CHAPTER 2 : HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENTS
A) ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION:
Countries with ancient civilizations e.g. China,India ,
Russia, Egypt and South America had used and are still using plant
remedies for various disease conditions. Medicine in India is an
ancient art. The earliest mention of the medicinal use of plants is
to be found in Rigveda(3000 B.C.), which is one of the oldest
repositories of human knowledge.
In Table-1 an attempt has been made to list chronologically
the important contributions in Indian medicine. It is clear that
contributions in the subject were considerable in the country even
about 500 B.C. Among these the most noteworthy are Sushruta and
Charaka Samhitas, which list nearly 2000 items(mostly of plant origin)
of diverse therapeutic value.
TABLE-1: IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS IN INDIAN MEDICINE226 ,406,486
1 PERIOD·
3000 B.C.
2000-1000 B.C.
1000 B.C.
1000-700 B.C.
700 B.C.
600 B.C.
2 AUTHORS/CONTRIBUTIONS
Rigveda
Atharvveda
Ayurveda
Bhardwaja, Vashistha,Agas~a, Garga, Narda, Chyavana, Vyasa, Markandeya, Shonnka, Kanda, Kankayana, Atreya, Da tta treya.
punarvasu, Atreya, Divodasa.
Agnivasa, Bhela,Jatu Karna,parashar, Hrita , Kasharparni.
1
500 B.C.
400-300 B.C.
100 A.D.
200 A.D.
300 A.D.
400 A.D.
500 A.D.
700 A.D.
800 A.D.
900 A.D.
1oo0A.D.
1lO0 A.D.
1200A.D.
1300A.D.
1500A.D.
1600A.D.
1700A.D.
5
2
Sushrut Samhita, Vridha Jeevaka, Vyadi,Budha, Bhikshu Atreya,Jeevaka, Kashyapa.
Charaka Samhita, patanjali-I' patanjali-II.
Nagarjun-I (Bhikshu)
Vagbhata-I,Kapil Bala
Sinha Gupta, Vagbhatta-II,Dridhbala, Shalihotra, Palkapya.
patanjali-III, Bhattara, Harichandra.
Nagarjun-II(Siddha), Poojyapada, Nagarjun-III(Bhadanta).
Madhavkara, Ugraditya, Govind Bhikshu.
Jeejata, Indu, Kartikund.
Vrinda, Gayadasa, Bhojprabandha.
Tisata, Dalhana, Nardatta, Chakrapanidatta.
Arundatta, Someshwar, Ishnadeva,Somdeva, Iswarsen, Dhanwantri Nighantu.
Vijyara Kshita, Srikanth Datta,Yashodhra Bhatt, Keshaw, Bapadeva, Hamddri,Vangsen.
Sayan a , Vachaspati,Udayditya,Bhatta, Narhari Bhatta, Vishnodev, Sarangdhar, Veersinha, Basav Raja, Sidh Nityanand, Dundukanth, Gopakrishan, Bhattacherya, Govindacharya.
Shivdassena, Bhavmishra, Anandarya,Mpki, Yognandan Nath.
Moreshwara, Bhatta, Todarmal,Indrakant, Vallabhacharya, Nayanshekrya,Bindu, Madhava.
Mitra Mishra, Bhaskara Bhatta, Raghu Nath.
Madhav Nidana, Upadhyaya,Raja vallabha.
1
1800 A.D.
1810 A.D.
1813 A.D.
1841 A.D.
1868 A.D.
1882 A.D.
1883 A.D.
1889 A.D.-1904 A.D.
1893 A.D.
After 1900 A.D.
6
2
Shaligram Nighantu.
Fleming's Catalogue of Indian Medicinal
Plants and Drugs.
Ainslie's Materia Medica of Hindo$stan. . II
The Bengal Dispensatory and Pharmacopoe~.
Pharmacopo~ of India.
Roxburgh's Flora Indica.
Dymocks Vegetable Materia Medica of
Western India.
A Dictionary of the Economic Products
India.
Dymock's Pharmacographia Indica.
Vaman Ganesh Desai's "Oshadhi Sangrah"
Unani Contributions:Makhzan-ul-Adviya,
Khazanat-ul-Adviya, Muheet-e-Azam.
Works of Kirtikar and Basu, Chopra,
Dastur, Nadkarni, Wahid & Siddiqui etc.
Wealth of India(CSIR) Journal of Research
in Indian Medicine(CCRINH), Medicinal
Plants of India(ICMR)
• The dates are only approximate; there being considerable variation
of opinion about these. 98
According to Chopra ~ !!., the pioneer workers in Indigenous drug
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surveys and research, four phases are discernible in the progress
of Indian medicine through the ages. These are:
a) Vedic period
b) Period of Classical Authors
c) Period of Compilers and Physicians
d) Period of stagnation and Decay.
There was remarkable progress during the periods(b) and (c).
The science of Ayurveda then attained its highest development and
made its way beyond the frontiers of India, like China ,Japan ,Egypt,
Greece and Rome.The ancient Universities of Takshashila and Nalanda \
are well known. Medicine was taught in both these Universities.The
famous physician Jivaka was a product of Takshashila University.
students from nations of the civilized world e~gerly sought to obtain
information regarding the healing art from India.
When Alexander invaded India(327 B.C.), there were in his camp
several Greek physicians who studied Indian systems of medicine and
collected great deal of information from local Vaids.Many drugs were
introduced into Indian medicine from the Greco-arabian(Unani) system ~
of medicine and vice versa.This interjngling of the Ayurvedic and Unani
systems of medicine enriched both.Wahid & Siddiqui(1961) have given
comprehensive lists of drugs adopted by the Ayurvedic and Unani Materia
medica from each other.Samples of these drugs or their models are
exhibited at the Institute of History of Medicine and Medical Research, l2'
New Delhi.
8
B) STAGNATION AND DECAY
Later developments(after 15th Century) in the country in
this area were negligible.About that period influence of European
trade and political influence began and interaction in the field of
science in general and medical science in particular was not congenital
to the growth of indigenous systems, both Unani and Ayurveda.There was
no progress and no original works were wr,itten for about 300 years
but the Indian systems of medicine preserved themselves.This static
state of affairs resulted in intrusion of charm and magic in to medicine.
The learning became chiefly confined to an elite class who kept the
formulae to themselves and prevented dissemination of knowledge. The
Budhist doctrines of 'Ahimsa' and the prevalent though of ~ipection on
dead bodieS as a sinful act, hindered the advancement of anatomical and
surgical knowledge. Source books of Indian medicine contained a confused
assemblage of science and its opposite. The latter has been termed by
Chattopadhyaya81 as counter ideology comprising of irrelevent, o~t of
context,suprestitious and even contradictory things. Unauthenticated
hypothetical conceptions of human diseases and their treatment prevailed
bringing in a period of stagnation and decay.
When the British rule was established the Western system was
introduced hastening the deeline of indigenous systems.The neW system,
especially its surgical achievements, impressed the people and so it was
well received by them. But the introduction of the system was primarily
intended to give relief to those who ruled the country and also to sell
their pharmaceutical products. Allopathic system was introduced mainly
9
through the British medical services for armed forces and other
services. Under their patronage, the Allopathic system of medicine
rapidly gained ascendence after neglecting the Indian systems of
Medicine-Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha etc. This trend accelerated with
the introduction of sulfa drugs in thirties and forties and of
antibioltics after world war II, with intense commercial practices.
C) ATTEMPTS AT REVIVAL:
Separate schools of Ayurvedic education began
springing up as early as 1820 under the patronage of some princely
states. The famous college of Ayurveda was established by pandit
Madan Mohan Malviya in Banaras Hindu University, in 1927. Hakim
Ajmal Khan established Tibbia College at Delhi in 1923.This was
inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. Between 1929-30 many more colleges
of Indian systems of medicine were opened in different parts of
the country.The Indian National Congress at its Nagpur session in
1920 adopted a resolution stressing the need for reviging the Indigenous
systems of medicine.The resolution was reiterated by the working
committee of the Indian National Congress in 1938. From 1917 onwards,
several committees were set up by the Central and State governments
(Table-2) to inquire into the status of these systems and recommend
ways and means to improve it.
TABLE-2
COMMITTEES OF INDIGENOUS SYSTEMS OF MEDICINE SET UP BY CNETRAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS105-110,210,211,432,433 123 S.N. COMMITTEE GOVERNMENT
1. Commission to Investigate in Madras
to the Indian systems of
Medicine(Dr. Koman)
2. The Committee on Ayurvedic Bengal
and Unani systems
3. The Committee on Indigenous Madras
system of Medicine
4. The Committee on Ayurvedic United Provinces
and Unani systems
The Committee appointed to Central Provinces
examine the Indigenous systems and Berar
of Medicine
6. The Indigenous Medicine Punjab
Enquiry Committee
A Committee to go into the Mysore
question of encouraging
Indigenous systems of Medicine
8. The Utkal Ayurvedic Committee Orissa
9. The Indian Systems of Medicine Ballbay
Enquiry Committee
10. Scheming Committee to report
on the steps taken for the develop-
ment of Ayurveda
19'1
1921-25
1921-23
1925-26
1937-39
1938-41
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1 2 ..L 4
11. AyUJrvedic and Unani Systems Uni ted Provinces 1947
Reorganisation Committee
12. Health, Survey and Develop- India 1943-46
ment Committee(Sir Joseph
Bhore)
13. Committee on Indigenous India 1946-48
systems of Medicine(Col.
Sir R.N. Chopra)
14. Committee to advise on steps India 1949-50
to be taken to establish a
research centre in the Indi-
genous systems of medicine and
other cognate matters(Dr.C.C.
pandit)
15. Commi ttee on standards of India 1955
education and regulation
practice in Indigenous systems
of Medicine(Dr.D.T. Dave)
16. Commi ttee to assess and India 1958
evaluate the present status
of Ayurvedic system of Medicine
(Dr.K.N.Udupa)
17. Health,Survey and Planning India' 1959-61
Committee (Dr.A.L.Mudaliar)
1
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
12
2
The Shudh Ayurvedic Education
Committee(Dr.M.P.¥yas)
The Shudh Unani Education
Committee(Hkm. Abdul Hameed)
Committee on Education and
Research in I.S.M.(Dr.C.
Dwarkanath)
Committee on Indian Systems of
Medicine(Dr.P.M. Mehta)
Committee on Development of
Indigenous systems of Medicine
(Dr.G.S .Melkote)
Committee on Indigenous
Systems of Medicine(Hk. M.A.
Razzack)
Committee to recommend measureS
for the improvement of Unani
system of medicine in the state
of W.Bengal(Hakm.M.A.Razzack)
..L India
India
Madras
Madras 1962
Mysore 1970
Jammp & Kashmir 1974
w. Begal 1975-76
Systematic studies on medicinal plants on modern scientific lines
were initiated at the school of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta and Haffkine
Institute, Bombay in the second decade of this centur~.The interest
gradually spread to other centres.
13
The activity gained momentum ~fter the Independence when
vigourous efforts were made with active support of the government.
The financial inputs for research and development programmes in
Indian systems of medicine steadily increased from a meagre Rs.40 lakB~
in the first five year plan to a massive sum of Rs.2,807 lakhs(70 times)
in the fifth plan(Figure-1). The total plan outlays for health care
also increased during this period but this increase was only 20 fold;
from Rs. 140 crore in the first plan to Rs. 2800 crore in the fifth
plan.
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Fig.-1 : Allocations for Indian Systems of Medicine in
Different Plan Periods
2 1 ,.. •
~ 2600 ~ ~ 2200 a; ~ ~ 1583 ~ Q: • --' V) " <: 0 ~ 'oc:( (J 1.00 0 D' ...... -.J 1.0 oq: c:::::I
I II III IV V
FIVE YEARS PLAN
The establishment of a Central Research Institute at Jamnagar
(1953), which developed into a post-graduate centre in 1955 and an
Ayurvedic University in 1968 and a Central Council for Research in
Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy(1969), by implementation of the 105 106 108
recommendations of the Chopra , Pandit and Udupa Committees ,
are some of the landmarks.
D) PRESENT STATUS:
Present status of Indian medicine is revealed from the
following facts and figures257 :
1. Total number of Practitioners of
traditional systems of medicine in
India. 4,00 ,000
2. Registered Practitioners!
Institutionally Trained others
Ayurveda 44,500 1,11,500
Unani 6,000 18,600
Siddha 15.000
------------.---... --.. ~--------
Total . . 51,150
;. Teaching Institutions of Indian J.1edicine:
Ayurveda
Unani
Siddha
4. Number of Colleges/Institutes
affiliated to Universities
(including 3 P.G.Institutes &
19 P.G. departments)
105
14
1
91
1,45,100
5·
6.
7.
8.
Number of Ayurvedic & Unani Pharmacies •
Number of Dispensaries
Number of Hospitals
Number of popular reciepes(approx.):
Ayurveda
Unani
Siddha
2°54*
14,000
215
8,000
3,000
2,000
Besides these medical aid in many villages is provided
by the traditional practitioners, who seTve the sections to whom
institutional modern medical facilities are not accessable either
due to economic reasons or communication limitations •
. -------*Source:Ayurvedic Pharmacopoea Committee Section27 , Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare(Govetnment of India), New Delhi.