ABSTRACT
The ancient system of Āyurveda (science of life) offers a holistic approach to mental health, that integrates the mind, body, and soul. Āyurvedic theory of health is based on tridoṣa (primary life forces or biological humors). The five elements (Pancamahābhūta) combine in pairs to constitute the three Doṣas – Vāta (ether and air), Pitta (water and fire), and Kapha (water and earth). The combination of these doṣas inherited at birth indicates an individual's unique constitution called Prakṛati. The dynamic balance of tridoṣas creates health. Āyurveda defines mental health as a state of mental, intellectual, and spiritual well-being.
Medhya Rasāyanas are a group of medicinal plants described in Āyurveda (Indian system of medicine) with multiple health benefits, specifically to improve memory and intellect by Prabhāva (specific action). Medhā means intellect and/or retention, and Rasāyana means therapeutic procedure or preparation, which, with regular practice, will boost nourishment, health, memory, intellect, immunity, and hence longevity. Caraka Samhitā has elaborately described these Medhya rasāyana drugs in Cikitsā sthāna, 1st chapter, to achieve these goals. Other Āyurveda classical texts also mention Medhya Rasāyana. These herbs act on the basis of the presence of antioxidant or adaptogenic chemicals, or essential trace elements, which work as Medhya and cure Apasmāra, Unmāda, Smṛiti daurabalya diseases.
Many of the Āyurvedic medicinal plant drugs are used as single or compound preparations to achieve mental well-being. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior, and is known to be associated with considerable burdens, increased risk of suicide, physical co-morbidities, high economic costs, and poor quality of life. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Therefore, globally, AD has become a major public mental health problem. Unfortunately, modern medicine, based on psychoactive drugs, has met with limited success in the treatment of various neurological and psychiatric disorders, due to the multifactorial nature of these diseases. Due to the above-mentioned therapeutic benefits, the Medhya rasāyana is used for treatment of AD.
This may due to Alpasatva (weak psyche), Jarā (age-related), Avasāda (depression), Citto-udvega (anxiety, neurosis), Atatvā-abhineveṣa (obsessive disorders), and Madātyaya (intoxication), etc. until the patient eventually notices some slowed thinking or occasional problems with remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion etc. are the common clinical symptoms of AD. Some Medhya rasāyana drugs include Brāhmi (Centella asiatica), Āmalakī (Embelica officinale), Vacā (Acorus calamus), Aśwagandhā (Withania somnifera), Śankhapuṣpī (Convolvulus pluricalis), Jyotiṣmatī (Celastrus paniculatus), Jaṭāmānsī (Nardostachys jatamansi), Tagara (Valeriana wallichii), and Yaṣṭimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and have been used for mental health care for centuries. These drugs promote the Intellect (Dhī), Retention power (Dhṛiti), and Memory (Smṛiti). This chapter provides a modern review of the literature, in which Medhya Rasāyanas is described as playing an important role in the prevention and management of age-related cognitive decline and for the treatment of AD by individual medicinal plants described in the Āyurvedic text.
