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Hari M. Sharma, MD, FRCPC; Deepak Chopra, MD

JAMA. 1991;265(20):2633-2637.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

AYUR-VEDA is the oldest existing medical system, having its heritage in ancient India. It is recognized by the World Health Organization and is still widely practiced.¹ The All India Ayur-Veda Congress (representing Ayurvedic physicians) has a membership of over 300 000, and 108 Ayurvedic colleges in India grant a degree after a 5-year program. Yet, until recently, Ayur-Veda has been virtually unknown in the West. Current interest in disease prevention and health promotion has led to its investigation by a growing number of Western physicians who are finding it to add valuable knowledge that is complementary to modern allopathic medicine.

The word Ayur-Veda comes from two Sanskrit roots: Ayus, meaning life or life span, and Veda, meaning knowledge or science. Ayur-Veda is therefore translated as "the science of life," which emphasizes its orientation toward prevention. The major textbooks of Ayur-Veda, the Charaka Samhita² and Sushruta Samhita,³ cover . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
The Ohio State University College of Medicine Columbus Brihaspati Dev Triguna, Ayur-Veda Martand All India Ayur-Veda Congress New Delhi, India; American Association of Ayurvedic Medicine Lancaster, Mass

Footnotes
Edited by Annette Flanagin, RN, MA, Assistant to the Editor.

Reprint requests to the Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Room M368SL, 320 W10th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 (Dr Sharma).

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