The Ministry of Ayush, a ministry of the Government of India, is responsible for developing education, research and propagation of indigenous and alternative medicine systems in India. Ayush is a name devised from the names of the alternative healthcare systems covered by the ministry: Ayurveda, Yoga & naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy.The Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H) was first established in 1995 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. ISM&H was renamed as the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy or Department of AYUSH. The department was made into an official ministry by the Narendra Modi, Government of India in 2014.The ministry of Ayush has faced significant criticism for funding systems that lack biological plausibility and are either untested or conclusively proven as ineffective. Quality of research has been poor, and drugs have been launched without rigorous pharmacological studies and meaningful clinical trials on Ayurveda or other alternative healthcare systems. The ministry has been accused of promoting pseudoscience.
Background: Urolithiasis, the formation of urinary stones, is a prevalent global health issue. It commonly causes severe acute back pain and can lead to serious complications such as pyelonephritis or acute renal failure. Kidney stone formation is a common urological problem with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 10% in men and 6% in women. The study aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical effect of Ashmarihar kwatha (AK) and Pashanbhedadi kwatha (PK) in the management of Mootrashmari (∼Urolithiasis).Material and Method: The primary objective of the study was to assess the clinical efficacy of Ashmarihar kwatha and Pashanbhedadi kwatha in the management of Mootrashmari (urolithiasis) based on symptomatic and stone-related parameters, while the secondary objective was to evaluate the safety and additional therapeutic effects of the interventions through laboratory investigations and ultrasonographic findings. This was an open-labelled randomized comparative clinical trial. A total of 135 cases were screened, and 82 patients diagnosed with Mootrashmari satisfying the study criteria were enrolled. 53 cases were excluded. Participants were randomly assigned to group AK (n=32 completed) and group PK (n=39 completed). Both Kwathas (coarse powder, 10 gm) were administered orally as an internal medication twice a day before food for 60 days.Result: Both groups showed similar statistical effects across all parameters. However, a statistically highly significant result was obtained in the expulsion of the number of stones in the AK group while PK group showed non-significant improvement within groups.Conclusion: Ashmarihar kwatha and Pashanbhedadi kwatha both the show statistically similar efficacy between the group in the management of Mootrashmari (∼Urolithiasis).
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) continue to pose a substantial clinical challenge due to high recurrence, biofilm-mediated persistence, and the rapid expansion of antimicrobial resistance. The waning effectiveness of conventional antibiotics highlights the urgency for resistance-sparing therapeutic strategies. Recent advances in herbal nanotechnology have enabled the precise nanoengineering of plant-derived phytochemicals, enhancing their stability, bioavailability, and pathogen-specific activity. This review critically appraises nanomaterial-based phytotherapeutic approaches for UTI management, focusing on the mechanistic integration of phytochemical bioactivity with nanoscale delivery systems. Nanomaterials developed from medicinal plants, crude extracts, and isolated phytoconstituents are evaluated for their ability to interfere with uropathogen adhesion, dismantle biofilms, suppress virulence signaling, induce oxidative stress, and regulate host inflammatory responses. Translational barriers, including formulation reproducibility, safety assessment, scalable production, and regulatory compliance, are also examined. By consolidating antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and host-modulatory evidence, this review identifies nano-enabled phytotherapeutic strategies with translational promise as multi-target alternatives to antibiotic-based UTI therapy.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a major global health concern, with targeted therapy and immunotherapy significantly improving survival in advanced disease. However, all these therapies have significant adverse effects on system health, target organ toxicity, and kidney toxicity, resulting in decreased quality of life (QoL). Ayurveda, based on a holistic approach with emphasis on Dosha balancing, Agni balancing, and Rasayana therapy, can provide a means to improve functional health status. In this narrative review, we will explore the possible use of ayurvedic interventions to reduce adverse effects of cancer therapy highlighting mechanistic connections in this regard and include the roles of VEGF, mTOR, and immunity as mechanisms for such effects. Therefore, Ayurveda should be considered only as an adjunct to standard oncological care, implemented cautiously with attention to safety and potential herb–drug interactions. Further well-designed clinical studies are required to establish its efficacy and role in integrative RCC management.
The outcomes of endocardial catheter ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF) and long-standing PsAF (LSPsAF) remain modest. Hybrid convergent ablation for AF comprises surgical epicardial ablation with concomitant or staged endocardial catheter ablation. Comparative studies remain limited. To systematically assess and compare the efficacy and safety of hybrid ablation (HA) and endocardial ablation (EA) in PsAF and LSPsAF. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and observational studies comparing HA and EA was performed, with Bayesian adjustment and covariate analysis. The primary outcome was atrial arrhythmia recurrence. Secondary outcomes included procedural-related complications and length of hospital stay. Fifteen studies (including four randomized controlled trials) with 1671 patients (HA, 734; EA, 937) were analyzed. Study inclusion criteria and ablation lesion sets varied widely. Atrial arrhythmia recurrence irrespective of antiarrhythmic drug use was significantly lower in the HA group [relative risk (RR) 0.74 (95
Adina cordifolia (Roxb.) Brandis, a medicinal tree with significant value in folklore and traditional medicine, was investigated to quantify four phytochemical markers viz. Ursolic acid, Lupeol, Stigmasterol, and Scopoletin. HPTLC method was validated as per ICH Q2R1 using Ursolic acid, and Scopoletin to analyze markers in the leaf, flower, stem bark, root, and heartwood of A. cordifolia. The study comparatively identified markers at specified Rf i.e. 0.78 Lupeol, 0.66 Stigmasterol, visualized under white light, 0.59 Ursolic acid at λ 254 nm, and 0.42 Scopoletin, under λ UV-366 nm, respectively in extracts from five segments of A. cordifolia. Scopoletin was found to be the highest (135.17 µg) in the heartwood extract, while Ursolic acid (626.58.0 µg) and Stigmasterol (257.05 µg) were most abundant in the flower extract. Lupeol was found in the highest amount (159.48 µg) in the root extract. Interestingly, all four markers were detected in the leaf and flower extracts, while two markers were identified in the stem bark and heartwood, and three markers in the root. The phytochemical profiles across these plant parts showed significant overlap, suggesting that the leaf, flower, and stem bark could serve as viable alternatives to the heartwood and root for medicinal purposes, thereby reducing the need for more invasive harvesting practices. These findings provide critical insights for the quality control of A. cordifolia raw materials and formulations, affirming the pharmacological value of traditionally used plant parts and expanding the potential for utilizing non-official plant segments in therapeutic applications.
