Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: May | Volume: 8 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 272-276
Madhumeha: A Term Often Misused for Diabetes Mellitus
Ruby Kumar1, Deepak Mishra2, Manoj Kumar3
1PhD Scholar, Department of Shalakya Tantra, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University-221005.
2Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine,Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University-221005.
3Associate Professor, Department of Shalakya Tantra, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University-221005.
Corresponding Author: Manoj Kumar
ABSTRACT
Diabetes is acquiring epidemic proportions despite our deep understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms, ensuing cellular events and availability of interventional modalities to counter its pathogenesis and complications. People are turning towards Ayurveda with a hope to find comprehensive solution for this condition. Ayurveda has a long tradition of treating diabetic patients and has its own strengths over the conventional system of Biomedicine. Neither of these systems, however, seems capable of fully addressing the problem of diabetes. An integrated approach involving both of the systems seems better approach than using either of these. But the adoption of an integrated approach requires a thorough understanding of pathogenesis of diabetes according to both systems. Generally, diabetes is correlated with an Ayurvedic disease called madhumeha. We propose that this correlation is erroneous and based on partial understanding of the pathogenesis of diabetes. This article establishes that diabetes mellitus should be correlated with sthaulya, kaphaja prameha, pittaja pramehaor vataja prameha (including madhumeha) depending upon the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations in a particular patient.
Key words: Diabetes, Ayurveda, Sthaulya, Prameha, Madhumeha, Kriyakala, Polyuria.