rasayana as immunomodulation to ayurveda

  RASAYANA AS IMMUNOMODULATOR TO AYURVEDA

BY-   DR. ASHISH KUMAR SINGH

PG SCHOLAR

DEPT. OF KAYACHIKITSA

KVG AYURVEDA MEDICAL COLLEGE, SULLIA

   INTRODUCTION:

         The modulation of immune system is maintained by to Herbal and Mineral Products these are works as immunomodulator. An immunomodulator is a substance used for its effect on immune system in both innate and adaptive. The concept of immunomodulator is mentioned as Rasayana in Ayurveda. Most of the Rasayana drugs nourishes to Macro( Dosha, Dhatu, Mala, Agni) & Micro (Panchamahabhuta and Atma) elements of the body.

  VYADHI KSHAMATVA (Disease Resistance)

 Vyadhikshamatva used the combination of two word as vyadhi+ kshamatva, the word vyadhi means to disease, to harm, to damage or to hurt. The word  kshamatva means to ability, to composed, to suppress anger or to resist the development of disease. The quality of human body is called as body resistance. This the important preventive measure against any disease.

         As the name of vyadhikshamatva is depends upon two words

1) Vyadhibalavirodhatvam means capacity of the body to fight against the manifested disease (Natural immunity).

2) Vyadhiutpadapratibandhakatvam means capacity of the body not allow to produce disease or pathogenesis.

  

VYADHIKSHAMATVA (Disease resistance depends on)-

          a) Sattva   –   Power of mind

          b) Ojas      -   Vital essence

          c) Agni      -   Digestive power

          d) Bala      -   Physical strength

a) Sattva -(Power of mind)-

Any disease can developed easily if the power of mind is poor. Acharya Charak has described fearlessness as one of the good qualities of a patients. When the person have good power of mind and away from the bad habits of living then this helps in prevention of disease.

b) Ojas- (Vital essence)-

  Ojas prevents catabolism of the body elements and its resists the causative factors of a disease. Ojas is the final and excellent essence of Saptadhatus(Rasa,Rakta,Mamsa,Meda,Asthi,Majja,Shukra) beginning with Rasa and ending with Shukra Dhatu.

Acharya Vagbhatta has explained- during the eighth month of pregnancy the vital essence circulates alternately in the body of mother and faetus but it does not stabilize in the faetus.

c) Agni-(Digestive power)-

 Agni is responsible for the maintaining of life, colour, lustre of the body, energy and vital essence.

Acharya Charak has explained Samavastha and Prakopavastha of Vata, Pitta, Kapha, depends on the Agni therefore this Agni should be protect and maintain normal in three stages.

      I.            Santhi agni(completely cooled down )- person is like death.

   II.            Agni Samavastha(Normal temperature)- person living long life.

III.             Agni Asamyavastha(abnormal body temperature)- person is suffering from any disease.   

d) Bala-(Physical strength)-

  The term bala used as synonyms of ojas. Bala signifies the physical, mental strength of body resistance. Those who increase the resistance power from disease is called as bala. Due to bala we can control to dosha. Caraka has explained prakriti kapha and ojas both are Shareer bala.

  CONCEPT OF IMMUNOLOGY-  Immunology is the subject that deals with the factor that are responsible for opposing the causes of disease and with standing power of the some and the method which are adapted to restore immunity or to improve. There are mainly two varieties of Immunological activity connected with aging  and they are-

 1.  Cellular mediated immunity- As like Neutrophils, Antigen presenting cells(APCs) eg. dendritic cells, Macrophages, NK cells, CD8 Cytotoxic, CD4 Helper.

 2.  Humoral mediated immunity- As like Complement system, Antibody.

VYADHIKSHAMATWA PURUSHA AND ATURA PURUSHA LAKSHANA (Symptoms of healthy and unhealthy person)-
VYADHIKSHAMATWA PURUSHA (Healthy person)-

            Healthy person having proportionate musculature, compactness of the body and  possess very strong sensory and motor organs, they can overcome the onslaught of disease, and can hunger, thirst, heat of Sun withstand.  They can tolerate to cold, exercise, and have proper digestion, proper aging and proper nourishment of muscle tissue. 

  ATURA PURUSHA (Unhealthy person)-

           The irregularities of diet and daily regimen are not able to provocate all the three Dosha equally. The strength of all the three Doshas is not equal. Similarly, the bodies of all  the individuals are not having equal ability to resist a disease. 
        

RASAYANA AS IMMUNOMODULATOR

  Immunomodulator definition-

                Immunomodulator as a substance biological or synthetic, which can stimulate, suppress or modulate any of the components of the immune including both innate and adaptive immune response.

   
 Rasayana –  

               That which stabilises age, deriving the best of Rasa, Veerya, Vipaka & Prabhava of  the drug and bestow long life, strength and vigour is called Rasayana.

Rasayana is composed with two word Rasa+Ayana i.e.

Rasa means- The body fluids responsible for the nourishment of the entire body and mind.

Ayana means-    If passage of these life sustaining fluid in proper supply. Rasayana therapy is that which ensures the proper supply and nourishment to various organs of the body through Sroto-Shodhana- Mechanism. 

              So all Rasayana drugs have effect of immunomodulator.

  

PHARMACHODYNAMIC  OF  RASAYANA  DRUGS:

      Pharmachodynamic action of Rasayana is not described well by Acharyas, but on the basis of different pharmacological action on drugs we can conclude.  

Rasayana effects on Rasa(Nutrition value of plasma)- Rasa Dhatu supports the various tissues and responsible for the normal formation of other Dhatu. The nutrient fraction of Rasa provides nourishment to Rakta and rakta to mamsa.

Rasayana effects on Agni(Digestion and metabolism)-  Rasayana drugs also perform at the level of agni and stimulate the metabolism process.

Rasayana effects on Srotas(Micro circulation and Tissue Perfusion)- Rasayana drugs can enhance the performance of srotansi and help in the circulation nutrition material up to the maximum terminal part of the body.

             All these factors improves nourishments and fallowed to improved quality of tissue, then after effects on Jaranasha(longivity), Vyadhinasha(destroy to disease), Medhya vridhhi(mental competence). these are works as Rasayana(Rejuvenation) in body.

NAIMITTIKA RASAYANA:

 This concept emerges in Susruta Samhita and is more clearly stated by Dalhana.

Naimittika Rasayana is use in patients for specific disease. So here presented various of Rasayana drugs for single disease -

VYADHI	RASAYANA DRUGS
DRUSHTI ROGA	JYOTISHMATI, TRIPHALA, SHATAVARI, YASHTIMADHU
HRIDROGA	SHALAPARNI, ARJUNA, GUGGULU
TWAK ROGA	TUVARAKA, BHALLATAKA, VIDANGA, SOMARAJI, GANDHAKA, KHADIRA
GULMA	PIPPALI, BHALLATAKA
YAKSHMA	RASONA, NAGABALA, SHILAJITU, PIPPALI
PANDU	LOHA, BAKUCHI, MANDURA, MAKSHIKA
SHWASA	PIPPALI, BHALLATAKA, TULSI
AMAVATA	AMRITA BHALLATAKA, KUPILU
VATA VYADHI	RASONA, GUGGULU, BALA, NAGABALA
PRAMEHA	SHILAJATU, AMALAKI, HARIDRA
MEDORAGA	GUGGULU, HARITAKI
UCHHA RAKTA CHAPA	RASONA, BALA, RASNA, SARPAGANDHA, OTHER MEDHYA DRUGS
NIMNA RAKTA CHAPA	KASTURI, KUPILU
SHITA PITTA	HARIDRA
MANASIKA ROGA	VACHA, MANDUKAPARNI, SHANKHAPUSHPI, GURUCHI, YESHTIMADHU, BRAMHI
RAKTAPITTA	GAMBHARI PHALA

IMMUNOMODULATORY  DRUGS  ACCORDING  TO AGE

SL NO	AGE	RASAYANA DRUGS	EFFECT
1.	NEW BORN CHILD	VACHA, TRIPADIKA RASA, MADHU	PREVENT THE OCCURANCE OF DISEASE
2.	15 DAYS OLD CHILD	BILVA, DHATRI,	-DO-
3.	1 MONTH OLD CHILD	MUSTA, HINGU, VILANGA, TRAYANTI, GHRITA	-DO-
4.	3 MONTHS OLD CHILD	VYOSHA, SARIVA,	-DO-
6.	1 YEAR  OLD CHILD	DHATRI, MUSTA, VYOSHA, MADHU, JIRAKA	-DO-
7.	3 YEAR OLD CHILD	GUDUCHI, PIPPALI, VACHA, YASHTIMADHU, DADIMA, JIRAKA	-DO-
8.	5 YEAR OLD CHILD	PUSHKARAMOOLA, VACHA	-DO-
9.	6 YEAR OLD CHILD	SHANKHAPUSHPI, VACHA, MADHU, GHRITA	-DO-
10.	10 YEAR OLD CHILD	BRAMHI SWARASA, ABHAYA, VYOSHA, VACHA, TALISA PATRA	BALYA
11.	11- 20 YEAR	KASHMARI, ASHWAGANDHA, BALA	VRUDDHI
12.	21-30 YEAR	LOHA, AMLAKI	VRUDDHI
13.	31-40 YEAR	SHANKHIPUSHPI, JYOTISHMATI	MEDHYA
14.	41-50 YEAR	JYOTISHMATI, PRIYALA, SOMARAJI, BHRINGRAJA	TWACHYA
15.	51 -70 YEAR	JYOTISHMATI, SHATAVARI, TRIPHALA	DRISHTI
16.	71- ABOVE	ATMAGUPTA, VAJIKARANA DRUGS	SHUKRALA

IMMUNOMODULATORY  DRUGS  FOR  DOSHAS

     VATA  PRAKRUTI :  Bala, Ghrita with Nagabala, Ashwagandha, Shankhapushpi, and other medhya drugs.

    PITTA  PRAKRUTI    :     Amalaki, Shatavari

    KAPHA  PRAKRUTI :   Bhallataka, Rasona, Guggulu, Pippali

IMMUNOMODULATORY  DRUGS  FOR  SAPTADHATU

    RASADHATU       :     Kharjura, Draksha, Kashmari,

    RAKTADHATU    :    Loha, Amalaki, Bhringaraja, Palandu

    MAMSADHATU  :  Bala, Nagabala, Rudanti, Ashwagandha,     

                                    Shalaparni, Kashmari, Mamsa rasa

    MEDADHATU      :    Guggulu, Shilajatu, Amrita, Haritaki

     ASTHIDHATU     :   Asthisamhara, Laksha, Shukti, Shankha 

                                       Vamshalochana, Prishnaparni

    MAJJADHATU     :     Loha, Vasa, Majja,

    SHUKRADHATU  : Atmagupta, and Vajikarana Drugs

IMMUNOMODULATORY DRUG FOR SROTAS AND AGNI-

Rasayana Drugs For Srotas : Pippali, Bhallataka, Guggulu,  

                                               Rasona, Kasturi,  Rudanti

Rasayana Drugs For Agni :

   Jatharagni :    Vidanga, Haritaki, Pippali, Chitraka,

   Dhatvagni :     Amalaki, Amrita, Kumari, Pippali      

   Mandagni :       Swarna,  Kasturi,  Makaradhwaja,                                             

                       Kupilu, Abhraka

 CONCLUSION-

        The Concept of Ojas and Bala of the Inherent immunological capabilities including innate immunity and adaptive immunity in term of Sahaja bala and Yuktikrita bala.

        Main Role of Health and Disease is depending upon Immunity.

        Most of the Rasayana drugs works as Antioxidants not only cure to disease its protects body from various illness, aging and degeneration through neutralizing free radicals.

REFERENCES-     

      Charaka Samhita

      Sushruta Samhita

      Astanga Samgrah

      Sarngadhara Samhita

      Arogya Raksa Kalpadrumah

      Chikitsa Kalika

      Rasayana Tantra by Dr. Bal Govind Tiwari

      Handbook of microbiology ES