After practising for more than 40 years in so-called 'Allopathy' [ In truest sense it actually is Modern Medicine but the way caste, in India, doesn't leave you till the end, this nomenclature has become the norm rather than the exception. This thinking of Medicine can not be called any 'Pathy' as it's just application of common knowledge, achieved through Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics to the human body], I am finding it intriguing that other Pathies especially Ayurveda are getting so much of exposure and accolade. Most surprising is, even Modern medicine stalwarts are espousing the' Ayurvedic' cause. At the outset, I sincerely salute them and apologize but would like to continue all the same.
If you really give a thought, in any 'Pathy' Human body is not different. Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology Radiology is the same for the human body, so it is for all the pathies, be it Yunani, Homeopathy, or Ayurveda. But they don't have any qualms using these modalities to the hilt though invented by Modern medicine. What is singled out is Pharmacology. It is as if a student scoring cent per cent marks in all other subjects, failing in pharmacology. There, our 'Sago' pills and 'Decoctions' score distinction. Weird thinking!
Let's go a little deeper.
Forget our Solar system with its planets and Sun, our galaxy, our nebula, and innumerable galaxies and nebulae thereafter, in short, entire Universe that we know of, is composed of 118 elements. Right from the first Hydrogen to the last Unonoctium. Out of the list, last few, like 113, 115, 117, 118 are extremely unstable and are still on the lab papers but most of them, practically amounting to 98, are found on the Earth, though in minuscule amounts. Leave apart medicines, every article in the world, right from Grand ma's steel utensils to young one's toy pistol, from Sis's lipstick to uncle's Gel pen, each and every object is made up of these elements, though in the different molecular configuration.
And medicines are no exception, they too are chemicals.
If Herbal, Yunani, Ayurvedic medicines are made from earthen raw materials, are the Modern medicines made of Martian raw materials? They too are made from the raw materials available on this very earth. Just for the sake of argument if we take that they are from the Outer space and are not suitable for the earthen atmosphere, then in what way the elements from outer space are different than the earthen elements?
In short, whether the medicines are Yunani, Homeopathic, Ayurvedic or 'Allopathic' they all are made of the same elements. In simple terms the way even school going kid understands that H2O is water on Earth, Mars or on a distant planet of a distant galaxy, can the stalwarts of Ayurveda enumerate all the molecules present in 'Ashwagandha' the miracle drug often tomtomed by Ayurveda. And go further and tell that, which out of these innumerable molecules, are useful in particular ailment and the others in other diseases? [As the claim goes this medicine is effective in every other disease from spermatorrhoea to cancer.[ Don't throw 'This is our experience' type of vacuous claim.] If you hit a hammer on the head, it breaks, is an experience, but what should be the weight of the hammer, with what force it should be hit, in what direction it should hit the head, is science and it only would tell us how the head broke! Questions and questions. No experience alone! How many medicines from other pathies can stand this challenge?
Foodstuff, Sweeper, Plastic tiffin box, Nine-yard sari, all these are made of different elements so they all have their own different properties. And we use these properties to our benefit. Thus we don't use nine-yard sari to concoct a recipe.
Similarly, all the chemicals/molecules which are used for medicinal purpose have their own properties, rather because they have these properties they are used as medicines. [Simplest chemical like water, our own H2O too has many properties. When it's warm, it is used to foment the sore throat, but when it's hot, it scalds. Now should it be called as water's 'Side Effect' ?]
For example, the molecule of Atropine has 3 properties, A, B and C. And they can be used in diseases 1, 2 and 3. Point to ponder is if property A is useful in disease 1, properties B and C become side effects. Similarly in disease 2 if property B is useful, properties A and C become side effects. Same stands for property C and disease 3. Science means, to understand which property to be made use of in what disease!
Thus 'Modern Medicine' is maligned for its side effects. To top it, it's claimed by other pathies that their medicines don't have side effects. The hitch is, as other pathies don't have any research backing them, they don't even know the side effects of their medicines!
A simple example should suffice here. A drop of Ink is a drop of ink for its blueness and saturation. If this drop is 'dropped' in a tank of water, it will cease to be ink and won't be blue either! [ You then safely say that it doesn't stain, no side effect !]
If corollary is to be given, molecule P1 from Ashwagandha is useful for disease X. But to have the medicinal effect of factor P1 you have to swallow the molecules ABCD to XYZ constituting Ashwagandha. How many of these molecules, these stalwarts know of? And what about 'their' side effects? And in the melee of these molecules does our P1 really work or its effects are diluted in hundreds of other molecules so there are no side effects? [ Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Sir Newton has said, so corollary would be if you don't have a reaction you don't have action too!]. And if we assume that P1 really work wonders, then does anybody know, what's its chemical configuration, How may 'H' s and how many 'C' s are there and how are they configured? Rather than blaming modern medicine for its side effects, if these stalwarts spend their energy to solve these posers, better would be achieved. But if the case may be, should these medicines thus researched be then called Ayurvedic medicines? Because the raw material is not any branches' prerogative.
Any disease means some defect in internal homeostasis, because of a variety of factors. To divide all the diseases along with the world population, only using 3 factors would be too simplistic. Plus these 'Dosh' s are too empirical. Any living cell has a definite number of chromosomes. To wit, Human cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, barring sperm and ovum. If permutation and combinations are to be carried out there would be innumerable possibilities. And this is not applicable to humans alone, all living world fits in. Simple species like fish has such a vast variety because of this, that it's beyond any body's imagination. So to base entire medicinal structure only on this 3 ' dosh' is not only irrational but dangerous also, especially in a country like India where ignorance/ illiteracy rules and scientific outlook and temperament is grossly in short supply.
Recently one such Ayurvedic stalwart stated that Pungent taste is an expression of 'Tej' from 'Panch Mahabhute'. I was simply flummoxed. In which era are we? Pre Mahabharata or 21st century?
How many chillies are known to Ayurveda? Mexico produces more than 70 types of chillies. Wikipedia says there are more than 39 species of chillies and their pungency comes from an alkaloid known as 'Capsaicin'. More the Capsaicin, more the pungency. So, because Yellow and Red bell pepper have it the least, they are least pungent. Mexico does not pro port to the concept of 'Panch Mahabhute' still their chillies are most Pungent!
We Indians have this nasty habit of blaming everything coming from the west. But we don't bash an eyelid while wanting the latest model of Mobile coming from the west. Color TV is thing of past, we are too eager to have 3 D TV. In medical technology too we want the latest MRI, CT scan or pathology tests. If it is covered under insurance, we want it even when it is not indicated. There are so many like these waiting in every doctors' cabin, but when it comes to the selection of a bride for their son, they don't want a girl with Mars badly placed in her horoscope [ why take a chance ?] or 'Allopathic' medicine, which for them, is too 'Strong' or has 'Side effects', [ Ayurvedic is okay, it doesn't have side effects/ or effects too].
The whole thing boils down to lack of scientific temperament in Indian populace. The crux of the problem is where to start and how to imbibe it?
Similarly, all the chemicals/molecules which are used for medicinal purpose have their own properties, rather because they have these properties they are used as medicines. [Simplest chemical like water, our own H2O too has many properties. When it's warm, it is used to foment the sore throat, but when it's hot, it scalds. Now should it be called as water's 'Side Effect' ?]
For example, the molecule of Atropine has 3 properties, A, B and C. And they can be used in diseases 1, 2 and 3. Point to ponder is if property A is useful in disease 1, properties B and C become side effects. Similarly in disease 2 if property B is useful, properties A and C become side effects. Same stands for property C and disease 3. Science means, to understand which property to be made use of in what disease!
Thus 'Modern Medicine' is maligned for its side effects. To top it, it's claimed by other pathies that their medicines don't have side effects. The hitch is, as other pathies don't have any research backing them, they don't even know the side effects of their medicines!
A simple example should suffice here. A drop of Ink is a drop of ink for its blueness and saturation. If this drop is 'dropped' in a tank of water, it will cease to be ink and won't be blue either! [ You then safely say that it doesn't stain, no side effect !]
If corollary is to be given, molecule P1 from Ashwagandha is useful for disease X. But to have the medicinal effect of factor P1 you have to swallow the molecules ABCD to XYZ constituting Ashwagandha. How many of these molecules, these stalwarts know of? And what about 'their' side effects? And in the melee of these molecules does our P1 really work or its effects are diluted in hundreds of other molecules so there are no side effects? [ Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Sir Newton has said, so corollary would be if you don't have a reaction you don't have action too!]. And if we assume that P1 really work wonders, then does anybody know, what's its chemical configuration, How may 'H' s and how many 'C' s are there and how are they configured? Rather than blaming modern medicine for its side effects, if these stalwarts spend their energy to solve these posers, better would be achieved. But if the case may be, should these medicines thus researched be then called Ayurvedic medicines? Because the raw material is not any branches' prerogative.
Any disease means some defect in internal homeostasis, because of a variety of factors. To divide all the diseases along with the world population, only using 3 factors would be too simplistic. Plus these 'Dosh' s are too empirical. Any living cell has a definite number of chromosomes. To wit, Human cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, barring sperm and ovum. If permutation and combinations are to be carried out there would be innumerable possibilities. And this is not applicable to humans alone, all living world fits in. Simple species like fish has such a vast variety because of this, that it's beyond any body's imagination. So to base entire medicinal structure only on this 3 ' dosh' is not only irrational but dangerous also, especially in a country like India where ignorance/ illiteracy rules and scientific outlook and temperament is grossly in short supply.
Recently one such Ayurvedic stalwart stated that Pungent taste is an expression of 'Tej' from 'Panch Mahabhute'. I was simply flummoxed. In which era are we? Pre Mahabharata or 21st century?
How many chillies are known to Ayurveda? Mexico produces more than 70 types of chillies. Wikipedia says there are more than 39 species of chillies and their pungency comes from an alkaloid known as 'Capsaicin'. More the Capsaicin, more the pungency. So, because Yellow and Red bell pepper have it the least, they are least pungent. Mexico does not pro port to the concept of 'Panch Mahabhute' still their chillies are most Pungent!
We Indians have this nasty habit of blaming everything coming from the west. But we don't bash an eyelid while wanting the latest model of Mobile coming from the west. Color TV is thing of past, we are too eager to have 3 D TV. In medical technology too we want the latest MRI, CT scan or pathology tests. If it is covered under insurance, we want it even when it is not indicated. There are so many like these waiting in every doctors' cabin, but when it comes to the selection of a bride for their son, they don't want a girl with Mars badly placed in her horoscope [ why take a chance ?] or 'Allopathic' medicine, which for them, is too 'Strong' or has 'Side effects', [ Ayurvedic is okay, it doesn't have side effects/ or effects too].
The whole thing boils down to lack of scientific temperament in Indian populace. The crux of the problem is where to start and how to imbibe it?
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