An effort to interpret 'Auto-immune-pathology' as per Ayurveda (Charak).

 An effort to interpret 'Auto-immune-pathology' as per Ayurveda (Charak).

Definition of auto-immunity (wiki)

"Autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other normal body constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an 'Autoimmune disease'."

Acharya Charak

तमुवाच भगवानात्रेयः- देहधातुप्रत्यनीकभूतानि द्रव्याणि देहधातुभिर्विरोधमापद्यन्ते; परस्परगुणविरुद्धानि कानिचित्, कानिचित् संयोगात्, संस्कारादपराणि, देशकालमात्रादिभिश्चापराणि, तथा स्वभावादपराणि ॥८१॥

Substances that act in opposition to the structural and functional components of the body (deha-dhātus) are termed viruddha (antagonistic), as they produce incompatibility or disharmony when introduced into the healthy  system. They countered by healthy body tissues (deha-dhātubhivirodhamapadyante) because they are not the purest form of dhatu/ tissue as healthy tissues.

Acharya Chakrapani-

देहधातुप्रत्यनीकभूतानीति देहधातूनां रसादीनां वातादीनां च प्रकृतिस्थानां प्रत्यनीकस्वरूपाणि। {Antagonist to Rasadi 7 dhatus(7 types of tissues and vatadi tridosha}विरोधमापद्यन्त इति देहधातूनां विरोधमाचरन्ति, दूषयन्तीति यावत्। यथाभूतानि द्रव्याणि देहधातुभिर्विरोधमापद्यन्ते तदाह- परस्परविरुद्धानि कानिचिदित्यादि।

(Ch. Su.- 26)

Auto-immune-diseases (wiki)

celiac disease, diabetes mellitus type 1, Henoch–Schönlein purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren syndrome, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Addison's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, & multiple sclerosis.

Acharya Charak

षाण्ढ्यान्ध्यवीसर्पदकोदराणां विस्फोटकोन्मादभगन्दराणाम् ।

मूर्छामदाध्मानगलग्रहाणां पाण्ड्वामयस्यामविषस्य चैव ॥१०२॥

किलासकुष्ठग्रहणीगदानां शो१थाम्लपित्तज्वरपीनसानाम् ।

सन्तानदोषस्य तथैव मृत्योर्विरुद्धमन्नं प्रवदन्ति हेतुम् ॥१०३॥

(Ch. Su.- 26)

Management of Autoimmune diseases

एषां खल्वपरेषां च वैरोधिकनिमित्तानां व्याधीनामिमे भावाः प्र१तिकारा भवन्ति । तद्यथा- वमनं विरेचनं च, तद्विरोधिनां च द्रव्याणां संशमनार्थमुपयोगः, तथाविधैश्च द्रव्यैः पूर्वमभिसंस्कारः शरीरस्येति ॥१०४॥

The diseases that arise due to consumption of incompatible substances (viruddha ahara) can be managed through the following interventions: administering therapeutic emesis (vamana) and purgation (virechana), using specific antagonistic or opposing substances to pacify the effects of the viruddha dravyas, and preparing the body in advance through the administration of suitable agents that counter the effect of the incompatible ones. This preconditioning (abhisamskara) helps to minimize or nullify the harmful impact of such substances. 

Conclusions:

1. Autoimmunity may be varied in nature, presentation, substances that form it and body types (Prakriti etc.). 

2. Initially, individual 'Vyadhi-kshamatva/ immunity' inhibits it at the level of 'Koshtha/ GIT, leading to various Koshthasth/ GIT signs and symptoms, this phenomenon usually prevents 'vairodhikahar-janit-ras-dhatu' to enter 'Dhatu-poshan-kram'/ nutritional-chennals. 

These are mainly called 'Saam-vikaras'.

3. Sometimes 'vairodhikahar-janit-ras-dhatu' enters Dhatu-poshan-kram'/ nutritional-chennals and localize at various tissue levels in the form of that specific 'Dhatus'/tissues. This leads to the signs and symptoms of immune response according to the site and tissue involved.

4. Some time individual 'Vyadhi-kshamatva'/ immunity checks it and inhibits the further conversion in next tissues/ 'Dhatugatatva' then this intermediate product/Aam, lodges specific areas of affirmity and generate specific signs and symptoms according to involved sthan(location)/ dooshyas(tissues) as seen in Rheumatoid arthritis/Aamvat etc.

5. Contemporary science doesn't accept this theory that incompatible dietary substances can lead to defective formation of Ras-dhatu with defective 'Aahar-ras' that may further convert in deeper tissues constituting as a part of the tissues or whole tissues hence it is taken as abnormal auto immune response and tried to suppressed it always by immunosuppressive drugs which is usually not a cure of the autoimmune disease.

6. Ayurveda Students are advised to go thoroughly the concepts of Agni, Dashvidh pariksha, Aam, Viruddhahar, Vyadhi-kshamatva, Leen-dosha, Dooshi/gara-visha etc for detailed individual patient analysis.

Presented by

Prof. Surendra A. Soni

M.D., Ph.D (Kayachikitsa)

H.O.D.

P.G. Dept. of Kayachikitsa

Govt. Akhandanand Ayurved College,

Bhadra, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

email: surendraasoni@gmail.com