Ascertaining Role of ‘Agni’ in the Intervention of Health and Disease

Abstract

All eight branches of Ayurveda encompass a common fundamental line of treatment known as Kayachikitsa, which literally means “treatment of Agni” (Kaya means Agni, Chikitsa means treatment). The classical Ayurvedic texts have postulated the role of a balanced state of Agni for sustaining life, imbalanced state of Agni for causing disease, and diminished state of Agni for leading to the diminishment of life. The Classics have designated critical terminology pertaining to relevant outcome criteria to explicitly express the significance of Agni in nourishing life and intervening health, disease as well as death. For example, Sama (balanced state of Agni) signifies traits of health; Dushti (imbalanced state of Agni affected by one, two or all the three dosha) signifies the diseases; and Shant (diminished/vanished Agni) reveals the cause and symptom of death. For diagnostic accuracy in the management of health and disease, practitioners should rely on assessments of Agni. Ascertaining the role of Agni is needed within any system of medicine, beginning with patient assessment and continuing through differential diagnosis of the disease, and therapeutic absorption of medicine to treatment outcome. Incorporating evidence of Agni strength into the diagnosis of disease provides vital information about treatment outcome criteria and recovery markers. Identifying Agni has implications for herbal combinations, pharmaceuticals used in Panchakarma (Pancha means five, karma means procedures, Panchakarma means five detoxification procedures), supplementary pharmaceuticals, and specific applications for clinicians, pharmacists and researchers. Further research into Agni may provide insights into autoimmune disease and sustainable health that could have been previously unrecognized by much of the medical community. This research article aims to break the language barrier by clearly defining classical Sanskrit words, providing authentic, approachable Ayurvedic information, and making such concepts accessible globally for both Ayurvedic and non-Ayurvedic scholars. Dosha are the Ayurvedic functional anatomical considerations; they have the ability to contaminate in an imbalance state. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the three dosha; collectively called as Tridosha and independently can be addressed as dosha.