, 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.