Prediabetes and Ayurveda

Ayurveda one of the oldest codified medical system in the world was evolved through intuitive ,experimental & perceptual methodology in India. The main objective of Ayurveda is to promote health thereby preventing the ailments and to relieve the humanity from all categories of miseries, i.e. physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual.

Different preventive and palliative treatment and procedures are advocated by Ayurvedic physicians by considering the prakriti (pscycho-somatic constitution of the individual) age, tolerability etc. of the patients, stage of the disease and the season etc

Prediabetes is described in Ayurvedic classics in the context of Prameha.Life style and dietary errors are the major etiological categories described for Prameha, which is closely resemblance with the etiology of Prediabetes. When such clinical condition really established in the body for prolong duration, it may lead to Madhumeha vis a vis Diabetes mellitus. Due to wide spread pathogenic involvement this phase of disease is deeply rooted and it is difficult to becure. Recent studies has been undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of Panchakarma measures (especially Vamana and Virechana) and avoidance of sugar cane products, newly rice & potato as remedial measures for Prediabetes.

Prediabetes is a serious medical condition and it is the early stage of Type-2 Diabetes mellitus. Worldwide morethan 300 million people are at increased risk of developing Diabetes mellitus but they are unaware of it. It is the state inwhich some but not met all the diagnostic criteria for Diabetes. Such types of patients are at risk for not only developingType-2 Diabetes mellitus, but also risk for macro & micro-vascular complications. The progression into Diabetes mellitus from Prediabetes is approximately 25% over 3 to 5 years. The Ayurvedic texts reflect two major categories of Prameha 1.Sahaja Prameha and 2.Apathyanimittaja Prameha, out of these two, Apathyanimittaja Prameha is closely resemblance with the contemporary concepts of Prediabetes/Type-2 Diabetes mellitus. On that basis, Ayurveda has described Sthula Pramehi, which clearly corresponds to the current concepts of obese and its role in the genesis of Diabetes mellitus. For the category of Sthula Pramehi Ayurveda advocates Apatarpa approach for their management. The etiology,classification, pathogenesis, clinical features, prognosis, and management of Apathyajanimittaja Prameha are very near to contemporary concept of Prediabetes. Ayurveda has been claimed that the management of Sthula Pramehiis based on Apatarpana measures, which signifies the wisdom of ancient Acharyas.

The Ayurvedic lexicons scientifically conceived three major clinical category of Prameha namely Kaphaja,Pittaja,and Vataja. However, if these three clinical stages of Prameha/Prediabetes are not managed in due time it may lead to the chronic stage of Madhumeha/Type-2 Diabetes mellitus. It is the fact that conventional management of Prediabetes and Type-2 Diabetes mellitus is still not satisfactory. Therefore, the highly evolved description of Ayurvedic therapeutics in the line of prevention and management of Prameha/Prediabetes, it seems to explore the possibilities of developing an Ayurveda- inspired line of dietary regimens and Panchakarma therapy in the management of Prediabetes and prevention of Type-2 Diabetes mellitus for contemporary use today. Such type of exercise through Ayurvedic approach not only provides a new dimension for the management of Prediabetics but up to some extent it also checks Prediabetics progression to Diabetics.