DIABETES MELLITUS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY AS PER AYURVEDIC AND MODERN CLASSICS

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus was mentioned in Ayurvedic classics as Madhumeha and it is as old as the history of mankind. The word "Madhumeha" is combination of two terms 'Madhu' and 'Meha' (meaning honey and excessive flow respectively). Madhumeha is a disease entity, characterized by the sweetness of the body tissues along with the passage of the turbid and sweet urine in excessive amount which is due to various physical and chemical changes of body tissue. The rich literature of the Madhumeha described in Ayurvedic Classics still remains a tremendous scope of research in the field of Diabetes Mellitus. The ancient Indian knowledge of this disease is analyzed here and attempt is made to compare the ancient Knowledge of Ayurveda with modern medical science. After the study of Prameha literature, it is clear that Prameha as a whole comparable with the disease known as "Diabetes Mellitus" in modern medicine and three clinical types identified as Kaphaja, Pittaja and Vataja Prameha which can be correlated with different stages of Diabetes Mellitus. In short, vataja, pittaja and kaphaja Prameha are different types of diabetes along with hyperglycaemia. Kaphaja Prameha is due to malfunctioning of the Pancreas results improper insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Pittaja Prameha is due to over functioning of Adrenal, Thyroid, Glucagon and cortisol and Vatic Prameha is because of insulin deficiency due to autoimmune or idiopathic destruction of β-cell of islet of Langerhans of pancreas.