Ayurveda (Sanskrit: ????????

, Ayurveda, "life-knowledge"; English pronunciation

/?a?.?r've?d?/[1]), or Ayurveda medicine, is a system of medicine with historica
l roots in the Indian subcontinent.[2] Globalized and modernized practices deriv
ed from Ayurveda traditions are a type of complementary or alternative medicine.
[3][4]. Literal meaning of Ayurveda is science and knowledge of Age. This means kn
owledge about science of life. The word Ayurveda is the combination of two words A
ayush and Veda . Aayush means life and Veda means knowledge and science. This means A
yurveda" word means Science related to life [5]. In the Western world, Ayurveda the
rapies and practices (which are manifold) have been integrated in general wellne
ss applications and as well in some cases in medical use.[6]
The main classical Ayurveda texts begin with accounts of the transmission of med
ical knowledge from the Gods to sages, and then to human physicians.[7] In Sushr
uta Samhita ([Sushruta's Compendium]), Sushruta wrote that Dhanvantari, Hindu go
d of Ayurveda, incarnated himself as a king of Varanasi and taught medicine to a
group of physicians, including Sushruta.[8][9] Ayurveda therapies have varied a
nd evolved over more than two millennia.[2] Therapies are typically based on com
plex herbal compounds, minerals and metal substances (perhaps under the influenc
e of early Indian alchemy or rasa shastra). Ancient Ayurveda texts also taught s
urgical techniques, including rhinoplasty, kidney stone extractions, sutures, an
d the extraction of foreign objects.[10][11]
Although laboratory experiments suggest it is possible that some substances used
in Ayurveda might be developed into effective treatments, there is no evidence
that any are effective as currently practiced.[12] Ayurveda medicine is consider
ed pseudoscientific.[13] Other researchers consider it a protoscience, or trans-
science system instead.[14][15] Close to 21% of Ayurveda U.S. and Indian-manufac
tured patent medicines sold through the Internet were found to contain toxic lev
els of heavy metals, specifically lead, mercury, and arsenic.[16] The public hea
lth implications of such metallic contaminants in India are unknown.[16]
Some scholars assert that Ayurveda originated in prehistoric times,[17] and that
some of the concepts of Ayurveda have existed from the time of the Indus Valley
Civilization or even earlier.[18] Ayurveda developed significantly during the V
edic period and later some of the non-Vedic systems such as Buddhism and Jainism
also developed medical concepts and practices that appear in the classical Ayur
veda texts.[18][19] Humoral balance is emphasized, and suppressing natural urges
is considered unhealthy and claimed to lead to illness.[20] Ayurveda names thre
e elemental substances, the doshas (called Vata, Pitta and Kapha), and states th
at a balance of the doshas results in health, while imbalance results in disease
. Ayurveda has eight canonical components, which are derived from classical Sans
krit literature. Ayurveda practitioners had developed various medicinal preparat
ions and surgical procedures by the medieval period.[21]
Contents [hide]
1 Eight components
2 Principles and terminology
3 Practice
3.1 Diagnosis
3.2 Treatment and prevention
3.3 Substances used
3.4 Panchakarma
4 Current status
4.1 India
4.2 Other countries on the Indian subcontinent
4.3 Outside the Indian subcontinent
5 Classification and efficacy
5.1 Research
5.1.1 Use of toxic metals
6 History
6.1 Main texts
6.2 Illnesses portrayed
6.3 Further development and spread
7 See also
8 References
9 Further reading
10 External links
Eight components
The earliest classical Sanskrit works on Ayurveda describe medical science as be
ing divided into eight components (Skt. a?ga).[22][23] This characterization of
the physicians' art, "the medicine that has eight components" (Skt. cikitsayam a
??a?gaya? ???????????????????????), is first found in the Sanskrit epic the Maha
bharata, ca 4th cenury BCE.[24] The components are:[25][need quotation to verify
], [26]
Kayacikitsa: general medicine, medicine of the body
Kaumara-bh?tya: the treatment of children, paediatrics
Salyatantra: surgical techniques and the extraction of foreign objects
Salakyatantra: treatment of ailments affecting ears, eyes, nose, mouth, etc. ("E
NT")
Bhutavidya: pacification of possessing spirits, and the people whose minds are a
ffected by such possession
Agadatantra: toxicology
Rasayanatantra: rejuvenation and tonics for increasing lifespan, intellect and s
trength
Vajikara?atantra: aphrodisiacs and treatments for increasing the volume and viab
ility of semen and sexual pleasure.