Abstract

PURĪṢADHĀRĀ KALĀ SA EVA ASTHIDHARĀ KALĀ: AN ANALYTICAL REVIEW THROUGH THE GUT–BONE AXIS FRAMEWORK

*Dr. Sapna Revadi, Dr. Gulfarosh Mohammed Azeem

Abstract

Background: Kalā in Ayurveda denotes functional and structural membranes that regulate tissue metabolism. Traditional scriptures mention seven different Kalās. However, historical comments on Purīṣadhārā Kalā (the lining of large intestine) are evidently compared with Asthidhara Kalā (the layer of bone-supporting tissue). This dynamic is increasingly being explored in modern medicine by the use of “gut–bone axis”. Objective: The present review aims to evaluate the clinical and physiological validity of the statement “Purīṣadhārā Kalā sa eva Asthidharā Kalā” by correlating modern biochemical research works on gastrointestinal and skeletal interactions with classical Ayurvedic literature. Materials and Methods: A conceptual analysis was done based on primary Ayurvedic treatises (Sushruta Samhita, Charaka Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya) and contemporary physiological studies on colon health, microbial fermentation, and mineral metabolism. Results: Acharya Dalhana, in the past, associated these membranes with Visha Vega attacking the bone joints, and Kashyapa described infantile Fakka as a metabolic effect of digestive failure. The Pakwashaya (colon) has special Ca2+-Na+ ion channels that help keep the skeleton intact, and it makes short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) via microbial fermentation. Moreover, gut microbes synthesize Vitamin K 2, a necessary cofactor for γ-carboxylation of osteocalcin and mineralization of the bone matrix. Impaired intestinal barriers limit calcium absorption, resulting in demineralization of bone to maintain serum equilibrium. Conclusion: The gut-bone axis provides scientific validation to the traditional aphorism. Purīṣadhārā Kalā is a major metabolic regulator of bone strength rather than an eliminative border. Thus therapeutic techniques directed at the colon are of utmost importance in the management of systemic skeletal disorders.

Keywords: Purīṣadhārā Kalā, Asthidhara Kalā, Gut–Bone Axis, Pakwashaya, Asthi Dhatu, Bone Mineral Density.