Table 1.

Comparative characteristics of TIM and TKM.

CHARACTERISTICS	TIM							TKM
Systems	AYURVEDA	UMS	SSM	AMS	YOGA	HOMEOPATHY	NATUROPATHY
Approximate Year of Origin	1500BC1, 12, 13	377BC1	1600AD7, 8	1116AD14	2984BC14	400BC1	1892AD13	984BC4, 15, 17
Constitutional-Based Concept	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES
Physiology	Tridoshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha); based on five basic elements Prithvi (Earth), Jala (Water), Teja (Fire), Vayu (Air), Akash (Space/Ether)1, 12	Body made up of four basic elements (Earth, Air, Water, Fire) and get nourishment from four Humors (blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile)1	Based on Tridoshas (Wind, Bile, and Phlegm) and five proto-elements (Earth, water, fire, wind, and ether/space)7, 8	Based on Three “humours”; wind, bile, and phlegm14	Based on union of a Person’s own consciousness and Universal consciousness14	Based on Three principles (‘Similia Similibus Curentur’, ‘Single Medicine’ and ‘Minimum Dose’)1, 12	Based on the theories of vitality, toxiemia, Self-healing capacity of the body with the help of five great elements of nature – Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Ether)13	The major physiological constituents are essence, spirit, qi, blood, fluid and humor.4 The body structure is made up of five viscera and six bowels of interior, as well as the five agents and meridians.4 TKM is balanced on the concepts of Yin and Yang and the Five elements theory (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and water).4
Pathology	Diseases occur due to loss of equilibrium between the Tridoshas1, 12	Change in quantity and quality of the humors brings about a change in the status of the health of the human body1	Diseases occur due to imbalance between the Tridoshas7, 8	Mental disturbances due to unhappiness affect the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and pancreas, resulting in chronic health hazards14	Adhi (the disturbed mind) is the cause of vyadhi (the physical disease) due to imbalances of Tridoshas14	Diseases are caused by miasms.	Disease is caused by accumulation of morbid matter in the body13	Disease causes are due to mental activity, lifestyle habits, and the environment or climate4 Three types of disease mechanisms; the first is the insufficiency of healthy qi, the second is invasion by the exopathogen to interrupt the circulation of healthy qi, and third mechanism is abnormal Yin-Yang activity4
Diagnosis	In a Patient; Ten-fold parameters are used in diagnosis (psychosomatic constitution, disease susceptibility, tissue quality, body build, anthropometry, adaptability, mental health, digestive power, exercise fitness, and age, in addition to pulse, urine, stool, tongue, voice and speech, skin, eyes and overall appearance)1, 8, 12	Examination of the pulse, urine and stool is the basis of diagnosis1	Eight anatomical features (Envagi thaervu) are used (Pulse, urine, eyes, voice, colour of body, tongue, touch and stool) in diagnosis7, 8	Patients are diagnosed by Inspection, palpitation, and interrogation14, 20	Auscultation, inspection, touch, posture14	Homeopaths consider all of the patient’s complaints in their diagnosis1, 12	Physical examination (Pulse, temperature, blood pressure, weight); Tests (Stool, urine, blood and saliva)13	Diagnosis is based on patient observation, auscultation, palpation and interrogation.4, 21
Treatment of disease	Holistic and individualized having two components; preventive and curative which are both aimed at restoring the disturbed doshas. Herbal medicine pharmacopea are used in treatment.1, 12 Acupuncture22	Consists of three components; preventive, Promotive and curative.1 Cupping therapy23	Holistic and individualistic but with main emphasis on Bala vahatam (Pediatrics), Nanjunool (Toxicology) and Nayana vidhi (Opthalmology)7, 8	Therapeutic methods involve use of Moxibustion, acupuncture and ethno-medicinal formulations14, 22, 24	Practices (dhyana, japa, tapa, pratyahara, and samyama); a kind of meditation. Pranayam Yoga practice uses breath to cleanse the body and raise the kundalini while hatha yoga practices such as asanas and surya namaskar improves circulation of blood hence healing the body14	Materia medica and repertories in their treatment of diseases and also use nosodes (Greek nosos: disease) made from diseased products such as fecal, urinary, and respiratory discharges, blood, and tissue. Homeopath also use healthy product remedies called sarcodes for treatment.1, 12	Food, prayer, fasting, mud, hydro, colon, and massage, acupressure are used for treatment13	Focuses on restoring body balance through therapeutic methods like use of herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, aromatherapy, meditation, massage, exercise, music, art and herbal acupuncture therapy. Preventive measures are key in TKM4
Number of Universities teaching T&CM/per capita number of T&CM universities	57/23,277,22025							12/4,208,66126
Duration of study in medical curriculum	4–8 years25							4–7 years4, 26
Number of T&CM Hospitals/No. of T&CM Hospitals per capita	3615/367,02627							136/367,6474
Are there research Institutions for T&CM?	YES; Example is CRISM							YES; Example KIOM26
Insurance cover for T&CM	YES**							YES; by NHI
Year of insurance implementation on T&CM	No information							19874
T&CM licensing body	Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (AYUSH), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India28							Ministry of Public Health and Social Affairs, Republic of Korea29
T&CM Regulatory body	Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (AYUSH), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India28							Ministry of Public Health and Social Affairs, Republic of Korea29
Year of implementation of Regulation	197028							196929

CRISM: Center for Research on Indian Systems of Medicine.

KIOM: Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine.

Insurance: YES-Government covers insurance for T&CM. YES** No official T&CM insurance by Government but government employees use their health insurance to access T&CM therapy.

Body constitutional concept: “YES” means human body is divided into different elements while ‘NO” means such body division does not exist.

NHI: National Health Insurance.