Central Council of Indian Medicine

Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) is a statutory body under Department

of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and
Homoeopathy (AYUSH), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India,
set up in 1971 under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, (Act 48) which was
passed in 1970. It is one of the Professional councils under University Grants
Commission (UGC) to monitor higher education in Indian systems of medicine,
including Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani.

Ayurveda
Ayurveda or Ayurvedic medicine is a system of Hindu traditional
medicine[2] native to the Indian subcontinent. Ayurveda is a discipline of
the upaveda or "auxiliary knowledge" in Vedic tradition. The origins of
Ayurveda are also found in the Atharvaveda, which contains 114 hymns
and incantations described as magical cures for disease. There are also various
legendary accounts of the origin of Ayurveda, e.g., that it was received
by Dhanvantari (or Divodasa) from Brahma.[6][7][8]
Originated in prehistoric times,[9] some of the concepts of Ayurveda have been
discovered since the times of Indus Valley Civilization and earlier. Ayurveda
significantly developed during the Vedic period and later some of the nonVedic systems such as Buddhism and Jainism also incorporated in the system.
Balance is emphasized, and suppressing natural urges is considered
unhealthy and claimed to lead to illness. Ayurveda names three elemental
substances, the doshas (called Vata, Pitta and Kapha), and states that a
balance of the doshas results in health, while imbalance results in
disease. Ayurveda has eight canonical components, which are derived from
classical Sanskrit literature. Some of the oldest known Ayurvedic texts include
the Surutha Sahit and Charaka Sahit, which are written in
Sanskrit. Although laboratory experiments suggest it is possible that some
substances in Ayurveda might be developed into effective treatments, there is no
evidence that any are effective in themselves. [14] Modern ayurvedic medicine is
considered pseudoscientific. Other researchers consider it a protoscience, an unscientific, or trans-science system instead.[16][17][18] Concerns were
raised when 20% of Ayurvedic U.S. and Indian-manufactured patent medicines
sold through the Internet were found to contain toxic levels of heavy metals such
as lead, mercury, and arsenic

Yoga
Yoga is an Indian physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline. There is a
broad variety of schools, practices and
goals[1] in Hinduism, Buddhism (including Vajrayana and Tibetan
Buddhism ) and Jainism. The best-known are Hatha yoga and Raja yoga.
The origins of Yoga have been speculated to date back to preVedic Indian traditions, but most likely developed around the sixth and fifth
centuries BCE, in ancient India's ascetic circles, which are also credited with the
early sramana movements. The chronology of earliest texts describing yogapractices is unclear, varyingly credited to Hindu Upanishads and Buddhist Pli
Canon,[10] probably of third century BCE or later. The Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali from first half of 1st millennium CE is one of a key surviving major

texts on Yoga. Hatha yoga texts emerged around 11th century CE, and in its
origins was related to Tantrism.
International Yoga Day
On December 11, 2014, The 193-member U.N. General Assembly approved by
consensus, a resolution establishing June 21 as 'International Day of Yoga'.

Naturopathy
Naturopathy or naturopathic medicine is a form of alternative
medicine employing a wide array of "natural" treatments, including
homeopathy, herbalism, and acupuncture, as well as diet and lifestyle
counseling. Naturopaths favor a holistic approach with non-invasive
treatment and generally avoid the use of surgery and drugs. Naturopathic
philosophy is based on a belief in vitalism and self-healing, and practitioners
often prefer methods of treatment that are not compatible with evidence-based
medicine.
The term naturopathy was coined in 1895 by John Scheel,[10] and purchased
by Benedict Lust, the "father of U.S. naturopathy". Naturopathic practice is
based on a belief in the body's ability to heal itself through a special vital
energy or force guiding bodily processes internally. In India, naturopathy is
overseen by the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha
and Homoeopathy (AYUSH); there is a 5-year degree in "Bachelor of
Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences" (BNYS) degree that was offered by twelve
colleges in India as of August 2010.[78] The National Institute of Naturopathy
in Pune that operates under AYUSH, which was established on December 22,
1986 and encourages facilities for standardization and propagation of the
existing knowledge and its application through research in naturopathy
throughout India

Unani
Unani Medicine is a form of traditional medicine practiced in countries of
the Middle East and South Asia. It refers to a tradition of Graeco-Arabic
medicine,[1][2] which is based on the teachings of Greek
physicians Hippocrates and Galen, and developed into an elaborate medical
system in the Middle Ages by Arabian and Persian physicians, such
as Rhazes (al-Razi), Avicenna (Ibn Sena), Al-Zahrawi, and Ibn Nafis.
Unani medicine is based on the concept of the four
humours: Phlegm (Balgham), Blood (Dam), Yellow bile (afr') and Black
bile (Saud'). The time of origin is thus dated at circa 1025 AD, when
Avicenna wrote The Canon of Medicine in Persia. While he was primarily
influenced by Greek and Islamic medicine, he was also influenced by
the Indian medical teachings of Sushruta andCharaka.
Unani medicine first arrived in India around 12th or 13th century with
establishment of Delhi Sultanate (12061527) and Islamic rule over North
India and subsequently flourished under Mughal Empire. Alauddin Khilji had
several eminent Unani physicians (Hakims) in his royal courts. [10] In the coming
years this royal patronage meant development of Unani practice in India, but
also of Unani literature with the aid of Indian Ayurvedic physicians.

Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Hyderabad

Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences, Aligarh India.

National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bangalore, (Government of India)

Tipu Sultan Unani Medical College, Gulbarga, Karnataka.

Siddha medicine
Siddha Medicine is usually considered as the oldest medical system known
to mankind. Contemporary Tamil literature holds that the system of Siddha
medicine originated in Southern India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. Siddha is
reported to have surfaced more than 10,000 years ago.
"Siddhargal" or Siddhars were the premier scientists of ancient days.
Siddhars, mainly from Southern India laid the foundation for this system of
medication. Siddhars were spiritual adepts who possessed the ashta siddhis,
or the eight supernatural powers. Sage Agathiyar is considered the guru
of all Sidhars, and the Siddha system is believed to have been handed over
to him by Lord . "Agathiyar" was the first Siddhar,[7] and his disciples and
Siddhars from other schools produced thousands of texts on Siddha, including
medicine, and form the propounders of the system to the world.
Educational institutions

Government of Tamil Nadu runs two Siddha medical colleges:

o Government Siddha Medical College, Tirunelveli district
o Government Siddha Medical College, Chennai - 600106
Government of India runs a Siddha medical college:
o National Institute of Siddha, Chennai - 600047
Colleges available in Kerala:
o Santhigiri Siddha Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram

Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine created in 1796 by Samuel
Hahnemann( German physician) based on his doctrine of like cures like, whereby a
substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people will cure similar
symptoms in sick people. Homeopathy is pseudoscience. It is not effective for
any condition, and no homeopathic remedy has been proven to be more effective
than placebo.
[1]

Hahnemann believed that other astringent substances are not effective against
malaria and began to research cinchona's effect on the human body by selfapplication. Noting that the drug induced malaria-like symptoms in himself, [13] he
concluded that it would do so in any healthy individual. This led him to postulate
a healing principle: "that which can produce a set of symptoms in a healthy
individual, can treat a sick individual who is manifesting a similar set of
symptoms."[4] This principle, like cures like, became the basis for an approach to
medicine which he gave the name homeopathy. He first used the term
homeopathy in his essay Indications of the Homeopathic Employment of
Medicines in Ordinary Practice, published in Hufeland's Journal in 1807.

Continued homeopathic practice, despite the evidence that it does not work, has
been criticized as unethical because it discourages the use of effective treatments,
with the World Health Organisation warning against using homeopathy to try to
treat severe diseases such as HIV and malaria. The continued practice of
homeopathy, despite a lack of evidence of efficacy, has led to it being characterized
within the scientific and medical communities as nonsense, quackery, and a sham.
[18]

[19]

[24]

Assessments by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and the
Swiss and British government health departments have each concluded that
homeopathy is ineffective, recommending against the practice receiving any further
funding.