Abstract

CLINICO - ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATION OF BEEJA, BEEJABHAGA AND BEEJABHAGAAVYAVA

Uma Raikwar*, Rita Marwaha, Pankaj Gupta and Shiba Datta Panda

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Abstract

Science of Genetics may appear a new topic but ancient Ayurvedic Acharyas like Charaka and Sushruta very well understood the principle of heredity and nature of traits or characters. They knew the fundamentals of Genetics i.e., the factors responsible for genetical defect in a child. They said it was not due to any defect in the mother or the father but in the ovum or sperm of the parents (an accepted fact today). Acharya Sushruta gives the concept of hereditary and congenital types of diseases such as; Sthaulya, Klaibya, Prameha and other diseases which occurs due to the defect in genetic component. Whereas Acharya Charaka has described the whole genetics in three genetic units in the form of Beeja (Gametes), Beejbhaga (Chromosome) and Beejbhagavyava (Gene). He also explained that due to Vikriti of Beeja, Beejbhaga and Beejbhagavyava of the couple, there will be Vikriti or Vyapada in the offspring. While considering the statistics of genetic disorders it was found that, if all congenital anomalies are considered as part of the genetic load, then greater than or equal to 79/1,000 live-born individuals have been identified as having one or other genetic disorder before approximately age 25 years. After having this much higher prevalence rate and unavailability of the matter at a single place in texts necessitates the work. Thus, an effort has been made to collect, compile and understand the concept and clinical relevance of Beeja, Beejbhaga and Beejbhagavyava.

Keywords: Genetics, Beeja, Beejbhaga, Beejbhagavyava.