Collaborative research for improvement of health - researcher’s experiences

Medicinal plants have been used in virtually all cultures as a source of medicine, since times immemorial. In past two decades, numerous factors have done escalating appeal to use traditional medicine throughout the world. There is a need to integrate Ayurveda in to modern medicine practices. This requires clinical validation by conducting collaborative researches. Collaborative (or participatory) research are defined as researchers working together to realize the common goal of developing new knowledge domain. Ayurveda has also given importance for the collaborative study. Acharya Sushruta in his first compendium chapter 4 mentioned that study of different or allied medical science should be done to improve the Knowledge. Collaboration increases the probability that the knowledge, skills and techniques required are going to be available within the collaborators, and therefore the time spent in learning information or skills is minimized. Structural dissimilarity, colonialism, development strategies or capacity building, consent are main concerns of a collaborative research. Choosing the objectives together, build up mutual trust, sharing of information and develop networks, creation of transparency, monitoring and evaluating the collaboration, publication of the results, application of the results, equal sharing of the profits, increase research capacity and repose on the achievements, are principles of research partnership. Funding agencies and governments in developing countries should increase their support of collaborative research designed to enhance world health. Modern medicine mainly related to biological consideration, in contrast Ayurveda adopts its own approach through its theories of Panchamahabhuta, Tridosa, Dhatu, Agni, Ama, Oja, Srota etc. which is very difficult to explain in terms of conventional Anatomy, Physiology etc. So there is a need of new strategies and new methodologies in Ayurveda. Ayurveda has to be studied and investigated with its basic principles but the technical tools will have to suitably adopt from modern basic and bio-sciences with proper interactions between Ayurveda and counterpart experts.