Review of Metabolic Syndrome (Santarpana Janya Vyadhi) and its Management by Virechana Karma and Vyoshadi Saktu

Abstract

Ayurveda, considered the oldest form of healthcare globally, aligns individuals with the inherent principles of nature to maintain overall well-being by harmonizing body, mind, and spirit. In the contemporary age of rapid modernization and hectic lifestyles, people lead busy and stressful lives, marked by a growing consumption of high-calorie fast food. The prevalence of sedentary habits contributes to an increase in total body fat and cholesterol. It leads to health issues such as hypertension, heart diseases, hyperlipidemia, and truncal obesity. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disorder of energy and storage containing of risk factor for various complications such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardio vascular disease. Being an alarming disease, it requires effective management. In recent years several synthetic drugs have been introduced for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Clinical trials have shown that antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antilipidemic drugs alone have limited long term efficacy and one cannot avoid major side effects such as drug dependence, drug resistance, sedation etc. Ayurvedic medicine provides a range of measures. In Ayurvedic literature, Acharya Charaka has mentioned group of diseases which arises due to over intake of heavy meals and sedentary life style collectively called as Santarpana Janya Vyadhi which can be symptomatically co-related with metabolic syndrome. Acharya Charaka has specified treatment methods involving substances (Dravyabhuta Chikitsa) and non-substances (Adravyabhuta Chikitsa) for conditions caused by over-nourishment, such as Vaman, Virechana, Raktmokshana, Vyayama (exercise), Dhooma(fumigation), Swedana(sudation), and Rooksha Anna Sewana (intake of dry substances). This paper aims to review metabolic syndrome in Ayurveda and its corresponding management strategies.