Search

Background: The famous Tang Dynasty monk Yi Jing travelled to ancient India in 671 AD, visited more than 30 regions and returned to China in 695 AD. He wrote Nanhai Jigui Neifa Zhuan, which he completed in 691 AD. It describes the basic rules, namely 'Inner Dharma' (Neifa,) that Buddhist sites and monks should follow in their daily lives. Additionally, the author provided an overview of ancient Indian Buddhist medicine, covering aetiology, diagnosis, medication, acupuncture, health preservation and other aspects, which exhibited distinct characteristics., Methods: This article first delves into the original text of Nanhai Jigui Neifa Zhuan by reading it thoroughly and extracts core chapters related to hygiene, medicine and health care. Later, the extracted information is meticulously classified and organised. Lastly, through a systematic literature review, keywords search, data screening and comparative analysis, an in-depth and comprehensive exploration and analysis of Nanhai Jigui Neifa Zhuan is conducted within the domains of hygiene, medicine and health care., Results: Nanhai Jigui Neifa Zhuan emphasizes the importance of personal hygiene for ancient Indian monks and introduces the basic theories of ancient Indian medicine. It compares ancient Indian and Chinese medicinal materials, highlighting their respective roles in treating different diseases. Furthermore, it briefly discusses the storage and processing of ancient Indian medicinal materials, poisoning and toxicology, and ancient Indian health preservation ideologies., Conclusion: A comprehensive and in-depth study of traditional ancient Indian medicine, including Buddhist medicine and Ayurveda, and its application in the religious environment and communities of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) aids in understanding the treatment methods and health practices of ancient Indian medicine. Additionally, it facilitates a deeper understanding of the similarities, differences and exchange between Chinese and Indian medicine, thereby opening up new horizons for future research., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The intriguing story of dhat syndrome is that of medical modernity (psychiatry, clinical sexology) declaring medical premodernity (Ayurvedic concepts of semen loss) as its object. The early history and prehistory of this "culture-bound" diagnosis help understanding it as a dynamic confrontation of local, shifting knowledges. For instance, semen loss anxiety was an established motif both in European early twentieth-century psychoanalysis and again in several Indian psychodynamic texts of the 1960s. Moreover, it became problematically tied to notions of "Indian character". Little realized is that European venereologists were dealing with much comparable clinical presentations since the late eighteenth century, often resolving them in strikingly similar ways. For centuries, European proto-endocrinological ideas tied masculinity to the absorption and recirculation of semen, informing popular conceptions of "semen loss" (spermatorrhea) much comparable to those driven by dhatu physiology, dovetailing in colonial-era medicine. Expressive of growing controversy concerning this physiology after the mid-eighteenth century, a leitmotif of exaggerated fears tied to both "quacks" and proselytizing leading authorities such as Tissot and Lallemand, informed diagnoses of "tabes imaginaria", "spermatophobia", and "imaginary spermatorrhea.", Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest The authors declared that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The popular formula Qiye Qingnian Powder, prescribed by Hua Tuo (BC145 - 208), is believed to "remove three kinds of worms, be conducive to the five main organs, keep fit, and prevent one's hair from turning gray". It is a representative formula in terms of "removing worms to prolong life" in traditional Chinese medicine. This paper focuses on "Qiye" in this formula, which plays an important role in removing worms, reviews its place in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Tibetan medicine, and Ayurvedic medicine and compares the concept of "removing worms" in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. It was found that the name and efficacy of Bhallātaka in Ayurvedic medicine is related to "Qiye". It was also indicated that by comparing the concept of "worms" and the understanding of "removing worms" in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, in the theory of traditional medicines worms are the causative factor of diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine has rich connotations which involved medicinal concepts of Buddhism and Taoism and the idea of "removing worms to prolong life" is a unique contribution of traditional Chinese medicine to human health.

Uremic syndrome refers to the clinical manifestations of renal failure (acute or chronic) that results from the accumulation of several endogenous toxins normally excreted by the kidneys and can be fatal unless the primary cause is addressed and the toxins removed by dialysis. A historical description of the syndrome is traditionally believed to start in the 18 th - 19 th century through seminal works in the field of experimental medicine. This account, however, ignores the possibility of clinical apperception of this syndrome in ancient medical literatures. The Sushruta Samhita (SS) , a Sanskrit text whose authorship is attributed to the legendary ancient Indian surgeon Sushruta (6 th century BC), is well known for its pioneering descriptions of several surgical procedures, even though its contribution to the fields of internal medicine and especially nephrology is detailed. Prameha , a term that first appears in the SS , and subsequently in later historical Ayurvedic (traditional Indian medicine) texts, denotes a multi-systemic disease syndrome impacting the neurological, cardiac, dermatological, and gastrointestinal systems that is recognized through its intimate association with urinary abnormalities such as hematuria, frothy urine, or glycosuria. This construct is highly consistent with uremic syndrome originating from multiple renal disease processes such as acute glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, etc. Furthermore, medical treatment of prameha , as detailed in the original text, reflects several recently validated approaches to managing chronic kidney disease, supporting the hypothesis that this historical entity may be one of the earliest descriptions of uremic syndrome in medical history.

Ayurveda is based largely upon two classics - Charaka-Samhita, representing the school of medicine, and Sushruta-Samhita representing that of surgery. These two texts mark the historic switch in the Indian medical tradition, from faith-based therapeutics to its reason-based variant [1]. The Charaka-Samhita, which acquired its present form in circa 1st century CE, uses two remarkable terms to designate the distinctness of these approaches: daiva-vyapashraya (literally, dependence on the unobservable) and yukti-vyapashraya (dependence on reason) [2].

The Bower Manuscript (Bao Wei Er Xie Ben) is a Sanskrit document unearthed in Xinjiang in the 19th century. The ten drugs, which tasted sweet, and used widely were named as the "jīvanīya class of herbs" (Shi Tian Yao) in this document . It was found that "jīvanīya" tasted sweet, felt cold and was often used in tonic decoction for relieving serious vāta (Feng), with references to the ancient medical book Ayurveda and the modern Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. "Jīvanīya" was constructed with different dossage forms, such as butter, oil, enema, ointment. It can treat some diseases of consumption of the lungs, epilepsy, consumptive diseases and fever of children in Bower Manuscript (Bao Wei Er Xie Ben). The theories of "jīvanīya" came from Ayurveda. Compared with the theories of traditional Chinese Medicine, the theory that "jīvanīya" can treat consumptive diseases appears similar to the theories in Su Wen about "Feng Xiao". The theories of Traditional Indian medicine and Chinese medicine appear resemblant, such as the commonalities in terms of using sweet tonics with liquorice and Fritillaria cirrhosa to treat comsumptive diseases.

Cinnabar is an attractive mineral with many different uses. It is reported that cinnabar is one of the traditional Chinese's medicines extensively use. The main objective of this critical review is to identify the current overview, concept and chemistry of cinnabar, which includes the process developments, challenges, and diverse options for pharmacology research. It is used as a medicine through probable toxicity, especially when taking overdoes. This review is the first to describe the toxicological effects of cinnabar and its associated compounds. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) dependent metabolomics could be useful for examination of the pharmaceutical consequence. The analysis indicated that the accurate preparation methods, appropriate doses, disease status, ages with drug combinations are significant factors for impacting the cinnabar toxicity. Toxicologically, synthetic mercury sulfide or cinnabar should be notable for mercuric chloride, mercury vapor and methyl mercury for future protection and need several prominent advancements in cinnabar research.

The history of Cannabis goes along that of humankind, as speculated based on geographical and evolutionary models together with historic data collected to date. Its medical use is several thousand years old, as attested both by archeobotanical evidence of Cannabis remains and written records found in ancient texts from the sacred Vedic foundational texts of Ayurvedic medicine (about 800 before current era [BCE]) to the first known Pharmacopoea, the Chinese "Shen Nung Pen Ts'ao Ching" (1 century BCE). In this paper, we retrace the history of Cannabis traveling through the key stages of its diffusion among the most important ancient cultures up to our days, when we are facing a renaissance of its medical employment. We report through the centuries evidence of its use in numerous pathologic conditions especially for its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anticonvulsing properties that support the requirement to direct our present research efforts into the definitive understanding of its efficacy., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The histories of modern medical technologies have largely been studied exclusively within the biomedical context. Yet historians of medicine have increasingly demonstrated that a number of non-biomedical therapeutic traditions-Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to name only two-have attained their own distinctive modernity. How has the incorporation of various medical technologies affected these neo-traditional medicines? What is the relationship between technologies and the body knowledge in non-biomedical therapeutics? Do shared technologies such as the stethoscope reveal the same bodily facts in biomedical and Ayurvedic contexts? These are some of the questions explored in this article by focusing on the uptake of the stethoscope in modern Ayurvedic medicine in Bengal. In the process the article also describes the emergence of a new sonic body in modern Ayurveda.

This article discusses etiology, pathogenesis, symptoms, and treatment of epilepsy, as described in Charaka Samhitā (translation: Charaka's Compendium) and Sushruta Samhitā, the two core texts of Ayurveda, an ancient system of medicine. Ayurveda emphasized amnesia and loss of consciousness as core features of epileptic seizures (Sanskrit: apasmar; translation: apa negation, smaran memory) and recognized that seizures occur due to a disturbance in brain function or flow of "humors" to the brain. Semiology of various seizure types was well described. Epilepsy was attributed to both internal and multiple exogenous factors. Treatment of epilepsy with formulations of naturally occurring substances, their compounding and use, is described in remarkable detail. Lifestyle modifications to protect people with epilepsy are also documented. Cognitive comorbidities of epilepsy were recognized. Although none of the Ayurveda formulations have any empirical evidence supporting their safety or efficacy in the treatment of epilepsy, studies are needed to generate relevant evidence, to recognize their hazards, and to integrate traditional and complementary systems of medicine with modern health care in an informed and safe manner.

This article analyzes why adulteration became a key trope of the Indian drug market. Adulteration had a pervasive presence, being present in medical discourses, public opinion and debate, and the nationalist claim for government intervention. The article first situates the roots of adulteration in the composite nature of this market, which involved the availability of drugs of different potencies as well as the presence of multiple layers of manufacturers, agents, and distributors. It then shows that such a market witnessed the availability of drugs of diverse potency and strengths, which were understood as elements of adulteration in contemporary medical and official discourse. Although contemporary critics argued that the lack of government legislation and control allowed adulteration to sustain itself, this article establishes that the culture of the dispensation of drugs in India necessarily involved a multitude of manufacturer-retailers, bazaar traders, and medical professionals practicing a range of therapies.

This paper introduces the Bower Manuscript in Sanskrit written on birch bark excavated in Xinjiang, which was bought in Kuqa by a British India army lieutenant Bower, hence its title. Then, it was researched, annotated, and published in 7 volumes by a German British lieutenant and orientalist Honer. The first three volumes are devoted to medical prescriptions. It is first verified that its "Dazi Xiangye San" is the "Dujuan Dachen San" in Tibetan medicine. By comparing it with other traditional medical systems, such as Chinese, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Uyghur medical systems, we found that Bower Manuscript is closer to Tibetan medicine and Mongolian medicine, while it has less relation with Chinese medicine and Uyghur medicine. However, it also exerts some influence on TCM.

The article documents medical approaches to mental illness in mid- to late-nineteenth-century India through examining the Indian Medical Gazette and other medical accounts. By the late nineteenth century, psychiatry in Europe moved from discussions around asylum-based care to a nuanced and informed debate about the nature of mental symptoms. This included ideas on phrenology and craniometry, biological and psycho-social causes, physical and drug treatments, many of which travelled to India. Simultaneously, indigenous socio-medical ideas were being debated. From the early to the mid-nineteenth century, not much distinction was made between the Western and the native 'mind', and consequently the diagnosis and investigation of mental symptoms did not differ. However, by the late nineteenth century Western medicine considered the 'Western mind' as more civilized and sophisticated than the 'native mind., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

This is a study of the emergence of new institutional arenas for ayurveda and yunani medicine, collectivized at the time as 'indigenous medicine,' in a semi-autonomous State (Mysore) in late colonial India. The study argues that the characteristic dimensions of this process were compromise and misalignment between ideals of governance and modes of pedagogy and practice. Running counter to a narrative that the Princely States such as Mysore were instrumental for the 'preservation' of ayurveda, this study analyzes the process of negotiation and struggle between a variety of actors engaged with shaping the direction of institutionalized 'indigenous medicine'. In examining the entanglements over the priorities of the state administration and the conflicting desires and ideals of protagonists, the study problematizes the idea of studying the encounter between the 'state' and 'indigenous medicine,' in order rather to highlight their co-production and the tensions which were generated in the process. While institution-making for ayurveda and yunani in Mysore State assumed distinctive translocal forms, themes of divergence that were unresolved during the time of this study, over the role of the state, the politics of validation, appropriate curricula and pedagogy, and their relation to practice and employment, continue to inform the trajectories of state-directed health provision through 'indigenous medicine' on larger scales [India, health-care, ayurveda, yunani, education].

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Food is medicine and vice versa. In Hindu and Ayurvedic medicine, and among human cultures of the Indian subcontinent in general, the perception of the food-medicine continuum is especially well established. The preparation of the exhilarating, gold-coloured Soma, Amrita or Ambrosia, the elixir and food of the 'immortals'-the Hindu pantheon-by the ancient Indo-Aryans, is described in the Rigveda in poetic hymns. Different theories regarding the botanical identity of Soma circulate, but no pharmacologically and historically convincing theory exists to date. We intend to contribute to the botanical, chemical and pharmacological characterisation of Soma through an analysis of two historical Amrita recipes recorded in the Bower Manuscript. The recipes are referred therein as panaceas (clarified butter) and also as a medicine to treat nervous diseases (oil), while no exhilarating properties are mentioned. Notwithstanding this, we hypothesise, that these recipes are related to the ca. 1800 years older Rigvedic Soma. We suppose that the psychoactive Soma ingredient(s) are among the components, possibly in smaller proportions, of the Amrita recipes preserved in the Bower Manuscript., Materials and Methods: The Bower Manuscript is a medical treatise recorded in the 6th century A.D. in Sanskrit on birch bark leaves, probably by Buddhist monks, and unearthed towards the end of the 19th century in Chinese Turkestan. We analysed two Amrita recipes from the Bower Manuscript, which was translated by Rudolf Hoernle into English during the early 20th century. A database search with the updated Latin binomials of the herbal ingredients was used to gather quantitative phytochemical and pharmacological information., Results: Together, both Amrita recipes contain around 100 herbal ingredients. Psychoactive alkaloid containing species still important in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Thai medicine and mentioned in the recipe for 'Amrita-Prâsa clarified butter' and 'Amrita Oil' are: Tinospora cordifolia (Amrita, Guduchi), three Sida spp., Mucuna pruriens, Nelumbo nucifera, Desmodium gangeticum, and Tabernaemontana divaricata. These species contain several notorious and potential psychoactive and psychedelic alkaloids, namely: tryptamines, 2-phenylethylamine, ephedrine, aporphines, ibogaine, and L-DOPA. Furthermore, protoberberine alkaloids, tetrahydro-β-carbolines, and tetrahydroisoquinolines with monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAO-I) activity but also neurotoxic properties are reported., Conclusions: We propose that Soma was a combination of a protoberberine alkaloids containing Tinospora cordifolia juice with MAO-I properties mixed together with a tryptamine rich Desmodium gangeticum extract or a blending of Tinospora cordifolia with an ephedrine and phenylethylamine-rich Sida spp. extract. Tinospora cordifolia combined with Desmodium gangeticum might provide a psychedelic experience with visual effects, while a combination of Tinospora cordifolia with Sida spp. might lead to more euphoric and amphetamine-like experiences., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sushruta is considered the "Father of Plastic Surgery." He lived in India sometime between 1000 and 800 BC, and is responsible for the advancement of medicine in ancient India. His teaching of anatomy, pathophysiology, and therapeutic strategies were of unparalleled luminosity, especially considering his time in the historical record. He is notably famous for nasal reconstruction, which can be traced throughout the literature from his depiction within the Vedic period of Hindu medicine to the era of Tagliacozzi during Renaissance Italy to modern-day surgical practices. The primary focus of this historical review is centered on Sushruta's anatomical and surgical knowledge and his creation of the cheek flap for nasal reconstruction and its transition to the "Indian method." The influential nature of the Sushruta Samhita, the compendium documenting Sushruta's theories about medicine, is supported not only by anatomical knowledge and surgical procedural descriptions contained within its pages, but by the creative approaches that still hold true today.

The article considers the findings about pseudo-doctoring represented in one of the most ancient medical sources on our planet--treatise "Charaka Samhita" (Carakasamhitā). This treatise is the most important text of Ayurveda, a traditional medical system developed in the Hindustan sub-continent during millenniums.

Background: Many western literature on ancient exercise science were available. Unfortunately ancient Indian contribution in this area was ignored., Aim: The aim of this approach was to search ancient Indian literature on science of exercise., Method: The researcher reviewed thoroughly complete Caraka Samhita (nearly ten thousand prose and verse) and the outcome was first time reported in this paper., Result: More than one hundred and twenty slokes (aphorism) on exercise (vyayama) were discovered from Caraka Samhita. Oldest definition of exercise was found from Caraka Samhita, which was percolated from the world's oldest record of medicine practice. Caraka Samhita has been divided into eight section and it was observed that in each section vyayama (exercise) was specially referred whenever needed. The good effect, bad effect, contraindication and feature of correct exercise were mentioned in Caraka Samhita. The season and time of vyayama has also been mentioned. Caraka Samhita,also the world's oldest living evidence of exercise therapy literature prescribed twenty types of kaphaja (phlegm) diseases and many other diseases (obesity and diabetes etc.) can be cured or minimize the consequences through vyayama. According to Caraka Samhita, human is the combination of the body, mind and soul. This Samhita clearly suggested vyayama (exercise) for the body and yoga for mind and soul., Conclusion: From the ancient time India was familiar with the science of exercise and its beneficial effect. It was forgotten due to local ignorance and western influence. The contribution of Caraka Samhita and other ancient Indian literature on the science of exercise should be incorporated in all the appropriate places as early as possible.

The rising and the existence of plastic and aesthetic surgery in early modern Europe did not have a specific pattern, but was completely different from one nation to another. Colleges of Physicians could only be found in some places in Europe; different Parliaments of Europe's nations did not always elevate being a surgeon to the dignity of a profession, and being a surgeon did not always come with corporate and municipal privileges, or with attractive stipends. Conversely, corporal punishments for treacherous surgeons were ubiquitous. Rhinoplasty falls into the category of what Ambroise Paré named "facial plastic surgery". The technique is a medical source from which many histories derive, one more fascinating than the other: the history of those whose nose was cut off (because of state betrayal, adultery, abjuration, or duelling with swords), the history of those who invented the surgery of nose reconstruction (e.g. SuSruta-samhita or Tagliacozzi?), the history of surgeries kept secret in early modern Europe (e.g. Tropea, Calabria, Leiden, Padua, Paris, Berlin), and so on. Where does the history of Nicolae Milescu the Snub-nosed fall in all of this? How much of this history do the Moldavian Chronicles record? Is there any "scholarly gossip" in the aristocratic and diplomatic environments at Constantinople? What exactly do the British ambassadors learn concerning Rhinoplasty when they meet Milescu? How do we "walk" within these histories, and why should we be interested at all? What is their stike for modernity? Such are the interrogations that this article seeks to provoke; its purpose is to question (and eventually, synchronise) histories, and not exclusively history, both in academic terms but also by reassessing the practical knowledge of the 17th century.

The divine tree neem (Azadirachta indica) is mainly cultivated in the Indian subcontinent. Neem has been used extensively by humankind to treat various ailments before the availability of written records which recorded the beginning of history. The world health organization estimates that 80% of the population living in the developing countries relies exclusively on traditional medicine for their primary health care. More than half of the world's population still relies entirely on plants for medicines, and plants supply the active ingredients of most traditional medical products. The review shows the neem has been used by humankind to treat various ailments from prehistory to contemporary.

The Ayurveda medicine as one the three traditional systems of healing developed during millennia at the Hindustan subcontinent (the ancient India). Nowadays, Ayurveda medicine is widely used in many countries. The present day researchers mark out and analyze several periods in its history.

Introduction: Literature, cinema and television have often portrayed stereotypical images of people that have epilepsy and have helped foster false beliefs about the disease., Aim: To examine the image of epilepsy presented by literature, cinema and television over the years., Development: Epilepsy has frequently been portrayed in literary works, films and television series, often relating it with madness, delinquency, violent behaviours or possession by the divine or the diabolical, all of which has helped perpetuate our ancestral beliefs. The literary tales and the images that appear in films and on television cause an important emotional impact and, bearing in mind that many people will only ever see an epileptic seizure in a film or in a TV series or might gain some information about the disorder from a literary text, what they see on the screen or read in the novels will be their only points of reference. Such experiences will therefore mark the awareness and knowledge they will have about epilepsy and their attitudes towards the people who suffer from it. Novels and films are fiction, but it is important to show realistic images of the disease that are no longer linked to the false beliefs of the past and which help the general public to have a more correct view of epilepsy that is free from prejudices and stereotypes., Conclusions: Literature, cinema and television have often dealt with the subject of epilepsy, sometimes realistically, but in many cases they have only helped to perpetuate false beliefs about this disease.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ayurveda, derives from the Sanskrit words Ayus (life) and Veda (knowledge) is the most ancient system of traditional medicine of the world. It has been practiced in Indian peninsula since 5000 BC to offer natural ways to treat diseases and to promote healthcare., Methodology: We reviewed the literature on the history, principles and current status of Ayurveda. The data have been presented systematically including the initiatives from Government of India. Several aspects of administrative management, education, teaching and related aspects for promotion and development of Ayurveda and other Indian systems of traditional medicine have been discussed., Results: This paper reviews on different aspects of development of Ayurveda. Presently, there are 2420 hospitals with about 42271 beds, 15017 dispensaries, 429246 registered practitioners, more than 320 educational institutions, 7699 drug-manufacturing units to promote Ayurveda into the health care delivery system in the country. Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India is the official document for single Ayurvedic drugs (540 monographs) and different formulations (152 monographs). Several aspects in this regard for development of Ayurveda have been discussed., Conclusion: Considering the widespread use and popularity of Ayurveda worldwide, administrative management and infrastructure facilities, indigenous practices and standards for quality control and it's evaluation have been highlighted. In India, all such efforts for integration of Ayurveda provide potential role in the health care benefits., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ayurveda, the native healthcare system of India, is a rich resource of well-documented ancient medical knowledge. Although the roots of this knowledge date back to the Vedic and post-Vedic eras, it is generally believed that a dedicated branch for healthcare was gradually established approximately between 400 BCE and 200 CE. Probably because the language of documentation of these early textbooks is in Sanskrit, a language that is not in day-to-day use among the general population even in India, many significant contributions of Ayurveda have remained unrecognized in the literature related to the history of medicine. In this communication, the discovery of blood circulation has been taken up as a case, and a few important references from the representative Ayurveda compendia that hint at a preliminary understanding of the cardiovascular system as a "closed circuit" and the heart acting as a pump have been reviewed. The central argument of this review is that these contributions from Ayurveda too must be recorded and credited when reviewing the milestones in the history of medicine, as Ayurveda can still possibly guide various streams of the current sciences, if revisited with this spirit.

The present paper focuses primarily on a philological and historical study of the Arśapraśamanisūtra ("The Sūtra of the Tranquilization of Hemorrhoids"). This Sūtra is one of the Buddhist scriptures that is characterized by the magico-religious treatment of various diseases, especially by means of "healing spells" (skt. dhāranī or mantra), as shown by the preliminary survey in our penultimate paper "The Tradition of Healing with Magical Spells as Seen in Buddhist Texts," Journal of the Japan Society of Medical History 55/1 (2009), 77-96. In our last paper "The Tradition of Healing with Magical Spells as Seen in Buddhist Texts (2): A Study of the Arśapraśamanisūtra: Edition and Japanese translation" we provided critically edited texts of the Tibetan and Chinese translations accompanied by their Japanese translations with critical notes and annotations. In this paper we analyze the descriptions of hemorrhoids as found in the Sūtra in comparison with those illustrated in classical Ayurveda literature, besides a detailed philological examination of the relevant passages available only in the Chinese translation of the Mūlasarvāstivāda-Vinaya. We also offer further observations about the methods and principles for the treatment and healing of hemorrhoids that are attested in Buddhist scriptures, as well as make an overview of the transmission and historical reception of the Arśapraśamanisūtra in Japan between the Nara and the Taishō periods.

Introduction: Human estrus is a new topic to discussion. Articles related to this are few., Aim: Authors present here the first known report on human estrus, which was discussed in the Ayurveda classic text, Susruta Samhita, dated back to the 1st century BC., Main Outcome Measure: Supporting this, evidence from modern literature is presented here., Results: Estrus discussed as a fresh topic., Conclusion: Authors concluded that all modern research results, though limited, are in support of the oldest writing about human estrus., (© 2011 International Society for Sexual Medicine.)

Ayurveda traces its origins to contributions of mythological and real physicians that lived millennia earlier. In many respects, Western medicine also had similar origins and beliefs, however, the introduction of anatomical dissection and progressive application of scientific evidence based practices have resulted in divergent paths taken by these systems. We examined the lives, careers, and contributions made by nine ancient Indian physicians. Ancient texts, translations of these texts, books, and biographical works were consulted to obtain relevant information, both for Indian traditional medicine as well as for Western medicine. Ayurveda has retained principles enunciated by these physicians, with minor conceptual advances over the centuries. Western medicine separated from ancient Indian medicine several hundred years ago, and remains the foundation of modern medicine. Modern medicine is evidence based, and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are the gold standard by which efficacy of treatment is evaluated. Ayurvedic medicine has not undergone such critical evaluation to any large extent. The few RCTs that have evaluated alternative medical treatment recently have shown that such therapy is no better than placebo; however, placebo treatment is 30% effective. We suggest that foreign domination, initially by Mughals, and later by the British, may have contributed, in part, to this inertia and protracted status quo.

Background: Congenital megacolon is eponymously named after Harold Hirschsprung, who accurately described the clinical features in 1886. Recent research revealed that this condition is perhaps well known for centuries before him., Aim: This article is intended to examine if ancient Hindu surgeons knew about congenital megacolon., Methods and Materials: Sushruta Samhita is an ancient tome of Ayurvedic surgery compiled by Sushruta (circa 1200-600 bc). Passages of interest were identified by browsing the authentic English translation of the compendium. Accuracy of translation was verified by comparing to the original Sanskrit verses with the help of a Sanskrit scholar., Results: A condition called Baddha Gudodaram, described in the Samhita, closely resembles Hirschsprung disease. There are indications that ancient Indians even deciphered the etiology as defective vayu alias vata (nerves). Although the ailment was considered incurable, a palliative operation has been discussed. Descriptive details of the operation match with that of sigmoid colostomy., Conclusion: Evidence from Sushruta Samhita indicates that Hindu surgeons of prehistoric India probably had considerable knowledge about Hirschsprung disease. Further research, corroborating other sources of evidence, is required to confirm this claim., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Strychnos nux vomica Linn.(Loganaceae) commonly known as Nux vomica (Kupeelu), is a poisonous plant and its seeds are used widely in Ayurvedic system of medicine since time immemorial. Ayurveda advocates that nux vomica seeds are to be administered in therapeutics only after going through certain purificatory measures (Shodhana). There are more than six media: cow's urine (Go mutra), cow's milk (Go dugdha), cow's ghee (Go ghrita), Kanji (thin gruel), castor oil (Eranda taila) and fresh ginger juice (Ardraka swarasa) etc., which have been reported in different classical texts of Ayurveda for proper processing of nux vomica seeds. In this study, an attempt has been made to purify the seeds by using three different methods as described in ancient treatise by using cow's urine and cow's milk as media alone and together. This study revealed that all the methods studied reduced the toxicity of strychnine and brucine contents in comparison to the raw seeds as determined by HPTLC. Out of these three methods maximum reduction in strychnine and brucine contents was found when the seeds were purified by keeping them in cow's urine for seven days followed by boiling in cow's milk for three hrs.

The present paper focuses primarily on a philological and historical study of the Arśapraśamanisūtra ("The Sütra of the tranquilization of hemorrhoids"). This Sūtra is one of the Buddhist scriptures that are characterized by the magico-religious treatment of various diseases, especially by means of "healing spells" (skt. dhāranī or mantra), as shown by the preliminary survey in our previous paper "The Tradition of healing with magical spells as seen in Buddhist texts", Journal of the Japan Society of Medical History 55/1 (2009), 77-96. The original text of the Arśapraśamanisūtra, most probably written in Sanskrit, is lost whereas its Chinese and Tibetan translations have survived. After an introductory summary, we provide critically edited texts of the Tibetan and Chinese translations accompanied by their Japanese translations with critical notes and annotations. In particular, the Tibetan translation presented here has been critically edited for the first time on the basis of collation of the five editions of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon. In our next paper we will analyze the descriptions of hemorrhoids as found in the Sūtra in comparison with those illustrated in classical Ayurveda literature. And we will also offer further observations about the methods and principles for the treatment and healing of hemorrhoid that are attested in Buddhist scriptures.

In the beginning of the thirties, Dr Jean Saidman, who has already created a rotative solarium at Aix-les-Bains, built another one in Jamnagar (India). When he was there, he discovered ayurvedic therapy. After the Second World War, with his friends Dr Rémus Krainik and the chemist René-Henri Monceaux, he set up a "néo-ayurvedic action committee", and then a pharmaceutical laboratory, "Polythérapic", to export to french colonies patents medicines inspired by indian medicine. The authors tale this experience suddenly stopped by the unexpected death of Jean Saidman, in 1949.

The word Rasashaastra literally means the "Science of Mercury". It is a specialized branch of Ayurveda dealing mainly with materials which are known as 'Rasa dravyaas'. The products dealt under this discipline are an important component of Ayurvedic therapeutics. Considering the importance of this discipline in Ayurvedic therapeutics and the fact that there is dearth of comprehensive review on the subject an attempt has been made in this review to provide a brief but all encompassing coverage of different aspects related to it. The subjects covered in the review are: historical background of the evolvement of Rasashaastra as a specialized branch during different time periods; different aspects of classification 'Rasa dravyaas'; processing of metal and mineral products with a note on the methods used during different time periods; information about methods of pre and post preparation procedures for different kinds of 'Rasa dravyaas'; importance of mercury in Ayurveda, its processing methods and different preparations along with therapeutic indications. In addition attempt has been made to provide basic information on the metal and mineral based preparations mentioned in Ayurvedic Formulary of India; recent development in the field of Rasashaastra and future requirements for the proper development of the discipline. The main focus is to familiarize the readers, from non-ayurvedic background, on different aspects of this specialized discipline.

This review focuses on how the study of anatomy in India has evolved through the centuries. Anatomical knowledge in ancient India was derived principally from animal sacrifice, chance observations of improperly buried human bodies, and examinations of patients made by doctors during treatment. The Vedic philosophies form the basis of the Ayurvedic tradition, which is considered to be one of the oldest known systems of medicine. Two sets of texts form the foundation of Ayurvedic medicine, the Susruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita. The Susruta Samhita provided important surgical and anatomical information of the understanding of anatomy by Indians in the 6th century BCE. Here we review the anatomical knowledge known to this society., (© 2010 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy © 2010 Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.)

The study of the ancient history of Indian medicine has recently been revived due to the publication of polyglot translations. However, little is known of ancient Indian pharmacy. Archaeological evidence suggests the Indus people lived a settled life approximately in 2500 B.C. Their cities were enjoying the cleanest and most hygienic daily life with elaborate civic sanitation systems. The whole conception shows a remarkable concern for health. Then, the early Aryans invaded India about 1500 B.C. and the Vedic age started. The Rgveda texts contain the hymns for Soma and those for herbs. The term Ayurveda (i.e., science of life) is found in some old versions of both Ramāyana and Mahābhārata and in the Atharvaveda. Suśruta had the credit of making a breakthrough in the field of surgery. The Ayurveda, a work on internal medicine, gives the following transmission of sages: Brahmā-->Daksa-->Prajāpati-->Aśivinau-->Indra-->Caraka. On the other hand, the Suśruta-samhitā, which deals mainly with surgical medicine, explains it as follows; Indra-->Dhanvantari-->Suśruta Both Caraka and Suśruta were medical doctors as well as pharmacists, so they studied more than 1000 herbs thoroughly. The Ayurveda had been used by his devotees for medical purposes. It eventually spread over Asia with the advanced evolution of Buddhism.

The cooperation between medical systems of different cultures is a widely discussed problem. In an historical example, the perception of Tamil medicine by the Pietist missionaries of the Danish-Halle Mission in the first half of the 18th century illustrated the different meaning assigned to diseases and cures as well as differences in medical treatments compared to European medicine. Published for over 60 years starting in 1708, the Halle Reports enable us to understand the changes and developments in the relationship between the European and Tamil cultures that met in Southern India. The entrance of the first-generation Pietist missionaries (until 1720) was clearly silhouetted against a behavior that was directed at suppressing the traditional and asserting the European forms of cultural practice. They developed forms of a partnership-like association which is still discernable in the edited reports. The encounter between the Pietist missionaries and Tamil culture can be characterized as both empirical and critically reflective thanks to excellent language skills and an open-minded perspective.

Medicinal properties of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum Linn) are known for thousand years to various civilizations of the world. This medicinal herb is considered as a sacred plant by the Hindus in the Indian subcontinent. Scientific explorations of traditional belief of medicinal properties of Tulsi have got momentum mostly after the middle of the 20th century. In the present review, efforts have been made to sum up different aspects of scientific studies on this medicinal plant. Scientific evidences are available on various medicinal aspects i.e. antimicrobial, adaptogenic, antidiabetic, hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, radioprotective, immunomodulatory, neuro-protective, cardio-protective, mosquito repellent etc. to name a few. Most of these evidences are based on in-vitro, experimental and a few human studies.