Current Aspects in Pharmaceutical Research and Development Vol. 4

Abstract

Present generation is anxious about lifestyle disorders and ways to lead a healthy wellbeing. Modern science emphasizes the role of genetic factors in physical appearance, mental characteristics and disease formation of individuals. Human genome studies reveal that most of the diseases have a genetic component.  Genetic mutations occur either randomly or by the influence of an environmental factor.   Genetic disorders may or may not be hereditary. WHO data illustrate, the congenital anomalies are the reason for 17%–43% of infant mortality. Even though physical structure, appearance and behavior of every individual is different, there are some common traits transferred from parents to offspring which is explained in terms of genetics. If a parent's genetic configuration is vulnerable to some diseases, their children and grandchildren are more susceptible to such illness.  In Ayurveda the concept of genetics is spread all over the samhitas especially in shaareerasthaana in a hidden form. Ancient ayurvedic scholars had the idea that the genetic materials are transmitted from generation to generation. The expression of these can be understood with regard to prakriti. An individual’s unique physical characteristics and psychic behaviors (phenotype) depends on the prakriti(genotype).  Genetics emerged in the mid to late 19th Century. But centuries before itself, ancient Ayurvedic literature documented the union of sukra and shonita(sperm and ovum), concept of beeja, beejabhaga and beejabhagavayava, inheritance, congenital anomalies, and genetic disorders.Ayurveda also gave importance to personalized or individualized concepts of understanding and treating diseases. Ayurvedic concepts like garbhasambhavasamagri (factors necessary for formation of garbha) and garbhotpadaka bhava (six procreating factors), dinacharya, ritucharya, sadvritha, dharaneeya, adharaneeyavega, ritumaticharya, &garbhinicharya assures the regulation of gene sequencing and gene expression and thus can-do wonders to the challenging issues. Ayurvedic science not only gives importance to anatomical, physiological and pathological aspects of genetics but also emphasizes the measures to prevent it. The genetics in Ayurveda is hence given much importance as the occurrences of genetic disorders are increasing day by day. So here an attempt is made to understand the concepts which was explained in ancient Ayurvedic books from the perspective of modern genetics