Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar: An Ayurveda center which includes treatment, research, and education

INTRODUCTION

Ancient methods of healing are increasingly gaining acceptance in promoting positive health, preventing disease, and managing a disease which is present. Patanjali Yogpeeth, which was inaugurated in 2006 is located in Haridwar, North India. It was founded by Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna. The trust aims to increase the propagation of yoga and Ayurveda as methods of health promotion and healing. The institution has a wide range of yoga activities which include yoga classes held as camps outside and in the institution for healthy persons and patients with television broadcasts of the classes as well; yoga classes at the institution which are free held everyday conducted by trained teachers; yoga courses conducted by the university; research on yoga and dissemination of knowledge through books, international conferences, seminars, and a monthly magazine “Yog Sandesh.” The Ayurveda activities are similar and include (1) Research, (2) Treatment, (3) Education, (4) Manufacturing and dispensing Ayurveda medicines, and (5) Compiling an encyclopedia of herbal medicinal plants. Each of these activities will be described briefly below.

ACTIVITIES

Research

While Patanjali Research Foundation was founded in 2010, research on yoga and Ayurveda began in the institution in 2007. It must be emphasized that till now the focus has been on yoga research (with 52 publications in indexed journals and 6 chapters in books). The research in Ayurveda covers a wide range of topics of which a few will be mentioned here. A survey was conducted (in 2012) on 2664 persons to understand whether the prakriti (primordial matter) which forms the basic constitution of a person based on the three doshas (Ayurveda, mind, and body type), would correlate with various aspects of health. Several variables were assessed but one of the findings is cited here as an example: Participants with the kapha dosha dominant (based on a standardized questionnaire) showed a positive correlation between their “kapha score” with the number of hours slept each night; while those with vata dosha dominant showed a positive correlation with their “vata score” and time taken to fall asleep each night. These results suggest that kapha dominant individuals have a deep sleep, whereas vata dominant individuals do not sleep as easily (unpublished data, 2012). It is interesting that these findings are fairly comparable to traditional descriptions of the characteristics of the three doshas (Sushruta Samhita, Chapter 4, Verses 72-76).[1]

Some other examples of the research conducted here include the use of Ayurveda in dentistry (there is a well-equipped dentistry unit). The emphasis is on preventing and managing dental disorders with different medicinal herbs based on the body constitution and the predominance of one or more of the three doshas. For example, in prevention, chewing fresh stems of specific plants is believed to cause attrition and leveling of biting surfaces, it facilitates salivary secretion and possibly helps in plaque control, while some stems have an antibacterial action.[2,3] The stem chosen differs according to the dominant dosha present in the person.

Another area being researched here is wound healing. The institution has patients with delayed wound healing due to diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and vascular disorders. Many have shown benefits when wounds are dressed with honey. Reasons for this are multiple. Honey is mildly acidic and topical acidification promotes healing, also honey produces hydrogen peroxide and its’ nutritional, hydroscopic, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties ensure that honey provides a suitable environment to promote wound healing.[4,5,6,7]

Apart from delayed wound healing Ayurveda polyherbal preparations appeared to delay progression of the disease in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.[8] These are a sample of the studies being done in the area of Ayurveda research.

Treatment

Treatment is of course an important activity in Patanjali Yogpeeth which has provision for 400 inpatients and where 50-200 outpatients are seen every day by 40 qualified Ayurveda practitioners. The age range of patients is wide, from young children to older persons. Some of the conditions most commonly seen are diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, acid-peptic disease, hemorrhoids, as well as persons with autoimmune diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.

Patients who come to the outpatient department receive a free Ayurveda consultation. The facility also has a biochemistry laboratory, radiography, and ultrasound unit so that contemporary diagnostic techniques can be combined with traditional methods of diagnoses.

Inpatients are also admitted for Ayurveda surgery, particularly for hemorrhoids, fistula, hernia, rectal prolapse, pilonidal sinus, and hydrocele.

Education

Education in Ayurveda should be as comprehensive as possible. Patanjali Ayurveda College was established in 2009, with an intake of 50 students each year [Figure 1]. Currently, there are 122 students who are given instructions based on the syllabus and curriculum for the B. A. M. S. course. Students are also exposed to field trips to identify medicinal plants growing in the wild, lectures from visiting scientists to understand how contemporary science views Ayurveda, they also get a chance to view how the polyherbal preparations are manufactured, and receive training in practices related to Indian culture [Figure 2]. The University of Patanjali (recognized in 2006 and operational since 2009) also conducts a 1-year post graduate diploma course in panchkarma.

Figure 1.

Patanjali Ayurveda Medical College

Figure 2.

Practices related to Indian culture for students of the Ayurveda College

Manufacturing and dispensing Ayurveda medicines

Both outpatients and inpatients are prescribed lifestyle changes and polyherbal preparations from the manufacturing unit (Divya Pharmacy) of the center. Medicinal plants (243 in number) and their extracts are used along with other substances (e.g., minerals) to manufacture polyherbal preparations, which also include some for cosmetic use.

A herbal encyclopedia

The institution is also compiling a detailed “herbal encyclopedia” covering 5500 medicinal plants from all over the world and 3500 medicinal plants from India. Each plant will be detailed providing its’ botanical name, the name by which it is known in several other languages, with a detailed description of its’ medicinal uses, its’ location, along with accurate photographs and paintings. Even though there are a vast range of compilations available, this encyclopedia is expected to contribute information about the traditional use of medicinal plants (passed on as ‘home remedies’) in addition to those prescribed by vaidyas.

SUMMARY

Overall, this approach is expected to help promote the use of Ayurveda in health and healing, making the subject of greater interest to students and doctors of recognized systems of medicine and also gathering scientific evidence to facilitate Ayurveda gaining its’ appropriate place, as an evidence-based science of ancient origins.