AAMJ / Vol. 2 / Issue 6 / November – December 2016

A A M J Anveshana Ayurveda Medical Journal

www.aamj.in ISSN: 2395-4159

Review Article

Comparative Study of Āmadoṣa with Free Radicals

Sonali V Shukla 1 Viraj V Shukla 2

A b s t r a c t

All the classical books of Ayurveda have described Āma as the root cause of almost

all the diseases. Āma means unripe, uncooked, immature & undigested food which is

guru, daurgandhya yukta & bahupichchila in nature. Due to Jātharāgnimāndya a res-

idue of āhāra rasa left behind undigested towards the end of digestion called as

Āma. In the same manner, free radicals formed during normal metabolic processes

produce some molecules which are harmful to the body. As free radicals have un-

paired electron in their outermost shell, they are unstable & highly reactive & causes

cellular damage. Free radicals and āmadoṣa both causes cell injury & are root cause

of many diseases. Antioxidant such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C, beta- carotene & seleni-

um can prevent the cell damage. By doing Agni rakṣaṇa & agni sandukṣaṇa one can

prevent ill effects of Āmadoṣa.

Key words – Free radicals, antioxidants, āmadoṣa, agni sandukṣaṇa.

.

1 Associate Professor, Department of Kriya Sharir, 2 Associate Professor, Department of

Kayachikitsa, LKR Ayurved College, Gadhinglaj.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR

Dr. SONALI V SHUKLA

Associate Professor

Department of Kriya Sharir

LKR Ayurved College, Gadhinglaj, (India).

Email: sonali.shukla2009@gmail.com

Sonali & Viraj : Comparative Study of Āmadoṣa with Free Radicals

AAMJ / Vol. 2 / Issue 6 / November – December 2016 1037

INTRODUCTION

he fundamental concept of Ayurveda emphasized

the need for the prevention of diseases at first &

treatment afterwards. In the Ayurvedic point of

view, almost all diseases included under Kayachikitsa

have their origin in Āmadoṣa. Āma is said to be the

root cause of all diseases. According to Vagbhata,

Āma means unripe, uncooked, immature & undigested

food.[i] Due to Mandāgni, the rasa dhatu is not properly

formed & it undergoes fermentation or putrefaction in

the āmashaya this state of rasa is termed as Āma.

Charak samhita describes it as the, “impaired vatadi

doṣas get mixed up with one another, leading to the

formation of āma doṣa which is very much like the viṣa

by spoilt kodrava”[ii]. It means in the absence of or due

to inhibition of Kayāgni the food ingested is not proper-

ly digested and the product which arise out of such an

impaired digestion i.e. the chyme and chyle retained in

the āmāśaya undergoes some changes resulting in the

formation of some toxic substances called as āma. Simi-

larly āma can be produced at the level of the tissues if

the enzymes responsible for the synthesis of a particular

type of tissue element are deranged.

The etiological factors of āmadoṣa as described by

charaka and sushruta are categorized as follows.[iii]

1. Dietetic Indiscretions –

a) Abstinence from food

b) Indigestion

c) Over-eating

d) Ingestion of unwholesome, heavy, cold & stale

food.

e) Excessively dry dehydrated food

2. Adverse effects of Virechana, vāmana & snehan.

3. Suppression of natural urges.

4. Allergic states due to change in place, climate, sea-

son fails to digest even the most easily digestible

light food.

5. Intense emotional stresses such as grief, rage, wor-

ry, fear & irregular diet habits.

All above aetiological factors mentioned above impair

the effective functioning of the neuro humoral mecha-

nisms responsible for ensuring proper secretion of the

digestive juices. This leads to the disturbances of the pH

of gastro-intestinal tract. The hypo or hyper motility of

the stomach & gastro – intestinal tract results in the

Śuktata putrefaction- daurgandhya & bahupichilatva of

it, due to the activity of some of the Sahaja krimīs. Pu-

trefaction is a similar process which in many ways re-

sembles fermentation. However it specifically refer to

the conversion of protein substances into smaller mole-

cules with the liberation of various gases i.e. indol,

skatol, phenol, hydrogen sulfide. This gastro intestinal

disturbances may be followed by metabolic disturbance

& becomes responsible for ill health. Dalhana &

Chakrapani in their commentaries on Sushruta samhita

have stated that the formation of āma need not neces-

sarily due to Jātharāgni māndya only but it may also

due to the impairment of dhātvāgnivyāpāra.[iv[ Particu-

larly bahupicchilatva, guṇa of āma will leads to

srotoduṣti. Clinical books of Ayurveda have treated

both agnimāndya as well as srotoduṣti as factors re-

sponsible for disease. Its means that any disturbance in

the metabolism of body causes Āma & most of the dis-

ease like Jwara, Atisāra, Pravāhika, Grahaṇi,

Udararoga, Pāndu, Prameha, Āmavāta, Śotha are stat-

ed to be the outcome of it.[iv]

Similarly according to modern science free radicals

which are formed as a by-product of certain metabolic

activity are also harmful to the body just like Āmadoṣa.

Free radicals are the root cause of the many diseases.

Some reactions that occur during normal metabolic pro-

cesses produce some molecules which are harmful to

body known as free radicals[v]. In our bodies, several

processes can generate free radicals. It may also pro-

duce from exposure to ultraviolet radiations in sunlight.

Certain harmful substances such as carbon tetrachloride

also give rise to free radicals when they participate in

metabolic reactions in the body. Free radicals are elec-

trically charged molecules that have an unpaired elec-

tron in its outermost shell. Such molecules are unstable

& highly reactive & are also destructive to nearby mole-

cules. They cause chain reactions that lead to cellular

damage & death. Free radicals become stable by either

giving up their unpaired electron to or taking on an

electron from another molecule. In doing so, free radi-

cals may break apart important body molecules. It can

lead to cellular membrane injury, DNA mutation & en-

zyme injury. A common example of free radical is su-

peroxide which is formed by the addition of an electron

to an oxygen molecule, Nitric oxide, hydroxyl radicals

(OH-), hydrogen peroxide & so on are some examples

of free radicals. Some free radicals arise naturally in

the body & other derives from environmental hazards

such as tobacco smoke, radiation & stress. These free

radicals were not only causes harm to the body tissues

but also are responsible for formation of artery narrow-

ing atherosclerotic plaques, aging, cancer, emphyse-

T

Sonali & Viraj : Comparative Study of Āmadoṣa with Free Radicals

AAMJ / Vol. 2 / Issue 6 / November – December 2016 1038

ma, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease, cataract,

macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis & so on.[vi]

To counter the effect of oxygen free radicals body cells

produces enzymes that convert free radicals to less re-

active substances. Two such enzymes are superoxide,

dismutase & catalase. In addition to it, some nutrients

such as Vit E, Vit C, betacarotene & selenium are some

antioxidants which inactivate oxygen free radicals[vii].

(The substances which can prevent the occurrence of

oxidative rancidity are known as antioxidants.)

Consuming more antioxidant substances that inactivate

free radicals is thought to slow the pace of damage. So

trace amounts of antioxidants such as tocopherols (Vit

E), hydroquinone, gallic acid & naphthol are added to

the commercial preparation of fats & oils to prevent

rancidity.

Some reactive oxygen species & their antioxidants are

listed below.[viii]

Reactive Oxygen

Species Antioxidant

O2 Single Oxygen Vitamin A, Vitamin E, B-

carotene

O2-

Superoxide Free

Radical

B-carotene, Superoxide

dismute

OH Hydroxyl Free Radi-

cal

RO Alkoxyl Free Radical

ROO Peroxyl Free Radical Vitamin E, Vitamin C

H2O2 Hydrogen Peroxides Catalase, Glutathione Per-

oxidase

LOOH Lipid Peroxides Glutathione Peroxides

Similarly, For Āmapāchan & eradication of diseases

Agnisandukṣaṇa is the only remedy. In the context of

the functioning of a living organism, Agni performs its

vital activities through biophysical & biochemical pro-

cess. It does not only include chemical agencies respon-

sible for āhārapāchan in the Koṣtha, its separation into

sāra & kitta bhaga but also metabolic events, energy

synthesis, & maintenance of metabolism. It also pro-

vides strength to resist the occurrence of disease & de-

cay in human body. Guduchi, Āmalki, Haritaki, Pippali

& Śunthi are rasāyana dravya which shows agnidīpan

& āmapāchan activity.[ix] All rasāyana dravyas are very

good antioxidants in nature. In fact, immunity is a direct

product of the tissue metabolism which produces energy

& heat. Maintenance of prākruta state of shāririka and

mānasika doṣas by yoga and meditation is beneficial

for achieving swastha and helps to get rid of free radi-

cals.

CONCLUSION

Āma & free radicals both are formed as byproduct of

cellular metabolism various metabolic activities & are

considered as the root cause of various diseases, such

as narrowing of artery formation atherosclerotic

plaques, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, aging,

cancer & so on.

A correlation is found in between the aetiological fac-

tors of Āma & free radical. As immunity is a direct

product of the tissue metabolism, āma and free radicals

are proved to be hazardous to it. By eradicating free

radicals from cellular level and maintaining prākruta

state of Agni is of prime importance for achieving

health .Some Ayurvedic rasayan drugs like Guduchi,

Āmalaki, Śunthi, Pippali & Haritaki which are

āmapāchak and also agnidīpak shows very good anti-

oxidant property also. Meditation and Yoga also help

to reduce stress in our everyday life which is a one of

the contributing factor of free radical.

.

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Sonali & Viraj : Comparative Study of Āmadoṣa with Free Radicals

AAMJ / Vol. 2 / Issue 6 / November – December 2016 1039

REFERENCES

i. Satyanarayanshastri Padmabhushan Kashinathshastri,

Charak Samhita, Choukhamba Prakashan : Varanasi:

Volume.II : Page No – 460

ii. Pt. Hari Sadashiva Sastri Paradakara, Astanga –

Hrdaya,Chaukhamba Surbharti Prakashan: Varanasi:

Page No – 216

iii. Vd. Bhagwan Dash, Concept of Agni in Ayurveda with

Special refrence to Agnibala Pariksha: Chaukhamaba

Amarbharati Prakashan, Varanasi : Page No - 108, 109

iv. C. Dwarakanatha, Introduction to Kayachikitsa:

Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi: Third edition 1996:

Page No - 45 to 67

v. Tortora & Grabowski, Principles of Anatomy & Physiolo-

gy: John Wiley & Sons, Inc : Tenth edition : Page No –

30

vi. Sujit K. Chaudhuri, Concise medical physiology: New

Central Book Agency (P) Ltd : Fifth edition: Page No –

391

vii. Dr. U. Satyanarayana, Dr. U. Chakrapani, Biochemistry:

Books & Allied (P) Ltd: Third revised edition : Page No –

422, 510, & 655

viii. Dr. A.C. Deb, Comprehensible viva & practical biochem-

istry: New Central Book Agency (P) Ltd: Third edition re-

printed: Page No – 80

ix. Dr. Bulusu Sitaram Bhavaprakash of Bhavamishra,

Chaukhamba orientalia, Varanasi, Page No – 134, 135,

136, 137, 138.

Source of Support: Nil.

Conflict of Interest: None declared

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How to cite this article: Sonali & Viraj : Comparative Study

of Āmadoṣa with Free Radicals. AAMJ 2016; 6:1036 –

1039