The road not taken

A project to help de-addiction with ayurvedic remedies was conducted by the Ayurved College at Bharati Vidyapeeth University.

Department of Agadtantra (toxicology) at BVP’s College of Ayurveda has successfully carried out de-addiction treatment through ayurveda.

A project to help de-addiction with ayurvedic remedies was conducted by the Ayurved College at Bharati Vidyapeeth University. According to Dr Abhijit Patil from the Ayurveda College,who conducted the study,ayurved aims at conserving the health and curing the disease of an individual with its basic principles like Tridosha Siddhant.

Worldwide,there has been a widespread occurrence of alcohol abuse that results in not only physical deterioration but also in tremendous socio-economic losses,he says adding that the picture is not very different in the Indian society. The experts decided to study if ayurveda had a remedy for alcoholism.

The Department of Agadtantra (toxicology) at BVP’s College of Ayurveda a has undertaken four projects,which are also coordinated with the Muktangan De-Addiction Centre for research.

Patil,Head of the Department of Toxicology told The Indian Express that they were administering drugs like dried ginger (a decoction of shunthi) and coriander seeds (dhanyak) aoart from a preparation of Khus,pomegranate,tamarind and honey for the problem of alcoholism. A powder of Sourvachal lavana (A type of salt),cumin,tamarind,amlavetas,cardamon,pepper,cuminum bark ( Dalchini) and Sugar and ghee made from Punarnava,Yashtimadhu,cow’s ghee and cow’s milk are also used for the preparation of ayurvedic medicine against alcoholism.

The medicines are given to the inmates of the de-addiction centre at the prescribed time for 30days under the supervision of doctors. The expected outcome of these projects is a reduction in the withdrawal symptoms like nausea,vomiting,profuse sweating,intense thirst,burning sensation of body,tremors,headache and giddiness. This will enable the patient compliance to continue the de-addiction schedule,says Patil.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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