Nishteswar K, Joshi Hemang, Karra Rahul Dutt
Department of Dravyaguna, Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India.
Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India.
Anc Sci Life. 2014 Jul-Sep;34(1):3-7. doi: 10.4103/0257-7941.150763.
Ageing is a natural phenomenon and decline of physiological and structural changes are incurable in advancing years of human life. When such degenerative changes occur in the brain they may lead to dementia and other memory related conditions. The Ayurvedic classics identified the importance of higher faculties dealing with memory and introduced a separate group of drugs namely Medhya Rasayanas. Regular intake of such drugs will help to prevent the onset of degenerative changes in the brain prematurely. Ayurveda can play a useful role in the management of such geriatric conditions. The current review has been done with a view to update documented Ayurvedic therapeutic modalities for certain geriatric conditions suggested by Ayurvedic classics in the management of diseases called Vātavyādhi (nervous system disorders), which also include conditions related to memory functions. Recent studies have started validating the claims recorded in Ayurvedic texts. The pathogenesis and remedies for Vātavyādhi documented in Ayurvedic classics have been reviewed with special emphasis on disorders related to dementia. A review of recent researches on the herbs mentioned in management of vāta disorders including dementia have been done to understand their role in management of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There are many herbs of ethno-medicinal source studied experimentally for their potential in treatment of AD. A judicious combination of modern research methodology and Ayurvedic principles could go a long way in the management and care of AD which is going to be a heavy burden on the society in the future.
衰老是一种自然现象，随着人类年龄的增长，生理和结构变化的衰退是无法治愈的。当大脑发生这种退行性变化时，可能会导致痴呆和其他与记忆相关的病症。阿育吠陀经典著作认识到与记忆相关的高级官能的重要性，并引入了一组单独的药物，即益智药。定期服用这类药物有助于过早预防大脑退行性变化的发生。阿育吠陀在这类老年病症的管理中可以发挥有益作用。本次综述旨在更新阿育吠陀经典著作中提出的针对某些老年病症的已记录的阿育吠陀治疗方法，这些病症在称为“风病”（神经系统疾病）的疾病管理中，也包括与记忆功能相关的病症。最近的研究已开始验证阿育吠陀文献中记载的说法。对阿育吠陀经典著作中记载的风病的发病机制和治疗方法进行了综述，特别强调了与痴呆相关的病症。对包括痴呆在内的风病管理中提及的草药的近期研究进行了综述，以了解它们在阿尔茨海默病（AD）管理中的作用。有许多来自民族医学来源且经过实验研究其治疗AD潜力的草药。现代研究方法与阿育吠陀原则的明智结合，在AD的管理和护理方面将大有帮助，而AD在未来将给社会带来沉重负担。
