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Diabetes related Quality of Life (QoL) and treatment satisfaction data is very scarce from India. The ayurpharmacoepidemiology study design was assumed to explore the definite situation of perceived QoL among Indian diabetics and to understand the possibilities of interventions provided in Ayurveda hospitals against diabetes by assessing treatment satisfaction among diabetics. Cross-sectional study involving 203 type 2 diabetes patients aged ≥ 25 years were assessed by self-administered Audit of Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL-19) and Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQc). Participants represented both male (68%) and female (32%) with mean age 55.31 (± 10.505 SD) years having age range of 56 years. Family history of diabetes revealed 20.68% paternal and 18.72% maternal diabetes. Mean duration of diabetes was 5.9384 (± 4.0148 SD) years with range of 6 months to 23.5 years. The mean ADDQoL [Average Weighted Impact (AWI)] score of the total participants were (-) 2.7753 where 98.03% participants perceived diabetes to impact negatively on their QoL. Mean DTSQ score was 28.0697. Association between ADDQoL (AWI) score and duration of diabetes showed no significant relationship (p=0.208) but strong evidence of diabetes complications was found significantly (p=0.017) related to ADDQoL (AWI) score. Negatively impact of Diabetes on QoL among Indians highlight lack of structured education, information programs and integrated diabetes health care model. The study widens the scope for future research opportunities involving ayurpharmacoepidemiological approach for monitoring psychosocial wellbeing and QoL with integrated therapeutic advances involving Ayurveda.

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.

Socio-economic and individual lifestyle features associated with the nutritional state were examined in 7-9-year-old children of lower and lower middle-class families living under the international poverty line. Mild and moderate undernutrition was frequent but overweight also occurred.Three groups of sex- and age-matched randomly selected children from the Kolkata Child Nutrition Study (data collection between April and November 2001) attending public primary schools of North Kolkata participated (42 children of low body mass index (BMI12 kg/m(2),=LBMI), 100 children of intermediate BMI (14-16 kg/m(2); IBMI) and 51 children of high BMI (16 kg/m(2); HBMI). Individual and social characteristics of the three BMI categories were assessed using a structured interview of their families.Families of LBMI children owned more TV (83.3% versus 60%; p-value: 0.007) and spent less money for rice (80.4% versus 52.5% of the families spent less than 11 Indian rupees (INR) for rice/day, p0.003) when compared to families of IBMI children while income of the families of the 2 groups was similar. The families of HBMI children had more income per head per day (62.5% versus 32% earned more than 19 INR/head/day, p0.02).Lifestyle and socio-economic differences in families are associated with distinct variations in body weight of their children in a population living in a low income area in Kolkata. Various degrees of poverty may lead to a propensity to develop both, underweight and modest overweight.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that evolved to a comprehensive health care management since pre-Vedic to Vedic period. Prior to the dawn of Western medical education in India, Ayurveda was considered as mainstream health care facility, starting from the cause of the disease ( Nidana ) to its pathogenesis (Samprapti ) based on five subsets known as Panchanidana . The disease process ( Rogavijnan ) and treatment module ( Chitsa Siddhanta ) covering a whole gamut of prevailing diseases on eight specialties has been discussed in this chapter. Ayurnutogenomics is aimed at justifying the diet and dietetic according to genomic variations. Ayur-pharmacoepidemiology is a branch that documents that the adverse episode due to use of Ayurvedic drugs in continuity outnumbered those due to use of pharmacopoeia and pharmaceutical drugs with regional and racial acceptance.

Ayurvedic preparations of metallic iron commonly categorised as different 'putas' of 'Louha Bhasma' was chemically analysed and pharmacologically investigated in iron deficiency anemia. Atomic absorption spectral (AAS) study of different putas of Louha Bhasma revealed the presence of various proportions of important metals along with varied concentration of iron in it. The effect of a representative puta viz. 50 puta of Louha Bhasma in the management of agar gel diet and phlebotomy induced iron deficiency anemia in animal model was found to be statistically highly significant (P < 0.001) in comparison to the control and standard drug Fefol treated groups.

Background: Chromium chelates/complexes are widely used as nutritional supplements to redress complications of type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients. However, most of these chelates could be susceptible to oxidation into toxic Cr(VI) state. Complexation of Cr (III) with gallo-ellagi tannoids produces a herbochromium supplement (HCrS) that maintains its Cr3+ oxidation state under oxidizing circumstances in vitro. It was tested with conventional oral hypoglycemic drugs [(oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD)] for its beneficial effects in T2DM patients. Objective: A randomized clinical study with three OADs with or without HCrS was carried out in T2DM patients to evaluate the efficacy of the HCrS supplement. Materials and Methods: 150 T2DM patients were randomized into six treatment groups. After 60 days of treatment, fasting blood glucose and post-prandial blood glucose (FBG and PPBG, respectively), HbA 1c , HsCRP, oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL), and urinary microalbumin levels and other diabetic symptoms were evaluated. Statistical Analysis: Findings were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc pairwise comparisons of groups using the least significant difference method. Results: Better control of FBG and PPBG levels were observed in patients receiving HCrS (−12.4 to −16.6%) compared to placebo groups (−3.4 to −9.4%). There was a 5.5–7.4% decrease in HsCRP and LDL levels in patients receiving HCrS, which is better than placebo treated groups. Significant decrease in urinary microalbumin level was observed in patients receiving HCrS (−20.0 to −22.5%) compared to placebo groups (−7.8 to