An Ayurvedic Review on Diabetes mellitus (Madhumeha)

Today's era is dominated by disorders of life style and Ayurveda is the best solution to these disorders. Ayurveda is often referred as “Science of life" but it is more of a science that deals with prevention of mental & physical disorders. It is one of the oldest systems of medicine. Prameha, as described by Acharya Charka & Sushruta is one of the disorders that have emerged out of urban life style. The causes and symptomatology of Madhumeha described few thousand years back run parallel with the causes of Diabetes Mellitus mentioned by the system of modern medicine. Hence, Madhumeha can be co-related with diabetes mellitus. In all, 20 types of Prameha have been described based on the predominance of Vata, Pitta & Kapha. 1' Madhumeha' is a subtype of Vataja prameha2. There are four types of Vataja Prameha i.e. Vasameha , Majjameha, Hastimeha and Madhumeha. Ayurveda includes Prameha amongst Ashto Mahagada4. It is of two kinds viz one due to vata vriddhi caused by dhatu kshaya and another by vata vriddhi caused by obstruction of channels of vata by other doshas5.