What science can really prove from AYUSH?

To understand the above question in context, we need to travel through some pages of evolution of plants.

Why should plants have chemical constituents for human health care? Although AYUSH uses toxic metals like Mercury, Lead, Arsenic, Copper, various animal products ranging from fecal and urine matter of different animals, hoof, horn, turtle shell, bone, feather, insects, many minerals like Conch, Mica etc., the present article limit its focus on plants as plants form major part of AYUSH products. Plants are autotrophs or primary producers in any given ecosystem.

Plants are the only cause for the diversity of life on earth. Plants are stationary (non motile) and have both aerial portion and root system which is found underneath soil.

Due to their unique evolution, they have triple challenges to overcome such as dealing wide variety of abiotic and biotic factors outside soil and beneath the soil. Further, they also have to deal many predators due their non motile nature. Due to the above challenge, plants are likely to have several chemical constituents for their defense. Anatomical defense system like thorn etc is also present in many plants for their defense.

That is the reason why many plants have several useful and harmful substances to man and nicotine being the best example. Since the plants are evolved in such a way, they are likely to have such defense mechanism with relative permanency. The question of plants having several beneficial/harmful chemicals is undisputed. Such chemicals that are present in plants are collectively called as secondary metabolites.

The formation of these secondary metabolites does vary in same species of plants grown in different geographical or agronomic conditions. Can plants offer drugs? The question of whether plants can offer drugs begs no answer because several drugs have been identified and isolated from plant sources.

Many allopathic drugs that are synthesized these days had their lead come from herbal origin. There are herbs even in their crude form remains deadly toxic and while some have good therapeutic value, the best example being ginger and pepper.

Can a truth make another truth? In the above background, can we treat plants and plant based products as ‘drugs’ and can they be used for treating various diseases is million dollar question.

The plants and plant based products in AYUSH may have some medicinal value. But because they possess some medicinal value will not deem them to be called as drugs. At best, we can call them as medicinal products.

Even if some plants have therapeutically active component, such component are known to be present in trace level and isolation is quite expensive. Ironically, the plants grown in different conditions reported to have no such chemical component. How the science of ‘medicinal products’ of AYUSH differ from medical science and drug science? AYUSH is a science of medicinal plants and products that may have some medicinal value.

On the contrary, the medical science and drug science is absolutely different. Therefore time has come, the Government of India must differentiate and promote AYUSH as paramedical wellness based approach and not as system of medicine and drug based system. Allopathic medical science is scientific, authentic and proven. From the definition of diseases, description of signs and symptoms, pathogenesis, etiology, susceptibility factors and the treatment of all most all diseases in allopathic system are universally same and well harmonized.

Interestingly the above treatment system is although proven by science is again questioned by the same science and sometime also rejected by the same science. In allopathic system, the drug definition is clear such as its dosage, toxicity, absorption, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, accumulation, excretion and target specificity etc. are well proven. But on the contrary, the science of AYUSH is enigma even to many AYUSH practitioners.

Principle of Diagnosis of Doshas according to AYUSH system AYUSH never fails to claim their system is holistic and all inclusive. According to AYUSH, all diseases are due to imbalances in the equilibrium of Tridosha such as Vata, Pita and Kapha. According to AYUH, the innumerable numbers of permutation and combination of vatha, pithaa and kapha are the principle causes for various diseases.

But till date how vatha, pitha and kapha can be differentiated, how we can understand whether they are in the state of balance or imbalance, if there is any imbalance, at proportion, do such proportions remain constant in people who suffer from a particular disease, how to measure such imbalances are corrected post treatment etc remain mystery.

There are other methods of diagnosis are also followed in AYUSH. But the science of such methods is difficult digest for modern science. Distance between ‘medicinal products’ and drugs The reason for present day crisis of AYUSH is simple.

The crisis is only due to defining AYUSH products (that have some medicinal values) as drugs to treat various diseases. Medicinal products will certainly exhibit some medicinal benefits but they cannot become drugs for treating diseases. If we draw such conclusion means, it would be like accepting all glitters are gold.

Some of the materials may glitter even better than gold. When products with some medicinal value are used for treating diseases, naturally patients are unlikely to find clinical result. Or the result may vary and show inconsistent pattern with great level of dissatisfaction, failure and doubt.

That is why the survey of NSSO has shown that about 90% people in rural and urban India choose allopathic system over AYUSH. The problem of plenty A science which has unique diagnostic procedures and which cannot be applied, proven or can be understood with any sense and the products that may have some medicinal value, has been promoted since independence as system of medicine exactly like scientifically proven allopathic system indeed has produced large number of AYUSH doctors.

When we promote AYUSH as medical system, naturally its students are doctors. What these doctors have from the system to treat even the common diseases that plague mankind is totally neglected? Patients go to doctor for treatment.

Treatment can be effective only when the diagnosis is accurate, scientific and reproducible. Similarly, the drugs also have to be effective, quick, instant and safe. But AYUSH system neither has strong foundation for proper diagnosis nor have any drugs as per global definition. But have products that may have some medicinal values.

We have produced plenty of AYUSH doctors but they do not have any proven drugs to treat patients? In private practice, survival is difficult for the AYUSH healers with such science or approach. This compels many AYUSH healers to engage in cross pathy. The saddest and sickening fact is that the several Government research organizations constituted for research in AYUSH not seems to have brought out any ‘drugs’ from the system, our India can boast and be proud off.

Can science prove anything worthwhile from AYUSH? The science can prove only what is already proven. The already proven fact is that AYUSH products may have some medicinal value. At laboratory level, some products may exhibit some medicinal effect. Every day, at least a few articles are getting published in different parts of the world reporting the antimicrobial activity of many herbal extracts. The activities range from anti viral, anti bacterial, antifngal to anti parasitic.