This document discusses complementary and alternative medicine systems, including Ayurveda, homeopathy, siddha, unani, and traditional Chinese medicine. It provides details on the key concepts and practices of each system. For Ayurveda, it describes the concepts of tridosha, saptdhatu, and the eight examination methods. It explains the principles of like cures like for homeopathy. For siddha and unani, it outlines their fundamental theories. And it notes the core concepts of yin and yang balance in traditional Chinese medicine. The document also lists several important herbal medicines used in each system and describes various Ayurvedic dosage forms.

1. Complementary and Alternative System of Medicine
Lecturer
Phr.Dinesh Kumar Yadav
BPharm, MClinPharm (P.U)
Council For Technical Education and Vocational Training
Ratna Kumar Bantawa Polytechnic Institute
Sakhejung,Ilam
Lecturer
Phr.Dinesh Kumar Yadav
BPharm, MClinPharm (P.U)
Council For Technical Education and Vocational Training
Ratna Kumar Bantawa Polytechnic Institute
Sakhejung,Ilam
Lecturer
Phr.Dinesh Kumar Yadav
BPharm, MClinPharm (P.U)
Council For Technical Education and Vocational Training
Ratna Kumar Bantawa Polytechnic Institute
Sakhejung,Ilam

2. ☞ According to WHO (2002),Complementary and alternative System of medicine
refers to a broad sets of healthcare practices that are not a part of country’s own
traditional and are not well established within the country’s conventional
healthcare system.
☞Sometimes , the terms complementary and alternative system of medicine are
used interchangeably with the traditional system but they may include more
recently developed technologies ,unlike traditional system.
☞ World Health organization (1976) has define “Traditional Medicine as the sum
total of all knowledge and practices whether explicable or not ,used in diagnosis
,prevention and elimination of physical ,mental or social imbalance and relying
exclusively on practical experiences and observation handed down from
generation to generation verbally or in writing “.
☞ Some of the complementary and alternative system have been are as follows:
1. Ayurvedic system of Medicine
2. Homeopathic System of Medicine
3. Siddha System of Medicine
4. Unani System of Medicine
5. Traditional Chinese system of Medicine

3. Ayurvedic system of Medicine
☞ The word Ayurveda is made up of two parts Ayu + Veda
☞Ayu means life and Veda means Knowledge.
☞ Thus, Ayurveda means “Science of Life “.
☞It deals with both physical and mental health and also covers the art of living .
☞ Ayurveda is based on the hypothesis that everything in this universe is
composed of five basic elements
1. Space
2. Air
3. Energy
4. Liquid
5. Solid
☞ They exist in the human body in combined form like
☞Vatta (Space and Air)
☞Pitta (Energy and Liquid)
☞Kapha ( Solid and Liquid)

4. ☞ Vatta, Pitta and Kapha together are called Tridosha.
☞ Tridosha exist in human body in seven forms called Saptadhatu i.e Rasa ( Lymph),Rakta
(blood),Meda (Adipose Tissue),Mamsa (Flesh),Majja (Nerve Tissue),Shukra (Reproductive
Tissue) and Asthi (Bones).
☞These tissues are subjected to wear and tear so that Mala (excretory materials) is formed from
them.
☞When Tridosh ,Saptadhatu and Mala are in balance with each other ,it is called healthy
condition while imbalance causes a pathological condition.
☞The classical clinical examination in Ayurveda is called Asthasthana priksha ( Eight point
diagnosis ) and including the diagnosis of nadi ( pulse) , mootra (Urine ),Mala (stool ) jihva
(tongue ),netra (eye),sabdha ( sound response), Sparsha (nervous System ) and aakriti
(appearance and feel of different parts of body).
☞The Ayurvedic therapy usually starts with shodhana (cleasing ) in which emotional toxins as
well as physical toxins are eliminated or neutralized.
☞After the completion of shadhana , Shamana (pallitative treatment ) is used to reduce the
intensity of disease and balance the disordered doshas.
☞Finally the rasayana (rejuvenation therapy ) is used to maintain health.
☞The various Ayurvedic formulation contain several plants such as Rauwolfia serpentine,
Asparagus racemosus , Piper longum etc.

5. Homeopathic system of Medicine
☞ The main principle of the homeopathic treatment is “like with like’’.
☞This means that a medicine produces some symptoms in healthy state and if the identical
symptoms are present in a sick person, then the patient will get relief with a minor dose of the
medicine .
☞When an onion (Allium Cepa) is peeled ,it causes a watery discharge from the eyes, and if
continued a discharge from the nose.
☞ Such symptoms can be observed in case of common cold.
☞An extract of Allium Cepa is used homeopathically to treat the common cold on the basis of
like with like.
☞The homeopathic medicine uses the materials from diverse sources .some of them are
following :
Sources Crude Drugs
Plants Allium Sativum ,Crocus Sativus ,Aegle marmelos etc
Animals Snake Venom , Toad Venom ,Cod Liver Oil etc
Minerals Silica ,Gold ,Aluminium etc

6. Siddha System of Medicine
☞ In this system , a medical practitioner uses same formulation for the differernt
ailments but varies its adjuvant called anupanam such as milk , ghee , honey ,
water etc.
☞It is believed that proper adjuvant itself would modify the therapeutics
properties and potency of the drug leading to the desired effect.
☞Siddha preparations consists a number of plant species .
☞Some of the important plants are Gymnema sylvestre ,Momordica charantia ,
Vitex negundo etc.

7. Unani System of Medicine
☞This system is based on Two theories
1. Hippocratic theory of Four humours
2. Pythagorean theory of four proximates qualities
☞ The four humours are blood , phlem , yellow bile and black bile while four
proximate qualities are the states of human body like hot , cold , moist and dry.
☞They are represented as earth , water , fire and air.
☞In this system , the body constitution and its health , as well as , the disease
conditions are based on the balance and imbalance of four humors and qualities .
☞Their balanced forms cause the healthy condition while imbalanced forms cause
the pathological condition .
☞Important herbs used in this system are Adhatoda Vasaka,Rawolfia Serpentina
,Swertia chirata etc.

8. Traditional Chinese System of Medicine
☞The fundamental concept of the Chinese medicine is based on Yin and Yang
which are essential balanced in health.
☞These are opposing forces such as hot and cold, wet and dry etc. and their
imbalanced forms are the main causes of diseases.
☞The important herbs used in this system are Ephedra Sinica ,Rheum palmatum ,
Panax ginseng etc.

9. Ayurvedic Dosage Form
☞ like other system of medicine ,Ayurvedic system also possess the different
dosage forms which is the physical form of medication intended for
administration.
☞The importance of various Ayurvedic dosage form is to make the drug
compatible and palatable to the patients.
☞It also helps to increase the potency and the self of a particular medication.
☞Ayurvedic dosage form can be grouped into four types depending upon their
physical nature.
1. Solid dosage form : E.g Vati , gutika etc
2. Semisolid dosage form : E.g Avaleha
3. Liquid dosage form : E.g Kvatha , arka ,taila , asava ,arista etc
4. Powder dosage form : E.g Churna ,Bhasma

10. Assignment on Various Dosage form of Ayurvedic drugs with its Example
1. Arka
2. Kvatha
3. Avaleha
4. Taila
5. Churna
6. Bhasmas
7. Vati
8. Asava and Arista
9. Sattava

11. Thank You