ABSTRACT
Ayurveda and Epilepsy Atharveda a vedic text, describes ayurveda (‘the science of life’) as a philosophy of
long and healthy living. Ayurveda emphasizes on prevention rather than treatment of disease. Healthy living implies that the tridoshas of vata (physical movement and sensory perceptions), kapha (moisture in body tissues), and pitta (metabolism and digestive) processes stay in harmony with each other and with the five basic ele ments of the universe namely water, earth, fire, air and ether. Any imbalance in this system incapacitates the otherwise strong human being.5 In ayurveda epilepsy is designated as apasmara. apa meaning negation or loss of, and smara meaning recol lection or consciousness. The ancient Indian texts by Charaka and Sushruta, record the etiopathogenesis, symptomatology, classification and management of apasmar around 1000 BC. This was much before the western documentation of epilepsy by Hippocrates around 400 BC.67
