Understanding Mycotoxins from Ayurvedic Perspectives: A Trans-disciplinary approach

Abstract

Knowledge of the source/origin of a toxin, its development and toxicity manifestation as well as appropriate remedial measures is an integral part of any health system. Mycotoxins are chemical toxins produced by fungi with diverse toxic effects depending on their chemical structure. Modern science recognizes mycotoxins as food contaminants and recommends regulatory limits (max permissible limit), due to the impossibility in avoiding the mycotoxin occurrence completely and for the complications in treating the resulting toxicities. This brings traditional systems of medicine such as ayurveda into the limelight to address the global mycotoxin problem. In this regard, there is paucity of literature available describing the mycotoxins from ayurvedic perspectives. Thus, the current article is focused on the transdiciplinary understand of the mycotoxins and its toxic effects, especially comparing modern medicine with ayurveda. While, modern medicine considers mycotoxins as chemical toxins with molecular mechanism involving receptor or chemical binding, ayurveda considers a holistic approach. In addition to considering its effects on cellular level, ayurveda aligns to recognize the toxin for its effects on the system at tissue and organism level, holistically. From this prespective, ayurveda classifies mycotoxins as both incompatible food (virudha ahara) and visha (toxin). To understand the pathogenesis, ayurveda analyses the systemic effects in terms of effect on “the basic body composition - doshas (humors) and dhaatus (tissues) and the impact on toxin/metabolic waste elimination”. Finally, after considering the overall effect ayurveda arrives at the treatment to provide both symptomatic treatment and reinstate the doshas/dhaatus to restore the health status, holistically.