ABSTRACT
India is well known for its pluralistic medical system which is composed of biomedicine, improperly called ‘allopathy’ imposed by the British, and then supported by the Indian government, of homeopathy also introduced during British colonization, and of various Indian therapeutic systems, recognized or not by the present government. The government is aware of the high financial profit gained by Indian medicines, from medical tourism and marketing of medicinal plants and drugs. Development of public and private transport, mechanization of work, increase in incomes and urbanization of society, are factors responsible for the reduction of physical activity and, consequently, for the development of diabetes and obesity. Patients with diabetes approach siddha practitioners either to change their medication from biomedicine to siddha drugs, or to be treated for disorders for which siddha practitioners are traditionally consulted, such as dry itchy skin, nausea, tiredness, frequency of urination, foot ulcers, kidney stones and osteoarthritis.
