A REVIEW ON THE ROLE OF VASTIKARMA IN DIABETES MELLITUS

*Meenakshi Gusain, Kshiteeja Choudhary, Alok Kumar Srivastava and Gyanendra Datta Shukla

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is a clinical syndrome characterized mainly by hyperglycemia due to absolute or relative deficiency of insulin. Lack of insulin affects the metabolism of carbohydrate, protein and fat and causes significant disturbance of water and electrolyte homeostasis. In Ayurveda, it can be correlated as Prameha. Prameha is mentioned as one of the eight major diseases (Ashta mahagada) in Brihatrayi (The 3 prime classics of Ayurveda) in Ayurveda. Acharya Charaka has explained it as a life-style disorder due to over indulgence in heavy and rich nutritious food, day time sleep, lack of exercises, other sedentary habits and not doing seasonal purifications. Now a days, it is very common and prevalent disease affecting about 25% of world population. In Ayurveda, especially Panchakarma have a major part to do with prevention and management of Diabetes. As, in this there are some specific purificatory procedures which removes the stagnated, vitiated Doshas out of body in a natural way. Vasti Karma is one of the most powerful therapy of all the main five procedures of Panchkarma and is said to be equal to half of all the treatments, has major role in controlling Diabetes Mellitus hence this is an attempt to explain the control and management of Prameha in Ayurveda through Vasti Karma.

Keywords: Vastikarma, Panchakarma, Prameha, Diabetes mellitus.