Which animal parts are used in Ayurveda?
Q. Which of the following parts or secretions of animals are used in Ayurvedic medicines?
1) Feathers
2) Excretions
3) Flesh- Published on 13 Jan 17a. 2, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 1, 3
d. All of the above
ANSWER: All of the above
- Horns, antlers, teeth, nail, quill, feathers, hair, flesh, skin, beak, blood, and a number of soft parts of animals are used in Ayurveda.
- Secretion of animals, which include milk, civetine, musk, bile, honey, lac, and excretions also find a place in Ayurvedic treatment.
- Most of these substances are used in various formulations and applications ranging from thailam, ghrutham, lehyam, gulika, and bhasmam.
- The non-availability of animal products due to scarcity and legal hassles involved was a matter of concern for both the practitioners and the beneficiaries.
- Practitioners had recommended that the Chief Wildlife Warden of State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) of Kerala should invoke Section 64 of the Wildlife Protection Act to frame rules for permitting the use of antlers, quills, horns, and feathers and also the rearing of small Indian civet for secretions.
- The demand is in focus with the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) considering a request from Oushadhi, the government Ayurveda medicinal company, for antlers of spotted deer and sambar.
- The production of Yakrithari Vatika, which had the pelt of deer, Kasthuriadi Gulika, made out of glandular secretion of a deer, and Mahabhootharava Ghritham, made using urine of camel, horse, donkey, and elephant, has been stopped.
- Antler of deer was used in Shringabhasmam.
- Ivory is used in Hasthidantha Mashi, which is prescribed for hair loss.
- Horns of five animals, including rhino, deer, goat, buffalo, and cow, are used in Kombanchadi tablets.
- The ash of peacock feathers is used in Mayoorapicha bhasmam.
- Bile and gall bladder stones of cattle are used in Gorochanam.
- It was also recommended that the Ayurveda manufacturers could be permitted to rear small Indian civet for secretion.
- Vana samrakshana samithis may be empowered to rear the animal for supplying civet secretions, especially to practitioners of traditional Indian systems of medicine.
- It also proposed that the pharmaceutical industry should adopt modern techniques of synthetic biology as a substitute for the traditionally used medicines.
