Dec 08, 2006

Interview

-- MADHUSUDAN LOHANI

Kabiraj MADHUSUDAN LOHANI is a well-known practitioner of Arurvedic medicine. Working at Naradevi Hospital , Kabiraj Lohani also served at Singha Durbar Vaidya Khana, an oldest manufacturing center of Nepalese traditional medicines. Kabiraj Lohani spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues related to the use of Ayurvedic medicines. Excerpts:

How do you see the effectiveness of traditional medicines like Ayurvedic ones in present time?

These herbal-based medicines are very effective to prevent and cure many diseases including cancer, obesity, hepatitis and gastroenteritis and other many diseases. Experiences have shown that traditional herb-based medicines can cure every human disease. This is totally holistic in the approach with established principles in order to provide relationship between mankind and environment.

How do you see the possibility to develop Nepal as an exporter of traditional herbal medicines?

Since Nepal is a country of diverse geography from tundra to temperate climate, we can grow varieties of herbal pants in Nepal . Nature has given us many important plants that can be used to cure many diseases. Moreover, Nepal 's cultural and ethnic diversity is also an asset as each group of people has a variety of knowledge on the use of herbal and traditional medicines.

It means you can treat all kinds of diseases?

Yes, Ayurvedic medicine is so rich, but one just needs to have patience. It stresses for prevention of any disease. Ayurvedic medicine needs to be taken very sensitively. We administer the medicine on the basis of environment, temperature and food habit. There must be combination of food and medicines. When you are administrating the medicines for heart, you must not have fatty, oily and spicy food. Likewise when some one has problem in digestion, he or she must have to go for plain food. There must be combination between medicines and food to cure the disease.

Is it not complicated?

Even the modern medicines are following the natural ways now as ayurvedic medicines. It makes a lot of differences on hot and cold, oily and plain foods, spicy and normal. If you have cough or Asthma, you must avoid cold. Drinking icy water definitely harms such patient. For instance, a common and widely used medicine Triphala, a herbal formulation that provides overall support to the digestive system, is a combination of  Phyllanthus Embica, Terminalia belerica and terminaliz chebula. Triphala is effective in many ways but its effectiveness to cure the disease depends upon its combination. For instance, the effect of Triphala and honey and Triphala with hot water and Triphala with cold water brings three different results.

How important is the food habit to prevent infections?

Ayurveda has evolved along the relationship between human and natural environment. The food habit is important during the period of medicinal intake. There is a need to strictly follow certain advice when one is under Ayurvedic medicine. The Aurvedic medicine is administered under this guidance. Everything matters including cold and hot and winter and summer. The food determines the effect of medicines. For the people with gastroenteritis, spicy and oily food is harmful as it will affect the digestion. Similarly, the people with asthma, heart and gout have to take plain food. First and foremost thing is to control the constipation.

At a time when new disease like obesity, TB, heart and diabetes are rising, is there any medicine for them in Ayurveda?

Yes, there are many medicines. From common herbal medicines like honey to Triphala and Shilajit, all these medicines cure these disease. Along with them, there are still many other medicines in ayurveda to treat many other diseases. Even in the course of food making, many herbals are used like tarmac, jwanu and methi, jaifal and others.

Is there any herbal medicine for beauty?

There are a number of herbal medicines available in the country by which we can make perfumes and which can protect skin. The problem in Nepal is that the government has been investing virtually nothing to boost the herbal processing industry. It is unfortunate to say that we have adequate herbs to manufacture the ayurvedic medicines but our production meets less than 10 percent of total demands. We import more than ninety percent of ayurvedic medicines from India .

How is the state of ayurvedic medicine now?

Thanks to Ramdevji, an Indian yog Guru, the demands of ayuervedic medicines have gone up tremendously. I check up more than two dozens of patients in my clinic every day. People have come to realize that Ayurvedic medicines have also certain power to cure all kinds of diseases. In the past, people used to visit us when they lost all hopes from modern medicines but now it is gradually coming up as alternative medicine.

What is the doctrine of treatment of Ayurveda?

The doctrine of Ayurveda is based on three important things Bath (rheumatics), Pitta (gall bladder) and Kapha (Cough). If these three elements are maintained perfectly, human body can function normally. We will start our treatment looking at these elements. Unlike modern medicines, most of the ayurvedic medicines have little side effect as it can be used in accordance with the body nature.

Does Nepal have adequate herbs to produce all these medicines?

Yes, we have a lot of herbs but we don't have any processing units. For instances,  we have a lot of salla, (pine trees) which is used to make the medicine to treat cancer, but Nepal sells it as raw material. Other tens of thousands of herbal plants are available in various ecological zones of Nepal . Again, they are exported on very nominal prices as raw materials to many countries of the world.

How these herbal plants are identified?

In many places, the local people have basic knowledge about these medicines. They identify and locate these plants. For centuries, people used these herbal plants to cure and prevent the disease. People have knowledge which is passed from generation to generation. For instances, Tulsi (Oscimum sanctum) is very effective in curing the cold and other such problems. Every household used to plant Tulsi but now these practices are gradually vanishing. Similarly, the honey is very useful for health. Garlic, ginger and turmeric are some of the household herbals.

How the commercialization of herbal treatment is affecting the herbal plants in Nepal ?

After the commercialization, there are high demands of these traditional herbal plants and the plants are widely exploited. Now even some herbal plants are on the verge of extinction because of their over use. Yarsagumba, which is used to stimulate human body and sexual organs, is virtually on the verge of extinction because of over exploitation. Even in Kathmandu valley, many herbal plants have already vanished along with urbanization. Yarshagumba has high demand in China and Japan . Dabur Nepal is exporting salla in big volume. There are many herbs which can be used as a raw material to manufacture perfume.

How old is our own history of Ayurveda?

Our history is very recent, it was about 150 years old. During the Rana period, Singha Durbar Vaidya Khana was developed as a main center to produce the herbal medicines. It was constructed by Jung Bahadur Rana. Vaidyakhana produced almost all medicines, perfumes and vitamins required in the palaces. The Vaidyakhana has well prepared literature of preparing ayurvedic medicines. In early days, Vaidyakhana was developed to supply the medicines to high class ruling family. At that time this was the only medicine applied in the country, and so the rulers gave high priority for its development.

Are there any demand of Nepalese ayurvedic and herbal medicine in western country?

Actually, the demands of Nepalese herbal medicines are high in the western countries, particularly in the United Kingdom and United States of America . There are high demands of medicines related to gastric in these areas. The medicines related to enhance the sexual power and skin cure creams are also in high demand in the west. Since herbal medicines have no side effects, every one prefers it. We have also medicines to prevent the liver cancer and liver cirrhosis.

Are there only preventive medicines in Ayurveda? Don't you have curative medicines?

We have curative as well as preventive medicines. Unlike in modern medicines, our medicines need to be administered for a longer period of time. We have very effective medicines against the hepatitis. We have also chemical based medicines like Subarnavasma, Sankhabasma and others. They will react to the body. Ayurveda is the life and it shows how to live peacefully.

At a time when diabetes is creating a lot of problems, is there possibility to use Nepalese herbs to cure it?

Some of our herbs have effective cure for diabetics but we need to do more research on it. In the last few years, many new herbal medicines are also coming from India . These medicines are very effective to mild and newly diagnosed cases of diabetes. The Shilajit is one of the best medicines available to fight against diabetes. Once again, we need to do more research.

How effective are medicines for joint pain and rheumatic problems?

There are many effective herbal oils produced from various plants. Because of lack of processing units, these oils are sent to neighboring India for further processing.

How many medicines are manufactured in Nepal ?

Singha Durbar Vaidyakhana produces 130-135 varieties of medicines which includes the herbal, chemical based and others. Arogyabhawan also produces more than 90-95 kinds of medicines. These are only two major ayurvedic medicine producers in the country. We also use the medicines produced by these two companies.

In which area are the Ayurvedic medicines most effective?

It is very useful to treat the gastric as well as liver related diseases. Even our medicines are very effective in treating the rheumatic and joint pain.

What kind of patients do you see everyday?

It depends upon season. During the monsoon times, we have a large number of patients infected by hepatitis. In the winter, more patients are affected by joint paints and cold. Now there is high demand of Chyawanprash which is the effective medicine against the cold. I have foreigner as well as Nepali patients.

How do you see the role of government in promoting Ayurvedic medicines?

The government has done a very little to promote Ayurveda. There is no policy to promote and protect it. Even Singh durbar Vaidyakhana is in the process of collapse. The government must develop a long term program to encourage it.

How do you see the future of Ayurveda?

It has bright future and traditional herbal based medical practice like Ayurveda can be an effective alternatives medicines. What we require now is to have more manpower and investment on manufacturing sides. Looking at the present situation, I am confident that Ayurveda will revive in future.