eCAM 2008;5(2)121–122 doi:10.1093/ecam/nen035 Editorial Ayurveda and eCAM: A Closer Connection Edwin L. Cooper Laboratory of Comparative Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Box 951763, 63-230 CHS, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1763, USA We are now well into Volume 5, of eCAM, special for a couple of reasons. First it is a joy to have reached 5 years for a young journal. In Issue 1 there was my editorial that has sparked interest from diverse sectors including increased numbers of manuscripts from India. In this second issue, there is a continued focus on ayurveda beginning with the lecture by Prof. Mashelkar that opened the 2nd Ayurvedic Congress in Pune, where I presented an invited Writer’s Workshop (1). The engag- ing new cover draws attention to ayurvedic practices in India (2). For an historical and international comparison, Patwardhan et al. (3), remind us that ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicine (TIM) and the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remain the most ancient yet living traditions. Along with increased global interest in traditional medicine, there are efforts to monitor and regulate herbal drugs and traditional medicine. China has been successful in promoting its therapies with more research and science-based approaches, while ayurveda still needs more extensive scientific research and a solid evidence base. In another consideration of ayurveda, Hankey (4) offers a contrast in depth analyses and long- range predictions linking complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with theoretical biology. More expan- sively, Hankey asserts that the new biophysics can be integrated to yield a single consistent theory, which may well underlie much of CAM—a true ‘physics of physick’. The resulting theory seems to be a new, fundamental theory of health and etiology. Many CAM approaches to health care are scientifically in advance of those based on For reprints and all correspondence: Edwin L. Cooper, Distinguished Professor and Editor in Chief eCAM, Laboratory of Comparative Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Box 951763, 63-230 CHS, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1763, USA. Tel: (310) 825-9567; Fax: (310) 825-2224; E-mail: ecam@mednet.ucla.edu current Western biology. Such theories may well con- stitute the next steps in our scientific understanding of biology itself. If successfully developed, these ideas could result in a major paradigm shift in both biology and medicine; this will benefit consumers, health profes- sionals, scientists, institutions and governments. Basic science and clinical analyses are broad areas of eCAM emphasis including ayurvedic approaches using plants. Rastogi et al. (5), used Streblus asper Lour a small tree found in tropical countries, (India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand). Various plant parts are used for treating filariasis, leprosy, toothache, diarrhea, dysentery and cancer. Their different in vitro and in vivo techniques using biological evaluations support most of these claims. Essa and Subramanian (6) examined Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) an edible medicinal plant, also indigenous to India, China and Thailand significantly increased levels of anti-oxidants such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in brain tissues, suggesting significant anti-hyperammonemic and anti-oxidant activity. Oxidative stress and free radicals have been implicated in impaired wound healing. Shetty et al. (7) tested Ocimum sanctum, a plant widely used in ayurveda that possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, the potential source of alcoholic and aqueous extracts for wound healing in Wistar albino rats. In extract-treated rats and controls, doses signifi- cantly increased wound breaking strength, hydroxypro- line, hexuronic acid, hexosamines, SOD, CAT, GSH but significantly decreased percentage of wound contraction and lipid peroxidation. Mushrooms are low calorie food with minimal fat and highly suitable for obese persons. With no starch and low sugars, mushrooms might be considered the ‘delight of diabetics’. Combination of herbal drugs (or isolated phytochemicals) is beneficial in certain diseases when 2008 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.