Siddha medicine is an ancient South Indian system that developed prior to Ayurveda. It was transmitted to South India by Dravidian people 2500 years ago. God Shiva imparted knowledge of Siddha medicine to Parvati who passed it to Nandi Deva and then to Siddhars. Diagnosis examines the pulse, voice, tongue, body, waste, eyes and urine. Treatment is individualized based on diagnostic factors and uses herbs, minerals, and metals. Important formulations include kashayams, churnams, lehyams, tailams, bhasmas, and ghritams.

1. Siddha System of medicine
"Food is being medicine and medicine is being food"
Mr. Gadade Dipak,
Lecturer
Dept. of Pharmaceutics,
Shri Bhagwan College of Pharmacy,
Aurangabad
10/22/2013

2. 10/22/2013

3. Introduction
God Shiva who unfolded the knowledge of
Siddha system of medicine to his concert
Parvati who handed it down to Nandi Deva & he
the Siddhars.
Siddhars
adopted
principles
of
Shaiva
Siddhantham.
Siddhars in olden days followed and adopted the
principles
for
preparing
herbal, minerals and metals
10/22/2013
all
medicines
like

4. Introduction
Developed in preayurvedic period with civilization
of Mohenzo-daro and Harappa in Indus river
valley, 6000-7000 years ago.
It was transplated in Southern India by Dravidian
people about 2500 years ago.
Siddhars
classified
diseases
in
different
categories and accounted for total 4448 diseases
in human body.
10/22/2013

5. INTRODUCTION
They
mentioned
incurable
about
the
curable
and
diseases along with the symptoms of
the body and predicted the concerned, proper
medicines also.
Thousands of herbs & minerals were included in
siddha sys. which are effective in managing
chronic, degenerative diseases, viral diseases and
heart diseases
10/22/2013

6. Introduction
Very simple herbal processes are advised by the
Siddhars
for
diseases
like
migraine,
Sinusitis,
Hypertension,
Diabetes
Mellitus, Gynaecological disturbances, leucoderma
and
psoriasis,
Asthmatic attacks,
piles
and
pistula, Rheumatisms, Dental problems etc.
It has proven its promise
Hemoglobin as well as
to improve the
immunization of AIDS
patients without any side effects
10/22/2013

7. Introduction
Agathiyar was considered the prominent
leader with his later Lord Subramaniyar
Agastya & Aryan Sages were also
contributed to dvpt. „Agattiyar Charakku‟
imp. Tamil work ascribed to them
Turumullar
was founder various siddha
schools in India
Bogar, a taoist chinese worked extensively
on medicine and alchemy
Pullpari was another chinese settelled in
10/22/2013
Tamilnadu

8. Theory & Basic Principles
This principles and doctrines of this
system,
both
fundamental
and
applied, have a close similarity to
Ayurveda, with specialization in Iatrochemistry. According to this system the
human body is the replica of the
universe and so are the food and drugs
irrespective of their origin.
10/22/2013

9. Theory & Basic Principles
The
five
major
concept
of
Panchmahabhutas,
are
named
as
Nilam, Neer, Neruppu, Kattru and
Veli, which are respectively in hands
known as Prithivi (Earth), Appu
(water,), Theyu (fire), Vayu(air ), and
Akash (sky)
Imbalanced ratio of panchamahabhutas
may cause disease
10/22/2013

10. Theory & Basic Principles
As in Ayurveda, this system also considers
the human body as a conglomeration of
three humors, basic tissues and the waste
products of the body such as feces, urine
and sweat. The food is considered to be
basic building material of human body
which gets processed into humors, body
tissues and waste products.
Equilibrium –> health whilw disturbance or
imbalance -> disease or sickness.
10/22/2013

11. Theory & Basic Principles
Based on principles of Triguna
Vata, pitta and Kapha
Believed as its origin itsellf in foetal
dvpt. stages in mothers womb
These imbalanced due to
nutritional, physical and environmental
conditions
10/22/2013

12. Theory & Basic Principles
Predominance of triguna according to
time in a day is as below6.00 am to 10.00 am-Vata
10.00 am to 2.00 pm- Pitta
2.00 pm to 6.oo pm- Kapha
Same order of time followed by body in
night
10/22/2013

13. Theory & Basic Principles…
Vata Guna:
Chr‟s- stout, black, cold & inactive
personality
Increased vata develops flatulence,
acidity, dysentry, obesity,etc
Individuals show arogent behaviour,
partial paralysis, heart attack, neck &
chest pain, etc.
10/22/2013

14. Theory & Basic Principles…
Pitta Guna:
Chr‟s: lean, wheatish complexion, hot
personality
Increased pitta results in early
greying of hairs, reddish eyes & more
sexual desire
Individuals suffer from
anemia, burning chest, mental
derangement, etc.
10/22/2013

15. Theory & Basic Principles…
Kapha Guna:
Chr‟s: well build, good
complexion, good behaved personality
More afiinity towards sweet food &
sex
Incresed Kapha develops diseases like
jaundice, heart
attack, fever, anemia,etc.
10/22/2013

16. Diagnosis
The diagnosis of diseases involve
identifying it causes.
Physician
generally
identifies
of
causative factors thr‟ exam. of Nadi
(pulse), Dhwani (speech/voice), Twaka
(tongue), Deiham (Body), Malam (Feaces
and
the
status
of
digestive
system), Mutram (urine), Vizhi (Eyes
color)
10/22/2013

17. Diagnosis
The system has worked out details
procedure of urine examination which
includes
study
of
it‟s
color, smell, density, quantity and oil
drop spreading pattern.
For any diseases due to infection or
otherwise,
the
treatment
is
individualistic on examination of that
particular patient
10/22/2013

18. Diagnosis
Pulse reading is imp. & helpful in
diagnosis. Pulse changes with balance of
triguna.
Full nadi indicates asthama & ½ or ¼ nadi
denotes pain, arthritis & swelling, etc.
Abnormal intense pulse shows T.B.
10/22/2013

19. Diagnosis
If pulse propagates to left side it
denotes loss of self control while
propagation to right side shows sign of
death.
Voice with high sound shows piita & low
sound denotes low B.P.
Tounge with boils shows imbalance of
vata, sense of bitterness denotes pitta
& white slimy tongue shows low B.P.
10/22/2013

20. Diagnosis
Body with vibration shows vatta. Hot &
cold body is indicative of pitta & kapha
respectively.
Study of color of fecal matter, urine &
eyes gives idea of imbalance of triguna.
Darker color indicates vata,
Greenish/ reddish color indicates pitta &
Whitish color shows kapha.
10/22/2013

21. Treatment
Treatment based on all diagnostic chr‟s
of patient
Treatment also takes into account
environment, age, sex, race, habits, men
tal
status, habitat, diet, appetite, physical
condition, physiological constitution, etc.
Vaidya (Physician) has knowledge of
herbs & their effectiveness in specific
diseases
10/22/2013

22. Treatment
Siddha
formulary
extensively
incorporates drugs of vegetable, animal
and mineral origin.
It described the drugs made from the
metals and nonmetals. Use of the
mercury, gold, silver, sulphur, zinc,
copper sulphate, alum, borax, mica,
asbestos and arsenic is widespread.
10/22/2013

23. Treatment
It also mentions the drugs from animal
secretions like Civet and musk, shells
and bones of aquatic animals, deer homs
and animal flesh
10/22/2013

24. Treatment
Siddha system also prescribes medicines for
menarche and post menopausal states to
strenthen reproductive system and to deals
with harmonal imbalances respectively.
Siddha System believes in the principle of
“Food itself is medicine” and during this nursing
period, lactating mothers are advised to take
the food rich in iron, protein and fibre so as to
prevent any nutritional disorders both to the
child as well as the mothers.
10/22/2013

25. Diet during Treatment
„Patthya‟ - some restrictions on the diet
during treatment. Avoiding certain food
types which otherwise aggravate the
balance of triguna and disturb the
curative abilities of medicine.
No
restrictions
for
wheat, milk, ghee, pulse, tender
vegetables,
goat
meat,
sugar
turmeric, black pepper etc. and the
patients may take the food prepared
10/22/2013

26. Siddha Formulations
Kashayam(extracts),
Churman (powder)
Lehiams (confections),
Tailams
(medicated
oils)
Gulligai (pills),
10/22/2013
Chenduram
(metal
complexes),
Bhasmam (calx prepared
by calcinations),
Ghritam (medicated ghee)
Mezhugu(waxes),or
(distilled essence)
tinir

27. Types of formulations in Siddha
System
Sr.
Groups
Example
1
Kashayam
Kashyam fir infants,Jaundice,piles.
2
Churnam
Panchammruta,Kadukai,Ashwagandha.
3
Lehyam
Amla lehya, Ginger lehya, Coconut lehya.
4
Tailam
Bhringamla,Amlahat,Nutmeg,Neem etc.
5
Bhasmam
Tortoise shell,Egg shell.Snake.Shrunga Bhasma.
6
Chenduram
Rasa chendrum,Chendurams of Copper,magnet
7
Mezhugu
Kasturi wax, Saffron wax,Turmeric wax.
8
Ghrtam
Adhatoda Ghrta Brahmi Ghrta, Tender fruit ghrta.
Tablets
Kasturi tablet,Saffron tablet,Palasanjivi tablet.
9
10/22/2013

28. Important siddha drugs and their uses
Sr.
Name
Medicinal use
1
Aegle marmelos
For constipation, Antipyretic
2
Allium sativam
Digestgive, Anthelmintic.
3
Andrographis paniculata
Stomachic, Antimalerial
4
Centella asiatica
Nervine tonic, Diaphoretic
5
Curcuma longa
Appertizer, Carminative,anaemia
6
Cyperus rotumndus
Diuretic, CNS stimulant
7
Datura metal
Immunostimulant, Antiasthamatic
8
Phyllanthus niruri
Hepatoprotective, Anaemia
9
Sarcoca indica
Uterine tonic, Antidiarrhoel
10 Sida cordifolea
11 Terminalia
For menstrual bleeding
12 Vitex nigundo
13 Withanea somnifera
Diuretic, antiarthiritic
Blood purifier, cardiotonic
Aphrodisiac, appetizer

29. References
• http://www.sysindia.com/medical/aboutsiddh
a.html
• http://indianmedicine.nic.in/siddha.asp
10/22/2013