Bones: Ayurveda has it!

AYURVEDA AND bones go together. This has been happening since ages and there is no ‘bone’ of contention among those practising or profiting from it. Animal bones, blood and flesh have been a part of Ayurveda therapy along with gold, silver, iron, zinc herbs and plant.extracts.The therapy written hundreds of years ago is taught and practised till today.

The book ‘Dravya Gun Vigya’ at the library of State Ayurvedic College tells much about the medicinal value of animal extracts. The book, written by Acharya Priyavat Sharma of Varanasi, has several chapters on use of animal parts.“In Sasrut Sanhita there are four means for making medicine. One is Jantav Dravya (animal based). It describes use of various animal parts for treatment of different problems,” said principal of Ayurvedic College Dr RS Yadav.Animals were classified in four categories viz. Jarayuj (humans and animals), Andaj (birds), Swedaj (insects) and Udbhij (animals who lived below earth), and they had different uses, said Devendra Nath Mishra, professor of Paediatrics at the Ayurveda College.Not just bones but the saliva and blood of many animals were also helpful in making medicines and all this was there in the scripts, Prof Mishra argued saying use of animal parts was nothing new.He said peacock’s feather (Mayur Puch Bhasma) was a perfect ingredient in medicines for cough and respiratory problems.“Goat’s testicles are used to counter impotency in men while its legs remove general weakness. Bull’s bile is collected by ayurveda practitioners to help patients suffering from indigestion,” Prof Mishra said.Dr Yadav said people in countries like China particularly practised animal food according to the deformity in their body. “They eat that very body part of the animal which organ in their body is not functioning properly and this is written in their ancient texts. Is this not medication?” he asked.Supporters of this ancient ‘pathy’ put up several other reasons for using bones and other animal abstracts. On the contrary, practitioners of modern medicine term such mixture as needless.They stated since benefit from a medicine depended upon the capacity of the body to adapt, it should be given in a suitable form.Said Prof KK Pant of the Pharmocology department at the King George’s Medical University, “body requires elements like calcium or iron but there is no need to give them as powdered bone or iron. They can be given as elementary abstract also.”“A weak or sick body doesn’t absorbs all that is given even in elementary form, then what would be the ratio of absorption when it is given through powdered items like gold, silver and bones,” said another KGMU teacher Dr Sanjay Khatri.However, Dr Ramesh Chandra, former dean of faculty of ayurveda of Lucknow University had something interesting to say.‘There is nothing on earth which does not have a medicinal value. The indigenous drug system in India has incorporated all —from household spices to the animal extracts..’

Souce:HTNews