Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

Dementia in Ayurveda.

B V Manyam1

  • 1Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, USA.

Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.)
|April 1, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Ancient Indian Ayurveda included geriatrics, termed Rasayanatantra, with documented treatments for aging and dementia. Preventive therapies using herbs, diet, and lifestyle aimed to extend lifespan and enhance cognitive function.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genetic heterogeneity in familial idiopathic basal ganglia calcification (Fahr disease).

Neurology·2004
Same author

A randomized, double masked, controlled trial of botulinum toxin type A in essential hand tremor.

Neurology·2001
Same author

Bilateral striopallidodentate calcinosis: clinical characteristics of patients seen in a registry.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2001
Same author

Traditional and complementary therapies in Parkinson's disease.

Advances in neurology·1999
Same author

Evaluation of equivalent efficacy of sinemet and sinemet CR in patients with Parkinson's disease applying levodopa dosage conversion formula.

Clinical neuropharmacology·1999
Same author

Practical guidelines for management of Parkinson disease.

The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice·1998
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Area of Science:

  • Ayurveda
  • Geriatrics
  • History of Medicine

Background:

  • Ayurveda, an ancient Indian medical system, recognized geriatrics (Rasayanatantra) as a distinct medical division.
  • This system documented treatments for aging and age-related disorders, including dementia (Cittanasa).
  • Cognitive functions like intelligence (Buddhi) were well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the historical Ayurvedic approach to geriatrics and age-related cognitive decline.
  • To highlight the preventive strategies and herbal treatments documented in Ayurveda for longevity and cognitive health.
  • To examine the proposed mechanisms of action for Ayurvedic anti-aging therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of ancient Ayurvedic texts detailing Rasayanatantra and related concepts.
  • Analysis of documented therapeutic interventions, including herbal formulations, diet, and lifestyle modifications.
  • Examination of descriptions regarding the mode of action of anti-aging treatments.

Main Results:

  • Ayurveda considered a 100-year lifespan normal, with potential extension to 116-120 years through preventive treatments.
  • Specific herbal formulations, their preparation, and proposed multi-level mechanisms of action for anti-aging were described.
  • Recent scientific research supports the efficacy of some described Ayurvedic herbs for anti-aging effects.

Conclusions:

  • Ayurveda possessed a sophisticated understanding of geriatrics and age-related cognitive disorders.
  • Preventive strategies involving herbal medicine, diet, and lifestyle were central to Ayurvedic anti-aging approaches.
  • Historical Ayurvedic knowledge on geriatrics and cognitive health warrants further scientific investigation and validation.

Related Experiment Videos