ABSTRACT
The Siddha system is a primordial system of medicine followed over a long period in the Southern part of India. Siddha system has peculiar methods in treating a disease and also possesses various diagnostic methods and treatment protocols. In the Siddha system, diagnostic methods are purely differing from other systems. The diagnostic tools are Envagaithervu (Eight Fold Assessment Test), Neer Kuri & Nei Kuri (Siddha Urine Test), Nadi (Pulse Test) etc. In the Siddha system treatments are based on Nadi, Suvai. Diabetics are the major non-communicable disease in the world. According to the statistics India is second among the top ten nations in the world, with 69.2 million people suffering from diabetes and another 36.5 million struggling with pre-diabetes. This rising prevalence is mostly due to changes in lifestyle, such as consuming unhealthy foods and being physically sedentary. In the Siddha system, it is compared with Neerizhuvu Noi. In Siddha, diabetes is not an illness. It is possible to keep it under control with the right diet and treatment. The article focus on scientific justification of the relationship of herbs cured Neerizhuvu Noi mentioned in classical text by their organoleptic characters and anti diabetic activity of the herbs. Taste plays a significant part in the selection of medicinal plants for each person in this kind of personalized treatment that is based on their constitution. This article discusses the Siddha approach to the control of diabetes, with a particular focus on the flavour of herbs.
ABSTRACT
The Siddha system of medicine is an unique traditional system of medicine practiced in Tamil speaking countries particularly India. In Siddha system of medicine the diseases were treated through internal and external medicine. In external medicine, the leech therapy is one which is used to treat various non-surgical and surgical cases. The leeches have been used for therapeutic purposes since their beginning of civilisation. Ancient Indian, Egyptian, Greek and Arab physicians were used the leeches for wide range of diseases such as inflammatory condition, skin diseases, respiratory disorders, eye diseases, cardiac diseases, urinary and reproductive diseases and dental diseases. The leeches are also used as one of the bloodletting methods in Unani, Ayurveda, and Modern science for various clinical conditions. Recently, researches on leech saliva revealed the presence nearly 100 biologically active compounds such as Hirudin, vasodilators, hyaluronidase, anaesthetics, fibrinases, antibacterial, collagenase etc. The above mentioned pharmacological compounds are injected into human body while sucking of the blood and are responsible for the anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant and analgesic effect of leech application. In current scenario, the leech therapy is used for various diseases including life threatening diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, etc. in different system of medicine including modern medicine. Leech therapy is used in plastic and microsurgery as a protective tool against vascular congestion in modern medicine. The Scientific studies on leech saliva were proven and support the leech application in Siddha system of medicine.
ABSTRACT
Siddha system of medicine is one of the ancient systems of medicine practiced among Tamil speaking community particularly in southern parts of India. The medicine in this system prepared from raw drugs which is obtained from herbals, mineral, metals and animal products. “Nilavaagaichooranam” is one of the Sastric Siddha herbo-mineral preparation with ingredients of 18 herbal and one mineral ingredient. It is used to treat the skin disorders particularly for “Karappan (Eczema)”. This review is aimed to bring out scientific evidence for the therapeutic usuage of “Nilavaagaichooranam” in skin disorders particularly in Karappan (Eczema) and focused on the pharmacological activity responsible for the curative nature of the drug in Karappan (Eczema). Most of the raw drugs used for the preparation of Nilavaagai chooranam have antihistamine activity, anti-inflammatory activity, immunomodulatory activity hence justifying its usage in Karappan (Eczema).