SASTRA conducts national conference on diabetes, Parkinson's disease
SASTRA University
conducted a national conference on 'Mantras and Medicine: Managing Diabetes with
Parkinson's Disease
(M3DPD-2025)', by bringing traditional knowledge systems and modern medical research together to address the growing challenges of diabetes and Parkinson's disease (PD).
The event, held in association with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) on Wednesday, focused on exploring the therapeutic potential of
vedic chanting
,
siddha medicine
, and herbal interventions like costus igneus (commonly known as the insulin plant), alongside advancements in biomedical diagnostics and artificial intelligence.
Ramachandra G Bhat, vedic scholar and former vice-chancellor of S-VYASA University, Bengaluru in his inaugural speech emphasized the relevance of veda-based therapies and ecological healing for chronic illnesses, especially neurological and metabolic conditions.
S Venugopalan, professor, department of Oriental Studies and Research, SASTRA University, underlined the necessity of integrating scriptural wisdom with evidence-based medicine for holistic well-being.
More than 50 scholarly papers were presented, ranging from ethnobotanical studies, cell line research, clinical trial methodologies, and philosophical perspectives on healing, involving researchers from India and abroad.
As part of the initiative, blood screening camps were already conducted in rural parts of Tamil Nadu, identifying over 42 patients with diabetes and Parkinson's for clinical study.
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