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The word ‘Siddha’ denotes one who has achieved some extraordinary powers.
The word ‘Siddha’ denotes one who has achieved some extraordinary powers. This achievement was related to the discipline of mind and its superiority over the body and was accomplished through both yoga and medicine.
The dominant three systems that are in practice in India from the old and medieval periods are Siddha, Ayurveda, and Unani.
All these are based on humoral pathology or, on the same physiological tenet that are the three humors (air, fire, and water) that maintain the human body through the combined functioning. Some people claim that Ayurveda is the oldest medical system, but from the research done with the help of available historical data, it is evident that the Siddha system of medicine is much older and has more history than even Ayurveda.
The Siddha System of Medicine is the oldest and flourished in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. It is the foremost of all other medical systems of the world. This conventional system of medicine was predominant in ancient Tamil Literature. It is also known as the Tamil medicine or Siddha System of medicine. All the writings are completely in the Tamil Language.
According to the Tamil tradition, Siddha Medicine is associated with 18 Siddhars including Agasthiar, Tirumular, Bogar, and Theraiyar. It acknowledges the three humoral concepts viz., air (Vata), bile (pitta), and phlegm (Kapha) initially. In the latter, significant importance is given to the examination of the pulse (Nadi) for determining the disposition of three humors. Also, a Urine examination is used in Siddha medicine to determine the intensity of the disease based on its color. If the urine is ruby or milky white, the disease is said to be incurable, whereas yellow or honey-colored urine would indicate the curable stage of the disease.
According to the Siddha medicine, various psychological and physiological functions of the body are attributed to the combination of seven elements: first is saram (plasma) responsible for growth, development, and nourishment; second is cheneer (blood) responsible for nourishing muscles, imparting color and improving intellect; the third is ooun (muscle) responsible for the shape of the body; fourth is kollzuppu (fatty tissue) responsible for oil balance and lubricating joints; fifth is enbu (bone) responsible for body structure and posture and movement; sixth is moolai (nerve) responsible for strength, and the last is sukila (semen) responsible for reproduction.
When the normal equilibrium of three humors (vatha, pitha, and kapha) is disturbed, the disease is caused. The factors, which affect this equilibrium are environment, climatic conditions, diet, physical activities, and stress. Under normal conditions, the ratio between these three humors (vatha, pitha, and kapha) is 4:2:1 respectively. According to the Siddha medicine system, diet and lifestyle play a major role not only in health but also in curing diseases. This concept of Siddha medicine is termed pathya and apathya, which is essentially a list of dos and don’t.
The Siddhars did extensive research on plants and devised methods by which plants could be harnessed medicinally. They also described the poisonous nature of some plants and the antidotes for them and classified plants based on the way they affected the body.
Unlike Ayurveda, which is another traditional system of Indian medicine, but which gives topmost priority to herbal treatment, Siddha medicine gives importance to the conjunctive use of plants and minerals. For simple ailments, the Siddha practitioner advises the initial use of herbs. If this does not prove effective, the judicious use of plants, minerals, and animal products is advised. Hence, the Siddha drugs used by the Siddhars could be classified into three groups:
In herbal drugs, the Siddhars not only used herbs but also herbs that grow in high altitudes of the Himalayas along with tropical herbs. It is noteworthy that Siddhar Korakkar was the first to introduce Cannabis as a medicine; he used it as a powerful painkiller.
The drugs used in Siddha medicine were classified based on five properties: suvai (taste), guna (character), veerya (potency), pirivu (class) and mahimai (action).
External medicine includes certain forms of drugs and also certain applications like nasal, eye, and ear drops and also certain procedures like leech application.
Internal medicine was used through the oral route and further classified into 32 categories based on their form, methods of preparation, shelf life, etc. Such as Chooranam, Chaaru, Kudineer, Karkam, Utkalee, Adai, Surasam, Pittu, Vadagam, Vennai, Manappagu, Nei, Rasayanam, Ilagham, Ennai, Mathirai, Kadughu, Pakkuvam, Thenural, Theeneer, Mezhugu, Kuzhambu, Pathangam, Chenduram, Neer or Parpam, Kattu, Urukku, Kalanghu, Chunnam, Karpam, Chatthu, and Gurukuligai.
The Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) is an autonomous body under the Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy), Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India, for the undertaking, coordinating, formulating, developing, and promoting research on scientific lines in Siddha. Also, State-wise Government Siddha Institutes, Numerous Private research institutes, organizations, Contract research organizations are contributing to Siddha research from India and Abroad to find out solutions to innumerable diseases.
