ayush Medicines in cancer treatment] 

a. Ayurveda and Cancer Treatment: Ayurvedic principles focus on maintaining a balanced body and mind to prevent diseases, including cancer. Some Ayurvedic herbs and formulations are believed to have potential anti-cancer properties. However, it's important to note that scientific evidence supporting their efficacy in cancer prevention and treatment is limited, and more research is needed. 

b. Yoga & Meditation and Cancer Treatment: Yoga and meditation are integral parts of AYUSH medicine and can be beneficial for cancer patients. These practices help manage stress, improve overall well-being, and promote a sense of calmness. They may help in reducing treatment side effects, improving quality of life, and supporting mental and emotional health. 

c. Naturopathy and Cancer Treatment: Naturopathy focuses on natural healing modalities, including dietary modifications, hydrotherapy, massage, and lifestyle changes. Naturopathic interventions aim to support the body's natural healing abilities. In cancer care, naturopathy may be used to manage symptoms, improve vitality, and support overall well-being. 

d. Unani & Siddha and Cancer Treatment: Unani and Siddha are traditional Indian medicine systems that utilize herbal remedies, dietary interventions, and lifestyle modifications. Some herbs and formulations used in Unani and Siddha medicine are believed to have potential anti-cancer properties. However, scientific evidence supporting their efficacy in cancer prevention and treatment is limited. 

e. Homeopathy and Cancer Treatment: Homeopathy is a system of medicine that uses highly diluted substances to stimulate the body's self-healing abilities. In cancer care, homeopathy may be used as supportive therapy to manage symptoms, improve quality of life, and support emotional well-being. It's important to note that homeopathy should not be used as a standalone treatment for cancer. While AYUSH medicine offers various supportive measures, it is crucial to integrate these approaches with evidence-based cancer treatments. Consultation with healthcare professionals who specialize in both traditional Indian medicine and conventional cancer care is important to ensure a comprehensive and safe treatment plan.

Stay healthy, stay safe...

Easy identification of “Shalaparni” an important crude drug for many Ayurvedic formulations….

As we know that the demand for Ayush medicines is increasing day by day. Which, Ayurvedic medicines have their own major popularities due to their immediate and safe action over the patients. The therapeutic quality of medicine is totally depending upon the authentic crude drugs used in the preparation of the medicines. Though many authentic books, research publications, and Pharmacopoeial monograms are made available for ready references but still the collection is mostly made by the local people of the particular area, zone, or state based on the vernacular name. It is often seen that the language may vary from one state to another but most of the time the vernacular name is observed commonly in the neighboring state at the same time the scientific name and family of the crude drugs are entirely different. 

This type of confusion becomes more serious when both plants have similar morphological appearances. A small precaution can resolve the problems if considered in time by employing a Pharmacognosist or Taxonomist along with the plant collector’s team. This is true that the local or vernacular name gives good help to local people to collect plants but sometimes it may allow the practice of substitutions due to similar appearance but therapeutically different and thus, while enlisting the indent or demand of the crude drugs, the scientific name must be mentioned along with the species and the plant family. A binomial system of plant nomenclature should be adopted for a more authentic collection. The taxonomist may help the plant collector by identifying the similar-looking plant to avoid adulteration in the bulk collection. 

We should remember that the adulteration or substitution may alter the quality, efficacy, and therapeutic properties of the medicines. This may be minimized by adopting good collection practices. Due to inadequate knowledge of the villagers or plant collectors, if the genuine and other plant material mixed together and if it is in similar appearances, it may create more difficulties in segregation especially when it becomes dry.

There are many crude drugs found mixed with each other and treated as sub-standard quality, also getting fails in the estimation of quality with the parameters mentioned in relevant Pharmacopoeias. For instance, “Shalaparni” (Sanskrit), Sarivan (Hindi), Pulladi, Orila, moovilai (Tamil), and Pullati (Malayalam) vernacular name given for the Desmodium gangeticum; family Leguminosae- Papilionasae is found severely mixed with almost similar looking plant Pseudarthria viscida; family – Leguminosae –Papilionaceae. This plant is locally known as Sanaparni (Sanskrit), Neermalli (Tamil), and Muvila (Malayalam). Botanically, the aforesaid plants belong to the same family but both have different generic and species names and are separate plants but more or less similar looking appearances but therapeutic properties are entirely different. While collected in bulk by local people or villagers. P. viscida is unknowingly being mixed with D. gangeticum. Apart from that, the Kerala state is very close with Tamil Nadu state of the south part of India. The local names muvila (Malayalam) for P.viscida and moovilai (Tamil) for D. gangeticum have almost the same pronunciation i.e. moovilai. So, while asking for material using the local name, it creates a lot of confusion. If plant D. gangeticum requires and demand of the plant raised with local name moovilai, there is no assurance as to what material we will get whether D. gangeticum or P. viscida. The leaves of both the plant are partly deciduous in nature and easily detached from the plant on its dryness and then it is too difficult to identify the plant material in the form of dried crude drugs, especially to the new person of Pharmacognosy or Botany interest. 

In pharmaceutical industries where the Ayurvedic medicines are being prepared at the commercial level, there will always be urgent demand for crude drugs for the production of the medicines to cope with the market demand. Generally, to identify the plant material anatomically, it will take a minimum couple of days and pressure to the quality personnel to get material identified within the stipulated time and if passed in Physico-chemical parameters, then, no issue but if these consignments get failed due to adulteration or sub-standard quality, or substitutions, it may take another week of time to arrive the new material and ultimately delay in productions. 

Now, the question is what can be done to an immediate solution to identify the plant materials on spot to assure their authenticity first?  In this situation, a Botanist or Pharmacognosist should try to find out some dried and entire leaves of the plant from the bags where he or she going to collect samples and then identify the plant material based on their leaves. Here, I am going to give a leaf description of both plants only because leaves possibly be present in the material, collected in any season. If identification was done based on other parts of the aforesaid crude drugs, it will not be fruitful.

Let us give you a brief description of the D. gangeticum and P. viscida plant for easy identification-

1. D. gangeticum leaves- Leaves are unifoliate, petiolate, stipulate, linear, oblong, acute or slightly acuminate, striate at the base about 6-13 cm long and 3.5-7.0 cm broad, margin somewhat wavy, upper surface glabrous and greenish-brown on the dried sample and lower surface slight whitish and clothed with dense, soft appressed hairs.

[Desmodium gangeticum - leaf twig]

2. P.viscida leaves- Leaves are pinnately 3- foliate; leaflets rhomboid- ovate variable in sizes; the color of leaflets at the upper surface is grayish-brown to brown while on lower surface creamish or pale white. Surface glabrous and margin entire. 

[Pseudarthria viscida - a twig]

I hope, the above said description may help to easy identification of the plant material in order to avoid sub-standard quality, substituted or adulterated materials. 

I will come back soon with some more new research or technologies very soon, till then, Take care…

Stay healthy, stay safe… 

Regards, 

Dr. Prem Dutt Dwivedi, Ph.D., Pharmacognosy,

(Researcher, Innovator, Healer, and Humanist)