Indian Traditional Medicinal Systems, Herbal Medicine, and Diabetes

Abstract

The most precious, indispensable, and complex system, which also shapes the backdrop for the emergence, evolution, and existence of life, is nature. Since time immemorial, nature has bestowed incredible boons on mankind as it provides food, shelter, medicine, and animal resources according to our needs. Folk or traditional systems of medicines always played an imperative role in global healthcare system. Traditional medicine is still playing a vital role, especially in rural areas though the demand of traditional medicines is increasing worldwide and shall play a major role in the future as well. Traditional medicine can be explained as the diverse health practices and approaches, complied knowledge, skills, and practices related to animals, plants, and mineral – which is related to the beliefs, spiritual remedies, manual practice/procedures, and ancient indigenous experience that used to maintain health and comfort as well as to cure, diagnose, or prevent illness. Indian civilization is comprehensive having multifaceted cultural aspects and one of the oldest heritages of mankind. Indian traditional medicinal system is a one of the oldest traditional medicinal systems in the world. India has the unique characteristic of having different well-acknowledged traditional systems of medicine, such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Yoga, naturopathy, and homeopathy. Though homeopathy is not an indigenous system and came to India in the eighteenth century, it completely incorporated into the Indian society and got improved like any other traditional medicinal system; therefore, it is believed as part of Indian Systems of Medicine. Unani system originated in Greece, and later it was introduced in India by Arabs. In Mughal period, it spread and soon it took firm roots and enriched in Indian soil. Apart from these systems, folk (tribal) medicines are also important sources for the indigenous healthcare system, though they have not been organized under any category. The classical transcripts of Indian traditional medicine system Ayurveda include Rigveda, Atharvaveda, Charaka Samhita, and Sushruta Samhita (Joy et al. 1998; World Health Organization 2002; Ravishankar and Shukla 2007).