Key research themes
1. How does Siddha Medicine conceptualize and integrate food as a therapeutic modality within its traditional practices?
This theme explores the intricate relationship Siddha Medicine establishes between diet and health, emphasizing the food-medicine continuum. It highlights how dietary regimens and medicinal foods are traditionally employed for disease prevention and management, and how this interface is documented and understood by practitioners, particularly among non-institutionally trained Siddha healers.
2. What are the evidential foundations and therapeutic potentials of specific Siddha herbo-mineral and marine drug formulations in disease management?
This research area focuses on the chemical characterization, pharmacological validation, and clinical evaluation of traditional Siddha herbo-mineral and marine preparations. The goal is to substantiate their safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action, bridging ancient formulations with contemporary biomedical research and applications in disorders ranging from osteoarthritis to gastrointestinal diseases.
3. What is the emerging clinical evidence on Siddha interventions for contemporary diseases, including infectious and metabolic disorders, and how do combined approaches improve outcomes?
This area examines the application of Siddha formulations and integrative modalities such as yoga in managing modern health challenges like COVID-19, type 2 diabetes, and geriatric care. It evaluates randomized controlled trials and pilot studies assessing efficacy, safety, and synergistic benefits, illustrating Siddha’s evolving role in augmenting conventional care and addressing multifaceted physiological and psychological aspects of disease.