Siddha system of medicine

Siddha system of medicine

Introduction

Siddha system is one of the older system of medicine in India. The term “Siddha” means achievements. It is of Dravidian origin and has its entire literature in Tamil language. The Siddha system is largely therapeutic in nature. Siddhars were saintly persons who achieved results in medicine.

Origin

Its origin is also traced to mythological sources belonging to the Shaiva tradition. According to the tradition, Lord Shiva conveyed the knowledge of medicine to his wife Parvati. The knowledge was passed from her to Nandi and finally it was given to the Siddhas. The word Siddha denotes one who has achieved some extraordinary powers (siddhi). This achievement was related to the discipline of mind and its superiority over body, and was accomplished through both yoga and medicine. Thus siddhars (practitioners of Siddha) became the symbols of psychosomatic perfection and so the Siddha medicine became a combination of medicine and yoga.

The tantrik siddhi was thought of in different forms such as janmaja (due to birth), osadhija (due to some medical elixirs), mantraja (due to magical incantations), tapoja (due to penance) and samadhija (due to meditation). The tantriks endeavoured to attain the Siddha by several means, one of them was through the use of certain compositions of compounds of mercury, sulphur, mica and several other metallic substances.

Concepts of Disease and Cause

When the normal equilibrium of three humors(vatha, pithaandkapha)isdisturbed, disease is caused. The factors, which affect this equilibrium are environment, climatic conditions, diet, physical activities, and stress. Under normal conditions, the ratio between these three humors (vatha, pitha and kapha) is 4:2:1 respectively.

According to the Siddha medicine system diet and life style play a major role not only in health but also in curing diseases. This concept of the Siddha medicine is termed as pathya and apathya, which is essentially a list of do’s and don’ts.

Diagnosis

In diagnosis, examination of eight items is required which is commonly known as astasthana-pariksa. These are:

·           na (tongue): black in vatha, yellow or red in pitha, white in kapha, ulcerated in anaemia.

·           varna (colour): dark in vatha, yellow or red in pitha, pale in kapha;

·           svara (voice): normal in vatha, high pitched in pitha, low pitched in kapha, slurred in alcoholism.

·           kan  (eyes):  muddy  conjunctiva, yellowish or red in pitha, pale in kapha.

·           sparisam (touch): dry in vatha, warm in pitha, chill in kapha, sweating in different parts of the body.

·           mala (stool): black stools indicate vatha, yellow pitha, pale in kapha, dark red in ulcer and shiny in terminal illness.

·           neer (urine): early morning urine is examined; straw colour indicates indigestion, reddish yellow excessive heat, rose in blood pressure, saffron colour in jaundice and looks like meat washed water in renal disease.

·           nadi (pulse): the confirmatory method recorded on the radial artery.

Concept of Drugs

The drugs used by the Siddhars could be classified into three groups:

·           Thavaram (herbal product)

·           Thathu (inorganic substances)

·           Jangamam (animal products).

The thathu drugs are further classified as

·           Uppu (water soluble inorganic substances or drugs that give out vapour when put into fire)

·           Pashanam (drugs not dissolved in water but emit vapour when fired),

·           Uparasam (similar to pashanam but differ in action),

·           Loham (not dissolved in water but melt when fired),

·           Rasam (drugs which are soft) and

·           Ghandhagam (drugs which are insoluble in water, like sulphor).

The drugs used in Siddha medicine were classified on the basis of five properties:

·           Suvai (taste),

·           Guna (character),

·           Veerya (potency),

·           Pirivu (class)

·           Mahimai (action).

According to their mode of application the Siddha medicine could be categorized into two classes: (1) internal medicine and (2) external medicine.

·           Internal medicine was used through the oral route and further classified in to 32 categories based on their form, methods of preparation, shelf life, etc.

·           External medicine includes certain forms of drugs and also certain applications like nasal, eye and ear drops and also certain procedures like leech application.

Treatment

The treatment should be commenced as early as possible after assessing the course and cause of the disease.

Treatment is classified into three categories:

·           Devamaruthuvum (Divine method) like parpam, chendooram, guru, kuligai made of mercury, sulphur and pashanams are used.

·           Manuda maruthuvum (rational method) - medicines made of herbs like churanam, kudineer, vadagam are used.

·           Asura maruthuvum (surgical method) incision, excision, heat application, blood letting, leech application are used.

According to therapies the treatments of Siddha medicines could be further categorized into following categories such as Purgative therapy, Emetic therapy, Fasting therapy, Steam therapy, Oleation therapy, Physical therapy, Solar therapy and Blood letting therapy, Yoga therapy, etc.

·           The diagnosis of the disease is by the identification of causative factors is through examination of pulse, urine, eyes, study of voice, colour of body, tongue and status of the digestive treatment.

·           The  Siddha  system  is  effective  in treating  chronic  causes  of  liver, skin  disease  -  Psoriasis  Rheumatic problems, anemia, Bleeding, Ulcer etc.,

·           The Siddha medicine which contains mercury, silver, arsenic, lead, sulfur is found to be very effective in treating disease.