Threats for Ayurveda

Q1. Is it safe to take metallic preparations?

Ans. Yes, but under supervision of experienced Ayurvedic physician. The Metallic preparations are safe for consumption provided they are prepared with keen accuracy, prescribed under medical supervision by considering all related circumstances.

Q2. Is there any expiry date mentioned for Ayurvedic medicines?

Ans. Yes, the traditional texts of Ayurveda specify different shelf life periods for different preparations. However there are some classes of drugs which are considered as“older the better” like Ghrita (Ghee based medicines), Aasava – Arista (Fermentative preparations), Bhashma (calcinated form) etc.

Q3. Is there any treatment in Ayurveda for life threatening diseases?

Ans. Yes, there are certain plant drugs (which could be poisonous otherwise), alcoholic extracts, Metallic/Mineral preparations which are suitable for such conditions e.g. Kastoori, Vatsanabh, Kuchala, Mrit Sanjeevani Sura, Hemagarbha Pattali, Nasya of Shwaskuthar Rasa etc.

Q4. Are there drug testing laboratories for Ayurvedic drugs in India?

Ans. Yes, at the national level, the Pharmocopoeial Laboratory of Indian Medicine (PLIM), Ghaziabad, U.P a central govt. institution determines the various parameters of standardized Ayurvedic Medicine. The drug testing laboratories serve the purpose of any kind of drug testing viz, Allopathy, Ayurvedic, Homeopathic etc. Some Central drug testing laboratories are located in Chandigarh, Kolkata etc.

Q5. Are Ayurvedic medicines free of side effects?

Ans. Ayurvedic drugs are free of sideeffects provided they are prepared according to the standards laid down and used under the supervision of a qualified ayurvedic physician. But any kind of mismanagement may produce side-effects.

Q6. Is Registration compulsory for Ayurvedic Physicians?

Ans. Yes, there are State Councils of Ayurvedic Medicines in different states and a Central Council of Indian Medicine at New Delhi. Any institutionally qualified Ayurvedic physician has to register his name in his State Council or at CCIM, New Delhi.

Q7. Is there any standard to measure toxicity in Ayurvedic medicines?

Ans. Yes, there is an estimation of presence of heavy metal and whether it is present in permissible limits or not. In Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part-II, the limits of heavy metals are Arsenic-3 ppm, Lead-10 ppm, Cadmium-0.3 ppm, Mercury- 1 ppm.

Q8. Are registered Ayurvedic physicians allowed to use Allopathic medicines?

Ans.In certain states, some life saving drugs are allowed to be prescribed by Ayurvedic physicians, provided they have a detailed knowledge about the drug.

Q9. Are Ayurvedic medicines useful in emergency health problems?

Ans. Yes. Atyayik Chikitsa is an example of Ayurveda medicines for some diseases like Atisara, Jwara etc.

Q10. Some of the physicians do not disclose the ingredient of the medicines prepared by them. Is this practice permitted?

Ans. No, the label on the medicine container should have the ingredients of the medicine listed along with other required data. Hence, as per law, the practice of hiding or not disclosing the ingredients is not correct.

Q11. Is practicing Ayurvedic treatment and prescribing Ayurvedic medicines by other than Ayurveda physicians allowed in India?

Ans. A registered physician of a particular system of medicine should practice only the same system of medicine. Physicians of other systems of medicine arenot allowed to practice Ayurveda nor can the Ayurveda physicians practice other systems of medicine.