the philosophy of ayurveda and beyondthe philosophy of ayurveda and beyond

8/13/2019 The Philosophy of Ayurveda and BeyondThe Philosophy of Ayurveda and Beyond

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The Philosophy of Ayurveda and Beyond

Arunabha Ray and Kavita Gulati

Department of PharmacologyVallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute

Faculty of Medicine, University of Delhi,Delhi (India)


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Ayurveda

Indian traditional system of medicine

Herbo-mineral system of medicine practiced for morethan 3000 years

This holistic system of medicine is based on theinherent ability of the human body to rejuvenate, toheal and to restore its natural balance

It uses the time proven concepts of regulated diet anda healthy lifestyle, supported with remedies andtreatments that are safe, effective and affordable


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Ayurveda

AYUR = Life and VEDA = Science/knowledge

Ayurvedas theory of humoral pathology says that the human body is composed of Trisdoshas the three humors Vata,

Pitta and Kapha

The Tridoshas in equilibrium are called the Tridhatu

The body in which these thr ee humors are in state ofequilibrium enjoys perfect health; their disequilibrium causesill health or disease


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An examplethe spinning top

The spinning top

While it is in motion it seems to be spinning perfectlyvertical perfect health

The moment it is disturbed it starts tilting over andlosing balance, this is a deviation disease

If it continues spinning and stops of its own inertia,this is natural - this could be compared to a naturaldeath


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Indian (Hindu) Philosophy

Indian philosophy may be divided in to two streams Astikaand Nastika

The Astikans believed in god , a life after death and thesupreme authority of the Vedas - the sacred scriptures ofHinduism

The Nastikans (non-believers) negated all these holy concepts

The Astika stream has six main darsanas or philosophies, ofwhich the Sankhya philosophy has influenced Ayurveda themost in developing its fundamental theory of humoral

pathology


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In summary

The gist of Ayurveda philosophy is related to the soulor individual consciousness

The structural arrangement or the functional

arrangement of the body is in synchrony with theexternal environment

Its a very harmonious relationship taking intoaccount individual constitution, effect of time, effectof age, diet and habits acquired over a period of time

This is precisely how Ayurveda looks at life


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Ayurveda Rasayana

Rasayana : an important component Refers to therapeutic regimens It deals with conservation, transformation and

revitalization of energy Rasayana describes herbal preparations that promotes

a youthful state of physical and mental health and

happiness


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Rasayana

Rasayana herbs have high levels of both safety fordaily use and effectiveness across all age barriers

They are normalizers of disrupted physilogical

homeostasis (? Hans Selye`s concept of Stress) Rejuvinators or immunomodulators Some similarity with modern day adaptogens

considerable overlap Integration of Ayurvedic concepts with scientific

validation the order of the day


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Herbal Drug Research

Emerging area of research in pharmacology andmedicine globally

New drug development from herbal sources has beena thrust area in recent years

Effective alternative/complimentary therapy in severaldiseases

Safety profile mostly being well documented Scientific methodology being adopted to delineate

molecular mechanisms (eg. systems biology approach) Interactions between traditional and modern medicine


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Adaptogens

Adaptogens have a normalizing effect on the body and arecapable of either toning down the activity of hyperfunctioning systems or strengthening the activity of hypofunctioning systems

It is claimed that adaptogenic herbs are unique from other substances in their ability to balance endocrine hormonesand the immune system, and they help the body tomaintain optimal homeostasis


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Adaptogenic herbs

Adaptogens with significant levels of scientificresearch confirming their use include:

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Amla (Emblica officinalis)


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Traditional and modern medicines :complimentary roles

Reverse pharmacology Modern biological approaches Explore novel molecular mechanisms Systematic preclinical toxicity studies Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance Validation of herbal drug effects Golden Triangle Project (GTP) in India


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Reverse Pharmacology

Experimental evaluation of clinically observedfindings, seen specially with herbal agents

Reverse pharmacology as an alternative path for new drug development

Reverse pharmacology correlates herbal(Ayurvedic) drug action

A practice which was successfully employed inthe past (eg. Reserpine) and is being morescientifically implemented now


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Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi)

Ocimum sanctum (Holy Basel) or Tulsi Most common and revered plant in the Indian

household

Healing herb with sacred implications in this partof the subcontinent

In Ayurveda : role in enhancing immune andmetabolic function and in respiratory disorders


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Effects of O. sanctum on stress gastric ulcers

Treatment(mg/kg) Mean Ulcernumber Mean Ulcerseverity (mm)

Controls 0.6 0.2 0.2 0.04

RS 7.8 1.6 * 2.8 0.6 *

OS (50) + RS 4.8 1.2 a 2.0 0.6

OS (100) + RS 2.1 0.3 a 0.8 0.2 a

* p< 0.05 ( vs. no RS ) ; a. p < 0.05 ( vs. RS)


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Effects of O.sanctum on adaptive immunity

Treatment(mg/kg)

Antibody titre

(-log2)

DTH response(%)

Controls 6.6 0.6 20.2 3.5

RS 3.4 0.4 * 12.6 5.0 *

OS (50) + RS 5.0 0.6 19.6 6.6 a

OS (100) + RS 7.0 1.0 a 22.7 4.2 a

* p< 0.05 ( vs. no RS ) ; a. p < 0.05 ( vs. RS)


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OS and stress responses

OS leaf extract reversed RS induced neurobehavioralsuppression in the elevated plus maze test

The herbal extract lowered RS-induced elevations of

corticosterone

The severity of stress induced gastric erosions wereattenuated by OS

Stress-induced suppressions of adaptive immunitywere also reversed by this agent


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Azadirachta indica (AI) - Neem

Indian lilac, Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Latin) Highly esteemed, widely prevalent tree in Indian

subcontinent (Wonder tree) In Ayurveda : Sarva Roga Nivarana Releases large amounts of oxygen

(photosynthesis) as compared to others Air purifier All parts of the plant are beneficial (root, seeds,

bark, stem, leaf, flower)


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Azadirachta indica (Neem) and stress markers

0

2040

60

80

100

120

140

160180

EPM activity Corticosterone

CRSAI+RSDZP+RS

%


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Treatment Antibody Titre Footpad thickness(mg/kg) (-log2) (Rt-Lt Paw)----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vehicle (no RS) 6.7 0.5 0.072 0.006

AI(100) 7.0 0.3 0.093 0.003

RS 4.1 0.5* 0.040 0.010*

AI(100) +RS 6.3 0.3a 0.077 0.020a----------------------------------------------------------------------------* p< 0.05 ( vs. no RS ) ; a. p < 0.05 ( vs. RS)

Effects of AI (Neem) Leaf Extract on Immuneresponses in normal and stressed rats


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Stress, Immunity and AI

RS suppressed humoral and cell mediated immuneresponses which was attenuated/reversed after AI pretreatment

Immunized rats showed higher antibody titresafter AI treatment (no RS)

AI also potentiated IgG and IgM levels in normalanimals


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Dopamine (DA) and stress

The role of DA and its receptors in the modulation of asstress responses is reported

DA agonists protect whereas, DA antagonists aggravate

stress responses

Interactions of DA with other modulators/transmitterssuggested during stressful stimuli

In view of this, the possible role of DA in anti-stresseffects of adaptogens were evaluated


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_________________________________________________

Treatment Antibody Titre Gastric Ulcers(mg/kg) (-log2) ( mm)--------------------------------------------------------------------------Vehicle (no RS) 6.7 0.5 0.04 0.02

RS 3.8

0.4* 2.8

0.6*OS + RS 6.0 0.6 a 1.0 0.2 a

AI + RS 5.8 1.0 a 0.6 0.3 a

-MT + OS + RS 4.0 0.4 3.6 0.8Hal + AI +RS 4.8 1.2 3.0 0.3--------------------------------------------------------------------------* p< 0.05 ( vs. no RS ) ; a. p < 0.05 ( vs. RS)

Effects of dopamine depletors and receptor blockerson adaptogen effects on stress (RS) markers


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Conclusions

Ayurveda is much more than a mere philosophy

The use of reverse pharmacology approach and noveltechniques are being used effectively to validate sometraditional Ayurvedic drug effects

Pharmacological studies with adaptogens provide a goodexample

Such integration between traditional and modernconcepts, i.e. philosophy with science, can be the key tonew herbal drug development


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Acknowledgements

Prof. P. Sen Late Prof. S.K. Bhattacharya Dr. P.C. Maity Dr. C.K. Katiyar Prof. B.D. Banerji All students and staff members in my lab

Dabur Research Foundation (India)


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the philosophy of ayurveda and beyondthe philosophy of ayurveda and beyond

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