Ayurvedic Treatment of HIV in India: An Overview

The role of traditional, complementary and alternative health care is changing rapidly in the global climate. Complementary and alternative health care and their practitioners are growing as a result of economic downturns. Health care and health insurance, considered a lucrative industry rather than the most important seva, the act of rendering service, caring for and promoting longevity are unsustainable. Although the care received in hospitals and by doctors is beneficial for most; when the bottom line speaks louder than the individual who are sick, great tides of change can and must occur.

Communities have adopted the motto "I am my primary care physician". As a tool to learn about preventative and natural health care, by integrating alternative health practitioners, individuals empower themselves to take charge of their health, create a truly holistic approach to health that is at the very core of Ayurveda.

What is the effectiveness of Ayurvedic medicines and treatments for the treatment of HIV-AIDS?

• According to the results of an experimental study, Amalaki helps to increase body weight and serum proteins.

• In another study conducted to test the effects of Tulsi on the stomach, lungs and mouse liver, Tulsi showed a stimulating effect on the enzymes that play a role in the detoxification of carcinogens.

• Punarnava, once enriched in milk, showed haematinic properties (stimulating the formation of blood cells and increasing haemoglobin levels in the blood) and stimulating growth, especially in children.

• The inclusion of Ayurvedic Treatment of HIV in India, particularly in primary health care teams in developed countries, could improve quality of life and safety standards. Their use as a complementary therapy may play a role in the palliative care of people living with HIV.

Although many years of a plant used in traditional environments can be used to demonstrate the efficacy or safety of a particular plant-based ingredient, several issues need to be addressed. It is now known that in developed countries as part of health promotion or disease prevention strategies ingredients in herbal preparations are incorporated into modern practices and are now used. In translating traditional herbal practices into conventional Western medicine is one of the most difficult problems as the individualization of the prescription containing many herbal and other ingredients.

Traditional treatments remain popular whether simply through years of use or through medical science, and as new research is conducted, some may play a complementary role in modern medicine.

There is an urgent need for educational intervention for Ayurvedic Treatment of HIV in India. We are proposing the integration of herbal medicine into the current training program so that future physicians are better prepared to communicate with their patients on this modality of health care. A continuing education program is also recommended so that practising physicians have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge in this rapidly expanding field, which raises many public health concerns.