The document discusses aging and longevity from both Ayurvedic and contemporary medical perspectives. It summarizes that aging is a natural process influenced primarily by Vata dosha in Ayurveda. While Ayurveda focuses on maintaining tissue health through rasayana, contemporary geriatrics studies aging as a disease process. The document also discusses genetic and environmental factors in longevity and compares telomere shortening between humans and yeast models of aging. It advocates for Ayurveda to further define rasayana therapies as treatments for age-related conditions.

1. Jara Shastra::A study of Dhatupaka
Prof. Dr. K. Shiva Rama Prasad 1 ,
M.D.(KC), C.O.P. (German) M.A, Ph.D (Jyo)
doctorksrprasad@gmail.com
Geriatrics (branch of medicine or social science
dealing with the health and care of old people) and gerontology (the study of old age and
the process of ageing) are defined as “The branch of medical science that deals with
diseases and problems specific to old people”.
The Ayurveda used the words such as Vruddha, Vardhakya, Jara, etc., to denote
the senescence i.e. ageing defines as “The organic process of growing older and showing
the effects of increasing age under the influence of fourth dimension - Time”. To be clear
no where any importance is drawn to clarify or attribute disease origin with reference to
age or age related condition descriptions are noted in Ayurvedic literature.
Aging is a natural process of being and ultimately the being is subjected for death.
The Vata out of Tridosha is prime factor for ageing that develops Kapha inversely
proportional. Rather than becoming old aged, Ayurveda describe the ageing as
“Vruddha” i.e. growing further, as a state of development. The second Dosha in the
process of ageing is Pitta, relates with Jara and Jarana. The word “Jara”, personified as
daughter of Death, is often used for digestion than to old age in Ayurveda. “Geri” of
contemporary geriatrics developed from Jara denotes Dilapidation or Decrepitude i.e.
state of deterioration due to long use or usage of body tissues or old age. The Jara
understood as “Paka” i.e. conversional process. The Dhatupaka, probably identified as
technical term with reference to tissue ageing in Ayurveda is suitable. Where the tissues
are growing older and transformed from active building state to the morbid state. Of
course the morbid growth is disease and the morbid melancholic state is death. Ayurvedic
literature specifies the usage of medicaments for long living or retarding Dhatupaka,
understood as retardation of ageing or slowing the Dhatupaka, termed as Rasayana.
Common understanding to ageing is wrinkling of skin, loss of vision, teeth, etc,
and in case of females we observe even the dropping of Breast. Bhavamishra, describing
1
H.O.D., Dept. of Kayachikitsa (PG), DGM Ayurvedic Medical College, Kalasapur
Road, Gadag- 582103, Karnataka (cell: +91-9448746450), doctorksrprasad@gmail.com
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2. Mahamarichadi Taila in Kusta compliments that, “if Mahamarichadi Taila Nasya is done
at the “Pradhame Vayasi” (puberty) of lady – even after attain the old age the breast
never drops”. This statement is complimentary but not shown any specificity /
significance towards the Vardhakya janya Vyadhi or Jara Vyadhi.
Many more researches are undertaken to observe the aging and its related
pathology to study from contemporary medical field and boosted the Geriatrics as a
specialized branch. But in Ayurveda this branch neither has any significance nor
importance, because the fundamental concept of Ayurveda defines bio-availability and
sustenance of toxic free tissue building and maintenance by Bio-fire, through out the life
span and ultimately a voluntary termination of biological needs. Thus any where in the
Ayurveda death is not defined, but casually designated it as inevitability transpires of
Life.
Centenarians, though rare at a prevalence of approximately one per 10,000 in
industrialized countries, are among the fastest growing segment of our population.
Familial studies indicate that exceptional longevity runs strongly in families, but as of
yet, few genetic variations have been found to account for this survival advantage. It is
likely that the prevalence of centenarians is increasing because achieving exceptional old
age is multi factorial.
A number of factors important to such longevity are becoming more prevalent
with modern public health measures and interventions. Such a multiple trait model would
predict that the more extreme the phenotype, the more likely discernible environmental
and genetic characteristics are to be discovered that are important to achieving very old
age, much of it disability-free. Thus studies of families highly clustered for longevity or
studies of super-centenarains, people age 110 and older, hold promise of facilitating such
discoveries.
Frailty, The state of being weak in health or body - especially from old age is a
common phenomenon. The process of biological aging is a complex phenomenon,
depending on a manifold of different parameters, including nature of the organism,
lifestyle, diet, and so forth. In order to compare different aging phenotypes, a global
qualitative and quantitative proteomic analysis of different species is necessary.
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3. The development and application of high-throughput methods to study aspects of
aging-related biology are among the key forces driving the field. New hypotheses are
being developed, and new questions are being asked on a genome-wide scale. High-
throughput technologies offer many advantages over traditional methods, but they also
present new pitfalls for the unwary.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
(OMIM) catalogs human genes and disorders. Although it doesn’t focus on aging-related
conditions, it contains information about many diseases that disproportionately affect the
elderly. For example, searching for ‘‘Parkinson’s Disease’’ produces a list of several
dozen genes.
Telomeres are the physical ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. In many
organisms, including humans and yeasts, telomeres are composed of short repeated DNA
sequences and their associated proteins. Many human somatic cells do not express
sufficient telomerase activity to prevent telomere repeat loss, resulting in cell senescence
or death when telomeres shorten to a critical length. This telomere length checkpoint for
aging and cell growth is also seen in yeast whose genes for telomerase components have
been deleted, allowing yeast to serve as a model for telomere linked senescence and
aging in human cells.
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive impairment of brain
function as a consequence of ongoing neuronal cell death. Apoptotic mechanisms have
been implicated in this process, but the immature brain differs from the adult brain in its
sensitivity. Several observational studies have shown that elderly men experience a
steeper decline in cognitive function and have lower cognitive performance than women.
In a study of 150 elderly men and women without dementia, positive associations were
found between endogenous estradiol levels and performance on verbal memory tasks in
women but not in men.
Traditionally, the onset and progression of menopause in humans has been
attributed to ovarian follicular decline. Because the follicles are the primary source of
circulating estrogens, these age-related changes lead to a number of symptoms such as
hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, and depression, as well as increased risk of
osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and age-associated diseases. Recent research
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4. indicates that along with the ovarian changes at menopause, the hypothalamic and
pituitary levels of the reproductive axis also undergo significant changes during
reproductive aging. Nutritional Interventions Based on Mitochondrial Aging, Free
Radicals and Caloric Restriction studies opens new dimensions in the field of long living.
Evolution by natural selection works through differential reproductive success.
Individuals with higher reproductive rates and better survival of themselves and their
offspring pass more genes to future generations. By managing the flow, distribution, and
rate of consumption of finite supplies of glucose and fat among competing physiological
needs, hormones implement trade-offs between investment in growth, reproduction, and
survival. Increased circulating glucose benefits the basic metabolic function of important
tissues such as the brain, which is entirely dependent on glucose.
Thus the Ayurveda defined Rasayana and Vajikarana are necessitate for long
living under the influence of Vata (genetically and neurologically) and Pitta (Hormonal
and enzymatic). Many questions arise in the process of understanding these branches of
Ayurveda. While Ayurvedic fraternity is dreaming about their past glory, the
contemporary medical branches are leading towards success.
It is very much necessary for the Ayurveda to define, demarcate, declare,
discriminate, distinguish and demonstrate the Rasayana as “Jara Chikitsa”. The study
may be framed at Two tire/ states of study, viz. 1) Structural based Rasayana study
include tissues /Organs i.e. muscle, bone; brain, heart, etc. 2) Functional based Rasayana
study include immunity, fitness, sexuality, sense activity, transportation, etc. The third
method of study is Problem oriented study where the weight loss, obesity, dehydration,
anorexia, insomnia, etc. conditions commonly observed with old age or a direct study of
Disease oriented study in old age such as Hypertension, Parkinsonism, Alzheimer’s
disease, anemia, constipation, etc. are considered. Ayurveda just now wakeup; long walk
is ahead.
Further reading:
• P. Michael Conn, Handbook of Models for Human Aging, 2006, Elsevier Academic Press, 30 Corporate Drive,
Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA
• John E. Morley & David R. Thomas, GERIATRIC NUTRITION, 2007 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
• Stephen C. Stearns and Jacob C. Koella, Evolution in Health and Disease, Second Edition, 2008, Oxford
University Press Inc., New York
• N A T A L I E L . R A S G O N , The Effects of Estrogen on Brain Function, 2006, The Johns Hopkins University
Press, Baltimore
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