Charaka is one of the ancient scholars of Ayurveda.
His renowned work, the ‘Charak Samhita’ is considered an encyclopedia of Ayurveda.
Acharya Charak minutely explains facts about human anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, immunology and the mechanism of blood circulation. His work contains detailed discussions about diseases and treatment including diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease etc, spread over many chapters and thousands of verses.
He emphasises the influence of the soul, mind and body connection. The concept of mind body medicine and the importance of spirituality in physical and mental health first appears in his text book which is dated around the second or third century BC. He also described an ethical charter for medical practitioners two centuries prior to the Hippocratic oath.
Aparna K. BAMS, MD, PhD
Consultant advisor for development of Oneworld Ayurveda and visiting physician
Aparna is one of the few specialists in the world with a PhD in Ayurveda. Born into an Ayurvedic family which operates a traditional Ayurvedic Panchakarma hospital in Kerala, India, she grew up observing her father, the renowned Dr. Padmanabhan
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