Twenty-Five Years of Academic Integration of Ayurveda in Argentina

A bstract Ayurveda Prema Health Foundation (Fundacion de Salud Ayurveda Prema – Ayurveda Prema), founded in 2000, aims to promote the knowledge and practice of Ayurveda in Argentina and Latin America. Over the past 25 years, it has conducted various Ayurveda courses with joint certification from prestigious institutions, including the Universidad del Gran Rosario, the Universidad Católica Argentina, and the Argentine Medical Association. During this period, more than 6000 students have been trained, including 1500 medical doctors. Ayurveda Prema maintains long-standing collaborations through Memoranda of understanding with prominent Indian institutions such as the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth, and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences. Key challenges addressed over the years include the lack of educational material in the local language, limited access to Ayurvedic medicinal plants, and the establishment of appropriate legal roles for members of the Ayurvedic health team. Research has revealed a favorable predisposition among Argentine physicians to include Ayurveda in the medical curriculum, with a growing recognition of its effectiveness over time. Additionally, it was discovered that 17 medicinal plants with Rasayana therapeutic action, as described in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India, are present in Argentina. An exploratory study demonstrated the significant benefits of incorporating Ayurvedic dietary and lifestyle recommendations in patients with congestive heart failure. Notably, Ayurveda has achieved formal recognition within the healthcare system of one province in Argentina, signaling its growing integration into mainstream health services.