World Congress on
Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Biography:

Abstract:

Diabetic retinopathy is a retinal micro-vascular dysfunction in diabetes and the major changes in retinal blood vessels like neo-vascularization, retinal vein or artery occlusion, exudates and micro-aneurysms and its complications like Tractional Retinal Detachment and Vitreous Hemorrhage can be understood by the concept of mentioned in Ayurveda. For diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes, Ayurveda categorizes human population on the basis of relative similarities in the phenotypic characteristics in to 7 sub-populations and it reflects the genetic makeup of an individual formed as a result of the energy template (doshastithi) of zygote by the interaction of genetic and epigenetic factors in operation at the time of fertilization and is maintained throughout the span of life. The genomic sequence of a differentiated cell is thought to be identical in most cases to that of the zygote from which it is descended. Hence Prakruti can be understood as the energic template provided by the genomic sequence of the zygote maintained unchanged in the differentiated cells.  The concept of personalized medicine of Ayurveda for DR based on better understanding of Prakruti and its ramifications, might cast new light on Diabetic Retinopathy.

A proforma prepared on the basis of Ayurveda was used to assess the Prakruti of 40 Diabetic Retinopathy patients. DR was diagnosed as per protocols of modern ophthalmological tools. Prakruti wise distribution shows that majority of the DR patients belongs to Pitta Kapha Prakruti (62.5%), whereas Vata Pitta Prakruti was 20% and Vata Kapha Prakruti 17.5 %. Tractional Retinal Detachment (TRD) and Vitreous Haemorrhage were seen only in Pitta Kapha Prakruti.This study reveals that, assessment of Prakruti in diabetic patients can be a predictive marker of the progression of DR. Additionally; it is proposed that treatment based on the Prakruti could delay the progression of DR.