The demand for traditional Indian medicine and other herbal products has increased tremendously in India and abroad. The world herbal market is estimated to be $62 billion – of which China accounts for $19 billion and India $1 billion. There are around 10, 000 ASU drug manufacturing units in the country. ” To facilitate the increased acceptability of ASU medicines within the country and abroad, the core issue is the quality and standardization of ASU products and effective enforcement of the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetic Act,” the steering committee report said.

It explained, “AYUSH and allopathic, both systems, often provide solutions to a common set of problems. Many times both systems complement each other also. Our endeavour during the 12th Plan will be that both systems expand and progress together, based on their core competencies and inherent strengths.”

It added, “We must ensure that the healthcare delivery system in the country is designed and developed in such a way that, both, AYUSH and allopathic systems are available to every patient and the choice of system of treatment is the patient’s choice, based, of course, on set protocols.” The committee feels that AYUSH has a nationwide presence. Besides, it has near universal acceptance, available practitioners and infrastructure.

Read more on the report here.

Kerala Government’s Short Film on Ayurveda Treatments.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Her preliminary results seem to indicate that there are compounds in neem extracts that target a protein essential for HIV to replicate. If further studies support her findings, Arora`s work may give clinicians and drug developers a new HIV-AIDS therapy to pursue.Extracts from neem leaves, bark and flowers are used throughout the Indian subcontinent to fight against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. “The farther you go into the villages of India, the more uses of neem you see,” said Arora.

Tree branches are used instead of toothpaste and toothbrushes to keep teeth and gums healthy, and neem extracts are used to control the spread of malaria. Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine, a form of traditional Indian alternative medicine, even prescribe neem extracts, in combination with other herbs, to treat cardiovascular diseases and control diabetes. The neem tree, whose species name is Azadirachta indica and which belongs to the mahogany family, also grows in east Africa.

Arora`s scientific training gave her expertise in the cellular biology of cancer, pharmacology, bioinformatics and structural biology. When she established her laboratory with a new research direction at Kean University in 2008, Arora decided to combine her knowledge with her long-time fascination with natural products. The neem tree beckoned.

Arora dived into the scientific literature to see what was known about neem extracts. During the course of her reading, Arora stumbled across two reports that showed that when HIV-AIDS patients in Nigeria and India were given neem extracts, the amount of HIV particles in their blood dropped. Intrigued, Arora decided to see if she could figure out what was in the neem extract that seemed to fight off the virus.

She turned to bioinformatics and structural biology to see what insights could be gleaned from making computer models of HIV proteins with compounds known to be in neem extracts. From the literature, she and her students found 20 compounds present in various types of neem extracts. When they modelled these compounds against the proteins critical for the HIV life-cycle, Arora and her team discovered that most of the neem compounds attacked the HIV protease, a protein essential for making new copies of the virus.

Arora`s group is now working on test-tube experiments to see if the computer models hold up with actual samples. If her work bears out, Arora is hopeful that the neem tree will give a cheaper and more accessible way to fight the HIV-AIDS epidemic in developing countries, where current therapies are priced at levels out of reach of many people.

“And, of course,” she noted, “there is the potential of discovering new drugs based on the molecules present in neem.”

The finding was published in Nature Neuroscience and PNAS.

A Combination Video on the Benefits of Neem in Ayurveda.

Click here to view the embedded video.

From the News Report.

Like many enlightened societies, Germans are also finding a way to beat the stress and pressures of routine urban life and stay healthy by embracing authentic ayurveda of Kerala.“We presented ayurveda of Kerala to the German audience as there is an increasing demand to stay healthy and improve wellness among the people there,” said Kerala Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar. “Our data shows that the highest number of people coming for ayurveda treatment to Kerala from abroad are from Germany,” Kerala Tourism Director Rani George said. Celebrity Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci had come to Kerala for ayurvedic treatment some time ago for his chronic back ailment. “The promotional campaign on ayurveda is a boost to Kerala’s Tourism sector in Germany,” she said.

Read the complete report here

11 November, 2011.

Vice Admiral Anurag G Thaplial with the Itoozhi Medical team head Dr.I.Unnikrishnan Namboothiri, Dr.I.Umesh Namboothiri and Dr.P.V.Dhanya at the Ayurvedic centre , Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala

Vice Admiral Anurag G Thaplial with the Itoozhi Medical team at INA, Ezhimala

17 November, 2011.

Dr.I.Unnikrishnan Namboothiri and Dr.I.Umesh Namboothiri of Itoozhi Ayurveda receives Southern Naval Commandant Vice Admiral K N Sushil at Ayurvedic Centre, Indian Naval Academy Ezhimala

Vice Admiral K N Sushil at the Ayurvedic Center, INA Ezhimala, managed by Itoozhi Ayurveda

Thank you for the recognition, co-operation and constant encouragement that inspire us to keep raising our service benchmarks ever so high.

Ashwagandha, a plant used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, cleaned out abnormal protein deposits in the brain and reversed damage and behavioural changes observed in Alzheimer’s disease when tested on mice..

Neurologists estimate that India has about four million people with dementia, the majority with Alzheimer’s disease. Current treatment involves pharmaceutical compounds designed to prevent the accumulation or the synthesis of amyloid plaque.The researchers caution that the Ashwagandha extract is not ready for human trials yet. Also, the dose given to mice was very high — about one gram per kilogram bodyweight of the animal.

You can read the complete article here.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Click here to view the embedded video.

ONE MONTH PRACTICAL TRAINING PROGRAM

Conducted by ITOOZHI NAMBOOTHIRIS AYURVEDA NURSING HOME, MAYYIL, KANNUR, KERALA.

Guided by: Ayurveda guru Itoozhi Vaidyar Dr.I.Bhavadasan Namboothiri | Dr.I.Unnikrishnan Namboothiri

Course Highlights :

• Informal education through Kerala’s oldest Traditional Knowledge Centre
• Clinical training with experienced Ayurvedic docters (Live approach)
• Discussion with Itoozhi Vaidyas
• Demonstration classes
• Case sheet recording
• Theatre-based procedures ( Live approaches)
• Pharma-based demonstration
• Samhitha-based teaching & diagnosis methodologies

Eligibility : For Interns ( BAMS students / Senior House surgeons )

No:of seats available : 5

Starting date of Training : 1st March 2012

Course duration : 30 days

Last date for receiving Applications : 10/02/2012

Training Fee : Rs 10, 000/-

How to apply :

• Please fill up the Course Application Form Here.

On the 29th day of training, an evaluation of the student will be conducted & a certificate of participation will be issued, after successful completion of training.

Course Director                                                                                                                   Course Co-ordinator
Dr.I.UnnikrishnanNamboothiri                                                                                         Dr.I.UmeshNamboothiri | Phone : 9446374119

]]> http://www.itoozhiayurveda.in/2012/01/13/announcing-a-unique-1-month-course-for-bams-students-and-senior-house-surgeons/feed/ 0 http://www.itoozhiayurveda.in/2011/12/18/global-ayurveda-festival-in-kerala-from-9-14-february-2012/ http://www.itoozhiayurveda.in/2011/12/18/global-ayurveda-festival-in-kerala-from-9-14-february-2012/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:00:11 +0000 Itoozhi http://www.itoozhiayurveda.in/?p=209

Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) in association with the Government of Kerala and the Ayurveda fraternity in the state is organising a one-of-its-kind global showcase for Ayurveda, in Thiruvananthapuram in February 2012. Titled the “Global Ayurveda Festival – Kerala“, it is slated to be held from 9 – 14  February 2012 at Thiruvananthapuram, and according to the organisers,

this incredible festival encompasses all that’s good about Ayurveda and will display a wide range of services, activities and products for a healthy life. This vibrant and promising festival of Ayurveda with a host of fascinating events – lectures by legends in the field, workshops, conferences, tours and a mega exhibition, offers a great opportunity to learn, experience, to get first-hand information and to collaborate.

The focus of this showcase will be the global seminar on Non communicable diseases (NCDs) are the major killer diseases in the world today, causing more deaths than all the other diseases combined. The organisers have called for papers for presentation from Ayurveda practitioners, research institutions, Ayurveda pharmaceutical players, herbal medicine experts, doctors, scientists and students on related topics.

Papers on topics ranging from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, liver disorders, neurological and pulmonary diseases, gender specific NCDs, mental disorders, obesity, geriatric care, cancer, healthy life style practices to degenerative diseases have been invited.

About 3,000 registered delegates are expected to attend the seminar.

You could register for the event here.

The State Government will frame a policy and enact a piece of legislation to make licence mandatory for all ayurveda centres, house boats and home stays as part of taking Kerala tourism to international standards.

The initiative is aimed at giving quality experience to visitors arriving in the state. Now there is no mechanism to regulate the functioning of these sectors and the plan is to connect them with the Tourism Department. Tourism director Rani George said that the government was planning a policy to make licence mandatory for all these tourism industries. The guidelines will be prepared and implemented by ayruveda centres, house boats and home stays to ensure that tourism is developed by maintaining all the mandatory standards.

The decision was taken following requests from those in the tourism industry at the discussions on Draft Tourism Policy 2011. As it is very difficult to include ayurveda in tourism because it is also part of medical profession, a minimum level of standard should be maintained at these centres,’’ she said.

Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS) director V V Jose said that the demand for licensing by tour operators indicated that the industry had grown steeply. Now if the guidelines are made compulsory, the quality of tourism will improve and attract more tourists, he said.

He said there are already some guidelines for the functioning of these industries which, however, are not made compulsory. The government will have to enact a piece of legislation in this regard to make it mandatory to provide quality service to the tourists.

Rani George said that earlier, when the government decided to make regulate the functioning of these industries, there was a hue and cry from various quarters against the move. The request from the tour operators and others in the industry is likely to create a boom in this sector of tourism.w Tourism Department was entrusted by Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar to prepare the policy. Discussions will be held with all those concerned to finalise the policy in these sectors, she added.

Courtesy : New Indian Express.

A Video on Kumarakom – by the Dept of Tourism, Govt of Kerala

Click here to view the embedded video.

According to the Chief Minister Of Kerala’s press notification, “a proposal to start a Multi Super Speciality Hospital worth 1000 crores in Kochi is being  considered by Government of Kerala.”

He was speaking after the meeting with famous cricketer Kapil Dev and other officials of Kochi Medical City Tourism Private Limited.

This massive project will have a 1000 bedded Allopathic hospital, 50 bedded Ayurvedic hospital, Medical Convention Center and Medical Research Center. In addition to this it is proposed to have Medical College, Dental College, and Para Medical College.

If this project comes up it will employ 7000 persons in the medical field directly and 25,000 persons indirectly. This Medical City is proposed to come up at Kadamakkudi panchayath in Ernakulam district.

Kapil Dev pointed out that the projects like these would help to stop the brain drain and will also provide excellent Medical treatment for the people here.

Ministers P.K Kunhalikutty, KC Joseph, K Babu, KP Mohanan, Medical City Chairman Mohan Thomas, MD Hassan Kunju, Mathew Francis, Mibu Jose, Jaya V Jayanadhan, P Sebastin were also part of the meeting.

The Consortium, led by Kapil Dev at the meeting.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About Dr. Antonio Morandi, MD, PhD (1957, Firenze, Italy)

A Medical Doctor, Specialist in Neurology and Ayurveda Vaidya (Ayurveda Academy, Pune, India and Joytinat International College of Ayurveda), Dr. Antonio Morandi is President of Ayurvedic Point srl a leading institution in Italy and Europe for therapy, research and education in Ayurveda. He is Director of the School of Ayurvedic Medicine “Ayurvedic Point” in Milan, the most important educational institution in Italy, which counts 150 students per year and whose syllabus is widely accepted in Europe. Ayurvedic Point has been recently ISO 9001 certified, an international quality certification, for its teaching activities. Dr. Morandi is also President of the Italian Scientific Society for Ayurvedic Medicine (S.S.I.M.A.), an association of medical doctors practicing Ayurveda, which is a founding member of the Italian Permanent Consensus Committee on Non Conventional Medicines. In 2003 he has been awarded with the honorary doctorate Ayurveda Acharya from the Ayurvedic Institute Ashtavaidyan Thaikat Mooss, Kerala, India. Director and Professor of Ayurveda section at the PostDoctoral specialization course in “Health Sociology and Non Conventional Medicine”, University of Bologna, Italy, Dr. Morandi has been called to teach Ayurveda in several Italian and foreign Universities. Dr. Morandi is also Scientific Director of the International Congress on Ayurveda “Ayurveda: the meaning of life” which will be held in Milan, Italy in March 2009. Member of several scientific committees and author of numerous publications, he is also Head of Medical Education of the European Institute of Vedic Sciences, France and directs the Medical Ayurvedic Center  “Ayurvedic Point “ in Milan, Italy.