CAN HOMEOPATHIC & AYURVEDIC MEDICINES BE AN ALTERNATIVE TO ALLOPATHIC MEDICINES?

DR. BHASKAR CHAKRABORTY Professor of Chemistry Sikkim Government College (NBBGC) An Extension Centr

Trends of usage of medicines in our life (ancient & modern)

In the world of medicines, there are many different approaches to healthcare. Three of the most popular and widely practiced methods are allopathy, homeopathy and ayurveda. While all aim to treat illnesses and improve overall health, they differ significantly in their principles, treatments and effectiveness. These medicines are necessary to treat various diseases, improve overall health and keep us fit in our life. From ancient era to modern age human beings are accustomed with medicines. In ancient times, our ancestors were familiar and used mainly ayurveda and later on homeopathic medicines. These medications helped them to recover from many diseases including deadly diseases like cholera, pneumonia, typhoid, anemia, artharitis and to some extent tuberculosis as well. But in all these diseases, our ancestors had to wait with patience for a long time to recover.  But with the advent of allopathic medicines and especially after the discovery of penicillin, the entire scenario of the treatment procedure and with the faster rate of recovery from the diseases open up a new dimension in medical science. At the same time, many new diseases developed which were not known before. Slowly, with the passage of time, research & developments (R & D) in medical sciences and mode of actions of various drugs were studied by the research scientists and many “Side-effects” of medicines were identified which are usually exposed in various forms of diseases and also found to be “Fatal” if the particular medicine is used for a prolonged period of time.

Why alternative medicines are getting priorities than conventional allopathic medicines?

In this contest, researcher’s identified the safer mode of action in homeopathy and ayurvedic medicines with their minimal or no side effects which might lead to developments of other diseases. Researcher’s also studied that though the mode of action of homeopathy and ayurvedic medicines are comparatively slower than the mode of action of allopathic medicines but the former medicines are safer and are widely accepted nowadays rather than allopathy medicines. It’s almost like “Mother earth fruits & vegetables are preferred than imported fruits and vegetables”. Recent research studies (2007 to 2024) reveals that few homeopathy and ayurvedic medicines can do wonders when applied to the patients with some critical/chronic as well as our daily life style diseases. These homeopathy & ayurvedic drugs are classified under “Advanced Homeopathy & Ayurvedva Research Findings”.

These drugs for the said diseases should be taken correctly and under the guidance’s of a homeopathy or ayurveda regular practionor or doctor working in hospitals. We all know all the government hospitals and Public Health Centres are having separate units of homeopathy & ayurveda clinics and we all may take advices and guidance’s like a allopathy doctor from them. We also know, according to Government and NMC (National Medical Council) guidelines only BHMS (Bachler of Homeopathy Medicine & Surgery) & BAMS (Bachler of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) degree holders are appointed in government and registered medical centres. So we should not have any confusion or doubt for getting medical treatments from these doctors as well as healthcare professionals.

Late Dr. Samual Hahnemann (German allopathy physician, best known for creating pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine known as “Homeopathy”

                        Homeopathy & Ayurveda medicines

Mode of action of allopathy, homeopathy & ayurveda medicines

The mode of action of allopathy and ayurvedic medicines is same as their manufacturing procedure is also same. In both the cases, binding material, excipients and disintegrants are mandatory while they are manufactured in the form of tablets and capsules. The binding agents are common and are usually lactose and cellulose while the main ingredients of the drug are different. In case of ayurveda medicines, natural leaf, stem and roots of various plants are used while for allopathy medicines, desired synthesized chemicals are used. When consumed by an individual, disintegrants helps the tablets and capsules to break down as soon as they come in contact with the gastrointestinal fluid and helping the drug to release in our body via blood cells. But, in case of homeopathy medicines, the fine purified solutions of the extracts of the different plant leaves, roots, stems and various chemicals in fine diluted purified form is employed. Either they are available adding into globules of different sizes or added to powder starch to make the drug.

Allopathic medicine works by treating the symptoms of a disease rather than its root cause. It attacks the body’s natural defenses. Allopathy doctors mainly follow the approach of treating the symptom rather than the cause. In spite of speedy recovery in allopathic treatments, allopathic medicines cause side effects, so sometimes it is advisable to consider other possible options for treatment and then to opt with the best one unless immediate surgery or surgical procedures are advised by the allopathy doctors. It’s not that BHMS/BAMS course don’t have surgical practical’s or teaching methodologies but opting surgery for an individual  in this disciplines are lengthy and healing procedure is slow with minor or no side effects while the same in allopathy is faster but with certain side effects. 

Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that focuses on ‘Similar Suffering.’ It is based on the idea that a substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person can be used to treat similar symptoms in a sick person but in a highly diluted form. Homeopathic remedies are made from natural substances such as plants, minerals and animals and are believed to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. Homeopathy is used to treat a wide range of conditions, from allergies and asthma to anxiety and depression. Homeopathic medicines are not known for attacking germs but rather for boosting the immune system to fight the cause of the disease. Apart from toughening up the body’s immunity, homeopathic medicines can boost the patient’s psychological, emotional and physical well-being which is very important in treatment.

Differences in treatment procedures

In allopathy, drugs and surgery procedures are mainly used to treat ailments while homeopathy and ayurveda focuses on improving the body’s response to the disease, using minimal doses in diluted form or solid tablets. Allopathy targets specific organs or affected body parts, with potential risks of side effects and spread of infections while homeopathy and ayurveda aims to cure the whole body rather than just the affected part, generally considered risk-free in terms of effects on other body parts. Allopathy prescribes drugs made by the pharmaceutical industry, typically machine-made with chemical compounds like antibiotics, pain killers, chemotherapy, etc while homeopathy uses small doses of medication to strengthen the immune system, enabling it to fight the ailment. It treats patients by exposing them to similar diseases in a mild form to build antibodies. Allopathy, homeopathy and ayurveda have unique philosophies and methods. Allopathy relies on modern medicine and treatments that target specific symptoms, while homeopathy and ayurveda emphasizes holistic healing and the use of highly diluted natural substances. Allopathy focuses on treating a particular organ or area affected by an illness or condition. However, this approach risks side effects and the possibility of infection spreading to nearby areas. In contrast, homeopathy and ayurveda is generally considered safe since it does not have any adverse effects on other parts of the body. Moreover, it aims to heal the entire body rather than just the affected area.

Homeopathic remedies undergo a process called potentization, where they are diluted and shaken repeatedly. This process is believed to enhance the medicine's healing power and eliminate any harmful effects of the original substance. The dilutions and shaking may create specific structural change in the molecule in water, which is believed to interact faster with biological systems. Homeopathic doctors focus on individualizing treatment based on a patient's unique symptom, personality and overall health status. Similarly ayurvedic doctors also study the overall health status of the patient before prescribing drugs. Homoeopathic medicines are prepared in a special way known as drug potentization. The crude drug substance is diluted and triturated to increase its potency which only increases the medicinal power and drug related side effects are eliminated. The typical dilution in homeopathic medicine is referred as "30C, 200C". This means that the original substance has been diluted by 1 drop in 100, 30 times and 200 times.  30C contains less than 1 part per million of the original substance. In advanced homeopathy, high potencies are used like 1M = 1000C; 10M = 10,000C; CM = 100,000C).

What is advanced homeopathy?

Conventionally, the fundamental principle of homoeopathy is widely accepted as 'What can be produced can be eliminated'. Advanced Homoeopathy makes a refinement by saying that in addition to the above we must also keep in mind that 'What cannot be produced cannot be eliminated'. This simple statement is as revolutionary as the realization by Sir Isaac Newton 'Why does the apple always fall to the ground and not the other way round?' The terminology “Advanced homeopathy” was coined by eminent Doctor Parimal Banerjee in Kolkata way back in 2007 and brought a new concept of medical treatment with many refinements in traditional concepts described in “Homoeopathic Materia Medica”. It also demands a completely new thinking about the concept of 'totality of symptoms'.

In order to clarify the significance of this new statement, Dr. Banerji has created the concept of a Physico-Mental-Dynamic-Plan (PMDP). This in short is a theoretical plan that is affected when an individual is exposed to a certain disease influence. In other words when a particular disease influence affects a person it exhibits a particular set of symptoms. For example when a person gets wet in the rain and develops pneumonia his/her lungs are affected, he/she has fever of a particular character, fast respiration etc. But this influence is unrelated to a simple fever with cold and cough he/she may be suffering from since the later could be a simple flu. So under advanced homoeopathic method these would be taken to affect two separate PMDP’s because they were caused by two separate diseases influences. Advanced homoeopathy has a very sophisticated perspective towards the human constitution. It successfully addresses the issues of susceptibility to a particular type of disease influence and also the corresponding susceptibility of being relieved by the influence of a particular medicine.The changes that have been created and successfully introduced into practice by Dr. Parimal Banerji represent absolutely original, unbiased and independent work that has culminated in the creation of a completely new genre for homoeopathic science. Dr. Sambhu Bag, a regular practioner of homeopathy at Kolkata (Dreamland Nursing Home, Shyam Bazar) is a very successful doctor with the applications of advanced homeopathy treatments.  

Homeopathic and ayurvedic medicines should not be used to treat life-threatening illnesses such as cancer (which needs early chemotherapy, radiation or surgery), sudden heart failure and in emergencies like accidental/serious trauma related matters. It should not be also used as a substitute for vaccines.  

Which homeopathy medicines may be used or kept in our daily life which acts faster than allopathy and ayurveda medicines?

Medicines like “Carboveg (for indigestion, stomach related issues),  Belladonna (for throat pain, laryngitis, pharyngitis), Nux Vomica (for loss of appetite, depression, sleeping disorder, migraine and many more), Aconite Nap (for sudden cold and cough, mild to high fever), Rhustox (for severe pain in joints due to artharitis, sciatica, body ache, headache and flu like tendency), Cantharis (for excellent in urinary tract infections, prostatitis and for free flow of urines), Mag phos (better known as magnesia phosphorica is a must medicine for women for menstrual cramps, tiredness, headaches, nerve pain and insomnia), Arnica (for sudden injury, severe pain due to fall down, sudden swelling of muscles and to lower down high fevers). All the medicines may be used either in 30C or 200C doses in globule or in liquid form depending upon the status of patient and age.  Finally, we have to remember that we are not medical professionals and therefore, it is always advisable to consult a qualified healthcare professional before deciding on a particular treatment approach.

(Views are personal. Courtesy: National Institute of Health (NIH), UK, Institute of Advance Homeopathy. P. Banerjee’s Clinic, Kolkata)