The purview of Parkinsonism in Ayurveda

Abstract

Parkinsonism is a clinical syndrome in which the Parkinson’s disease accounts for 80% of involvement. Parkinson’s disease specifically refers to patients who have Parkinsonism, without any atypical features and who have essentially normal MRI that excludes other causes for their Parkinsonian symptoms.The main difference between the two are the effect of levadopa drug in Parkinson’s disease and not the other. Parkinson’s disease, which is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease, occurs in approximately 1 in 1000 in the general population and in 1% of persons older than 65 years. Men are affected slightly more often than women (3:2). The cause of Parkinson’s disease is believed to be a variable combination of poorly understood genetic and environmental factors. Hence treatment is often aimed at prevention of further complications and preserving the condition using general measures, drug therapy and surgery. In Ayurveda, giving importance to prevention of further derangement, Lakshanika Chikitsa is often attributed to the different stages of the disease. Parkinson’s disease is generally understood as Kampavata in Ayurveda. But the development of the disease can be understood under various concepts of Bahukampavata, Snayugatavata, Kaphavruta Vyanavata and Kampavata. As Parkinsonism is widely treated with better efficacy in Ayurveda, hence it is the need of the hour to understand it in all its aspects with its relevant treatment.Hence the main aim of this article is to understand these varied concepts in possible correlation with the Parkinson’s disease.