Abstract

CONCEPT OF AMA W.S.R. TO FREE RADICALS THEORY

Dr. Hemlata Meena*, Dr. Sheela Paliwal and Prof. Pankaj Marolia

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Abstract

The concept of Ama is unique and important concept of ayurveda. According to acharya vagbhatta - उष्मणोल्ऩबऱत्वेन धातुमाध्यमऩाचितम। दुष्टमामाशयगतं रसमामं प्रिऺते ।।(अ.ह.सू.13/25). Due to hypo functioning of the ushma (deficiency of fire/agni), the first dhatu viz. the ahar rasa or chyle is not properly formed. Instead the annarasa undergoes being retained in the amashaya. It is this state of rasa which is spoken of as ama.Not everyone’s fire is the same. In modern aspect ama can be correlated with the free radicals. Ama formation due to imbalance of Agni and free radicals are atoms, ions or molecules that the contain one or more unpaired electron, which requires neutralization by free radicals that damage biological systems are oxygen free radicals, and these are know as reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus it exists in incomplete metabolic state which is also that state of ama described as avipakam (incompletely metabolised). Now the aim of present article is to understand the concept of ama as well as free radicals.

Keywords: Agni (digestive fire), avipaka, ama, free radicals.