1 46 264 A CLINICO-ANALYTICAL STUDY ON SEED OF WRIGHTIA ANTIDYSENTERICA LINN. AS A THERAPEUTIC EMETIC AGENT (VAMAKA YOGA) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PSORIASIS. OBJECTIVES: WRIGHTIA ANTIDYSENTERICA LINN. (WA) IS MALE VARIETY KUTAJA STATED TO BE POTENT THERAPEUTIC EMETIC AGENT IN SKIN DISORDERS. EXPULSION OF DOSHAS THROUGH ORAL ROUTE IS TERMED AS VAMANA KARMA (VK) (THERAPEUTIC EMESIS). HOWEVER, SO FAR, ITS UTILITY FOR VAMANA IS NOT EXPLORED IN DETAIL, THEREFORE THERE IS A NEED TO REVALIDATE THE UTILITY OF WA FOR VAMANA. HENCE, THE ABOVE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO ASCERTAIN THE EFFICACY AS A THERAPEUTIC EMETIC AGENT (VAMAKA YOGA) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PSORIASIS ALONG WITH QUALITY CONTROL AND STANDARDIZATION OF THIS HERB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE DRUG WAS STANDARDIZED AS PER ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES IN PHARMACOPEIAS. THIRTY PATIENTS OF PSORIASIS FULFILLING INCLUSION CRITERIA WERE TAKEN FOR THE STUDY AND VAMANA WITH WA WAS CONDUCTED. CRITERIA WERE PREPARED TO ASSESS THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PSORIASIS. VK WAS ASSESSED USING THE CLASSICAL LAKSHANAS (FEATURES) SUCH AS ANTHIKI SHUDHI (ENDING SYMPTOMS OF EMESIS), VAIGIKI SHUDHI (FEATURES OF VOMITING BOUTS), MANIKI SHUDHI (QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE PURIFICATION), COMPLICATIONS. RESULT: VK WITH WA SHOWED SIGNIFICANT RELIEF IN PARAMETERS OF PSORIASIS SUCH AS SCALING, ITCHING, CANDLE GREASE SIGN (P < 0.001), AND PSORIASIS AREA AND SEVERITY INDEX SCORE (P = 0.001). IN VK WITH WA, MEAN NUMBER OF VEGAS (VOMITING BOUTS) WAS 6.91. 66% PATIENTS SHOWING QUANTITATIVE PURIFICATION BETWEEN 301 AND 600 ML. 73.33% SHOWED ALL SYMPTOMS OF PURIFICATION. 73.33% PATIENTS SHOWED KAPHANTA VAMANA (MODERATE EXPULSION OF DESIRE HUMOR). IN THE LEVEL OF BIOPURIFICATION, 66.66% PATIENTS SHOWED MODERATED PURIFICATION. NO COMPLICATION WAS NOTED WITH MODERATE DRUG PALATABILITY. CONCLUSION: PHARMACOPEIAL ANALYTICAL STUDY SHOWED ITS STANDARDIZED VALUES FOR TESTING THE DRUG USED FOR THE STUDY. IT IS PROVED AS POTENT THERAPEUTIC EMETIC AGENT WITH NO COMPLICATION SHOWED ITS CLINICAL BENEFITS OVER SKIN DISORDER LIKE PSORIASIS. SUMMARY: SEEDS OF WRIGHTIA ANTIDYSENTERICA (WA) LINN. FREE FROM ANY FOREIGN MATTER WERE SELECTED FOR THE STUDY. LOSS ON DRYING REVEALED 6.535% MOISTURE CONTENT; TOTAL ASH INDICATING OF TOTAL INORGANIC CONTENT WAS FOUND TO BE 5.12%; ACID INSOLUBLE ASH IS THE ACID INSOLUBLE PART OF TOTAL ASH, MAINLY SILICA, WA SHOWED 0.393% ACID INSOLUBLE ASH; ETHANOL AND WATER SOLUBLE EXTRACTIVE IS INDICATIVE OF PERCENTAGE ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS WERE FOUND TO BE 25.66 AND 20.854%, RESPECTIVELY. HIGH-PERFORMANCE THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY FINGERPRINTING PROFILES OF WA UNDER 254 NM SHOWED THE PRESENCE OF 7 SPOTS (ALL IN GREEN) AT RF VALUES RANGING FROM 0.21 TO 0.88. UNDER 366 NM THERE WERE 4 PROMINENT SPOTS (ALL IN FLUORESCENT) AT RF 0.49 TO 0.82 AND, WHEN SCANNED UNDER WHITE LIGHT 620 NM FOLLOWING DERIVATIZATION WITH VANILLIN SULFURIC ACID 6 SPOTS (IN DIFFERENT COLORS) WERE EVIDENT AT RF 0.28 TO 0.58. AMONG THESE SPOT WITH RF OF 0.58 WAS COMMON WHEN VISUALIZED UNDER ALL THE THREE METHODS. RF VALUES BY DENSITOMETRIC SCAN OF WA SHOWED 12 PEAKS AT 254 NM AND 5 PEAKS AT 366 NM. HOWEVER, IN CLINICAL TRIAL, IT WAS FOUND TO BE A POTENT EMETIC AGENT WITHOUT ANY COMPLICATION. ABBREVIATIONS USED: WA: WRIGHTIA ANTIDYSENTERICA; LINN.; VK: VAMANA KARMA; BT: BEFORE TREATMENT; FP: FREIDMAN'S P VALUE; CHS: CHI-SQUARE VALUE; NR: NEGATIVE RANKS; PR: POSITIVE RANKS; N: SAMPLE NUMBER, AS: AUSTIPZ SIGN; CG: CANDLE GREASE TEST; SSL: SAMYAK SNIGDHA LAKSHANA. 2016 2 1993 25 STANDARDISATION OF KUTAJADI VISHESH YOGA. AMOEBIASIS IS A PROBLEM IN NORTHERN INDIA. IN AYURVEDA SEVERAL HERBAL DRUGS ARE MENTIONED, TO BE USED FOR CONTROLLING THE AMATISARA (AMOEBIASIS) BUT NONE OF THE DRUG ARE FOUND HAVING POTENT EFFECT TO IRADICATE THE DISEASE. IN ANCIENT LITERATURE KUTAJ (HOLARRHENA ANTIDYSENTRICA) IS MENTIONED IN COMMONEST WAS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISEASE THIS PLANT IS PREVALENTLY FOUND IN HIMALAYAN AND VINDHAYA AREA. IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE FOR RELIEVING AMOEBIASIS. BY SEEING ITS THEURAPTIC IMPORTANCE WE HAVE TRIED TO STANDARDIZE THE COMPOUND IN WHOLE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KUTAJ. THE DETAIL COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF PREPARATION OF DRUG WITH ITS THERAPEUTIC EFFECT WILL BE NARRATED DURING THE TIME OF WORKSHOP. 1998 3 607 45 DEVELOPMENT OF A CHEWABLE TABLET FROM DUGDHAMALAKYADI YOGA: AN AYURVEDIC PREPARATION. BACKGROUND: AMALAKI (EMBELICA OFFICINALIS GAERTN.) IS ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED HERBS IN THE INDIAN SYSTEM OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST RASAYANA-S (HEALTH PROMOTING) DRUG. IN DUGDHAMALAKYADI YOGA, AMALAKI (EMBELICA OFFICINALIS GAERTN.) POWDER IS ADMINISTERED ALONG WITH MILK IN CASE OF SVARABHANGA (HOARSENESS OF VOICE). HERE AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO CONVERT THIS FORMULATION INTO CHEWABLE TABLET WITHOUT ALTERING ITS PROPERTY TO IMPROVE ITS PALATABILITY, SHELF LIFE AND FIXATION OF PROPER THERAPEUTIC DOSE. METHODOLOGY: CHEWABLE TABLETS WERE PREPARED BY WET GRANULATION METHOD. HERE, AMALAKI POWDER WAS PREPARED INITIALLY AND IT WAS MIXED WITH ADDITIVES AND PRESERVATIVES. GRANULES WERE PREPARED FROM THIS MIXTURE BY ADDING BINDING AGENT, FINALLY COMPRESSED IN TO TABLETS. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF AMALAKI STANDARD ARE: FOREIGN MATTER-NIL, ACID INSOLUBLE ASH-0.51%W/W, WATER SOLUBLE ASH-2.01% W/W, ALCOHOLIC EXTRACTIVES-44.48%, AQUEOUS EXTRACTIVES 67.52%, PH-3.1, MOISTURE CONTENT-8.19%. QUALITY CONTROL TEST FOR CHEWABLE TABLET WAS CARRIED OUT AND FOUND SATISFACTORY WITH GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TABLET VIZ. HARDNESS 1.8, DISINTEGRATION TIME 15-20 MIN, FRIABILITY 0.5%, WEIGHT VARIATION +/- 3%. THE TLC OF AMALAKI POWDER SHOWED 3 SPOTS WITH RF VALUE 0.14, 0.4, AND 0.73 AND THE CHEWABLE TABLETS SHOWED 2 SPOTS WITH RF VALUE 0.31 AND 0.89 UNDER 254 NM. THE ADAPTATION OF MODERN TECHNIQUES OR METHODS TO CONVERT THE AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS WITHOUT ALTERING ITS THERAPEUTIC PROPERTY IS NECESSARY TO MADE THEM SUITABLE FOR THE PRESENT TRENDS OF NEWER DRUG DELIVERY DOSAGE FORMS. 2012 4 2776 30 YOGA SCHOOL OF THOUGHT AND PSYCHIATRY: THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL. YOGA IS A TRADITIONAL LIFE-STYLE PRACTICE USED FOR SPIRITUAL REASONS. HOWEVER, THE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS LIKE THE ASANAS AND PRANAYAAMAS HAVE DEMONSTRATED PHYSIOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS. THERE IS EVIDENCE FOR YOGA AS BEING A POTENT ANTIDEPRESSANT THAT MATCHES WITH DRUGS. IN DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, YOGA 'CORRECTS' AN UNDERLYING COGNITIVE PHYSIOLOGY. IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS, YOGA HAS BENEFITS AS AN ADD-ON INTERVENTION IN PHARMACOLOGICALLY STABILIZED SUBJECTS. THE EFFECTS ARE PARTICULARLY NOTABLE ON NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS. YOGA ALSO HELPS TO CORRECT SOCIAL COGNITION. YOGA CAN BE INTRODUCED EARLY IN THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOSIS WITH SOME BENEFITS. ELEVATION OF OXYTOCIN MAY BE A MECHANISM OF YOGA EFFECTS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. CERTAIN COMPONENTS OF YOGA HAVE DEMONSTRATED NEUROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF VAGAL STIMULATION, INDICATING THIS (INDIRECT OR AUTOGENOUS VAGAL STIMULATION) AS A POSSIBLE MECHANISM OF ITS ACTION. IT IS TIME, PSYCHIATRISTS EXPLOITED THE BENEFITS IF YOGA FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CARE IN THEIR PATIENTS. 2013 5 483 53 CLINICAL EFFICACY OF VAMANA KARMA WITH IKSHWAAKU BEEJA YOGA FOLLOWED BY SHATAPUSHPADI GHANAVATI IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ARTAVA KSHAYA W. S. R TO POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME. BACKGROUND: DUE TO SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE AND STRESS, THE INCIDENCE OF METABOLIC DISORDERS ARE INCREASING DAY BY DAY. AMONG THESE POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS) IS AN INTRICATE DISORDER AFFECTING 4%-8% WOMEN IN THEIR REPRODUCTIVE AGE AND RELATED TO OVARIAN DYSFUNCTION CHARACTERIZED BY OBESITY, OLIGOMENORRHEA, ANOVULATION AND HYPERANDROGENISM. IN MODERN SYSTEM OF MEDICINE, THE AVAILABLE ALLOPATHIC REGIMEN HAS ITS OWN LIMITATIONS, SO IT IS NEED OF TIME TO FIND A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE THERAPY FOR SUCH TYPE OF CONDITION. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOM IN 85%-90% OF PCOS PATIENTS IS OLIGOMENORRHEA WHICH CAN BE CORRELATED TO ARTAVA KSHAYA (LOSS OF MENSTRUAL FLUID) IN AYURVEDA. HENCE, IN THE PRESENT CLINICAL STUDY, VAMANA KARMA (THERAPEUTIC VOMITING) WITH IKSHWAAKU SEED FORMULATION FOLLOWED BY SHATAPUSHPADI GHANAVATI WAS PLANNED. AIMS: TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF VAMANA KARMA (THERAPEUTIC VOMITING) FOLLOWED BY SHATAPUSHPADI GHANAVATI IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AARTAVA KSHAYA (LOSS OF MENSTRUAL FLUID) W. S. R TO PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A TOTAL OF 15 PATIENTS OF PCOS WERE CLINICALLY DIAGNOSED AND TREATED BY VAMANA KARMA (THERAPEUTIC VOMITING) PROCEDURE WITH IKSHWAAKU SEED FORMULATION. AFTER COMPLETION OF VAMANA KARMA (THERAPEUTIC VOMITING) AND SAMSARJANA KRAMA, (POST THERAPY DIETARY REGIMEN FOR REVIVAL) SHATAPUSHPADI GHANAVATI 2 VATI (EACH 500 MG) TWICE IN A DAY WITH LUKEWARM WATER WAS GIVEN FOR 45 DAYS. AFTER COMPLETION OF 2-MONTH TRIAL, ASSESSMENT OF THERAPY WAS ESTIMATED BY SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE PARAMETERS. RESULTS: STATISTICALLY EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.0001) RESULTS WERE FOUND IN MENSTRUAL IRREGULARITIES, OBESITY, AND BODY MASS INDEX. THE SIGNIFICANT RESULT IN REDUCTION OF NONDOMINANT FOLLICLES (P = 0.01 AND 0.03 FOR RIGHT AND LEFT OVARY, RESPECTIVELY), LOWERING THE FASTING BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL (P = 0.02) AND HIRSUTISM (P = 0.03) WAS FOUND. CONCLUSION: VAMANA KARMA (THERAPEUTIC VOMITING) FOLLOWED BY SHATAPUSHPADI GHANAVATI IS VERY EFFECTIVE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OBESE PCOS PATIENTS AND INCREASING CHANCES OF CONCEPTION. 2017 6 1994 22 STANDARDIZATION OF SULAHARAN YOGA: AN AYURVEDIC TABLET FORMULATION. QUALITY ASSURANCE OF HERBAL PRODUCTS MAY BE ENSURED BY PROPER QUALITY CONTROL OF THE HERBAL INGREDIENTS AND BY MEANS OF GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A SIMPLE SCHEME FOR THE STANDARDIZATION AND AUTHENTICATION OF SULAHARAN YOGA A POLY HERBAL FORMULATION. SULAHARAN YOGA WAS PREPARED AS PER AYURVEDIC FORMULARY OF INDIA. IN-HOUSE AND MARKETED PREPARATION HAS BEEN STANDARDIZED ON THE BASIS OF ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERS, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES. THE SET PARAMETERS WERE FOUND TO BE SUFFICIENT TO STANDARDIZE THE SULAHARAN YOGA AND CAN BE USED AS REFERENCE STANDARDS FOR THE QUALITY CONTROL/ QUALITY ASSURANCE STUDY. 2011 7 1128 55 EFFICACY OF VAMANA KARMA WITH IKSHVAKU KSHEERA YOGA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF TAMAKA SHVASA (BRONCHIAL ASTHMA). INTRODUCTION: BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IS A HIGHLY PREVALENT DISEASE, AND IN MOST OF THE ETIOPATHOGENESIS AND SYMPTOMATOLOGY, IT CAN BE CORRELATED WITH TAMAKA SHVASA. IKSHVAKU (LAGENARIA VULGARIS [MANILA] STANDLEY.) IS AN ANNUAL HERBACEOUS CLIMBING PLANT WITH A LONG HISTORY OF MEDICINAL USES FOR THE TREATMENT OF VARIOUS AILMENTS INCLUDING JAUNDICE, DIABETES, ULCER, PILES, COLITIS, ASTHMA, INSANITY, HYPERTENSION, CONGESTIVE CARDIAC FAILURE AND SKIN DISORDERS. ITS FRUIT PULP IS USED BOTH AS AN EMETIC AND AS A PURGATIVE. AIMS: TO STUDY THE EFFICACY OF VAMANA KARMA WITH IKSHVAKU (LAGENARIA VULGARIS [MANILA] STANDLEY) KSHEERA YOGA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A TOTAL OF 15 PATIENTS FULFILLING THE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR BRONCHIAL ASTHMA WERE SELECTED FROM OUTPATIENT AND INPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF PANCHAKARMA DEPARTMENT. THE SIGN AND SYMPTOMS, MAINLY BREATHLESSNESS, COUGH AND RHONCHI WERE GIVEN SCORES DEPENDING ON THEIR SEVERITY. THE PATIENTS WERE ALSO ASSESSED FOR LUNG FUNCTION TEST TO DETERMINE PULMONARY IMPAIRMENT. FOR VAMANA, THEY WERE GIVEN DEEPANA AND PACHANA WITH TRIKATU CHURNA FOR 3 DAYS AND THEN THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO SNEHAPANA WITH LUKEWARM COW'S GHEE. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF SNEHAPANA, THE PATIENT WERE GIVEN ABHYANGA, VASHPA SWEDANA AND DIET WITH PREDOMINANCE OF KAPHA (KAPHA BAHULA AHARA- DIET MIXED WITH MILK OR CURD), WHICH WAS THEN FOLLOWED BY VAMANA WITH IKSHVAKU KSHEERA YOGA AND SAMSARJANA KRAMA. FOLLOW-UP WAS DONE AT AN INTERVAL OF 15 DAYS FOR THREE TIMES AND T SCORES WERE NOTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE TREATMENT. THE SCORES WERE ANALYZED USING WILCOXON SIGNED-RANK TEST FOR SUBJECTIVE PARAMETERS AND STUDENT'S PAIRED T-TEST FOR OBJECTIVE PARAMETERS. RESULTS: THE TRIAL DRUG HAS SHOWN STATISTICALLY HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BREATHLESSNESS, COUGH, RHONCHI, AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LUNG FUNCTION TESTS. CONCLUSION: THE TEST DRUG PROVED ITS EMETIC EFFECT ON THE PATIENTS OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA AND THUS RELIEVED THE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE IMMEDIATELY. IT HAS REDUCED FREQUENCY OF EPISODES OF BREATHLESSNESS AND SEVERITY OF SYMPTOMS. 2017 8 1985 16 SOME THOUGHTS ON NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF YOGA. YOGA PRESENTS THE CULMINATION OF EFFORTS MADE BY MANKIND TILL NOW CONTROL MIND AND BEHAVIOUR. IT IS LIVING SCIENCE, PRACTICED IN AN ELEMENTARY FASHION BY MANY IN INDIA. WHILE A FEW PERHAPS ARE THERE WHO HAVE ATTAINED MASTERY OF THIS SCIENCE.THE BACKGROUND OF THE DERIVATION AND CONCEPT OF YOGA IN INDIA IS PRESENTED FOLLOWED BY A SIMPLE EXPOSITION OF YOGIC PRACTICES AND SOME POSSIBLE NEUROPHYSIOLOGIC EXPLANATIONS. RESEARCH IN YOGA WILL BE REWARDING AS IT GIVES MEANS OF EXPLORING AND ENLARGING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN. 1981 9 2886 26 YOGA: BALANCING THE EXCITATION-INHIBITION EQUILIBRIUM IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. SOCIAL BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES ARE CENTRAL TO MOST PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. A DISEQUILIBRIUM WITHIN THE CORTICAL EXCITATORY AND INHIBITORY NEUROTRANSMITTER SYSTEMS UNDERLIES THESE DEFICITS. GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID (GABA) AND GLUTAMATE ARE THE MOST ABUNDANT EXCITATORY AND INHIBITORY NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN THE BRAIN THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THIS EQUILIBRIUM. SEVERAL CONTEMPORARY THERAPIES USED IN TREATING PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, REGULATE THIS GABA-GLUTAMATE BALANCE. YOGA HAS BEEN STUDIED AS AN ADJUVANT TREATMENT ACROSS A BROAD RANGE OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS AND IS SHOWN TO HAVE SHORT-TERM THERAPEUTIC GAINS. EMERGING EVIDENCE FROM RECENT CLINICAL IN VIVO EXPERIMENTS SUGGESTS THAT YOGA IMPROVES GABA-MEDIATED CORTICAL-INHIBITORY TONE AND ENHANCES PERIPHERAL OXYTOCIN LEVELS. THIS IS LIKELY TO HAVE A MORE CONTROLLED DOWNSTREAM RESPONSE OF THE HYPOTHALAMO-PITUITARY-ADRENAL SYSTEM BY MEANS OF REDUCED CORTISOL RELEASE AND HENCE A BLUNTED SYMPATHETIC RESPONSE TO STRESS. ANIMAL AND EARLY FETAL DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES SUGGEST AN INTER-DEPENDENT ROLE OF OXYTOCIN AND GABA IN REGULATING SOCIAL BEHAVIORS. IN KEEPING WITH THESE OBSERVATIONS, WE PROPOSE AN INTEGRATED NEUROBIOLOGICAL MODEL TO STUDY THE MECHANISMS OF THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS WITH YOGA. APART FROM PROVIDING A NEUROSCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR APPLYING A TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF PRACTICE IN THE CLINICAL SETTING, THIS MODEL CAN BE USED AS A FRAMEWORK FOR STUDYING YOGA MECHANISMS IN FUTURE CLINICAL TRIALS. 2019 10 2608 16 YOGA FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: FROM FAD TO EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION? THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE FOR YOGA'S NEUROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN PEOPLE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. POSTULATED MECHANISMS OF ACTION INCLUDE: (A) MODULATION OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL (HPA) AXIS; (B) ENHANCEMENT OF GABAERGIC NEUROTRANSMISSION; (C) AUTONOMIC MODULATION; AND (D) NEUROENDOCRINOLOGICAL EFFECTS. YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS APPEARS PROMISING AND MERITS FURTHER ATTENTION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE AND RESEARCH. 2020 11 892 21 EFFECT OF YOGA-BASED OCULAR EXERCISES IN LOWERING OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE IN GLAUCOMA PATIENTS: AN AFFIRMATIVE PROPOSITION. GLAUCOMA IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF IRREVERSIBLE BLINDNESS WORLDWIDE, WITH >65 MILLION SUFFERERS. IT IS INCURABLE AND THE ONLY THERAPEUTIC APPROACH ACCEPTED TILL NOW IS THE LOWERING OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE (IOP) MEDICALLY AND/OR SURGICALLY. THESE KNOWN INTERVENTIONS MIGHT HAVE MANY SIDE EFFECTS AND COMPLICATIONS. YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS ARE NOW WELL ACCEPTED AS ALTERNATIVE THERAPY IN MANY CHRONIC DISEASES. THE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN GLAUCOMA, HOWEVER, HAVE NOT BEEN STUDIED ADEQUATELY. ACCOMMODATION (THE PROCESS OF ADJUSTMENT OF OPTICAL POWER TO MAINTAIN CLEAR VISION) OF EYES LEADS TO INSTANT LOWERING OF IOP. THEREFORE, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT ONE OF THE YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS, TRATAK KRIYA, WHICH INCLUDES OCULAR EXERCISES MIGHT LEAD TO LOWERING OF IOP IN GLAUCOMA PATIENTS. THE PROPOSED TRATAK KRIYA LEADS TO CONTRACTION AND RELAXATION OF CILIARY MUSCLES WHICH MIGHT INCREASE OUTFLOW OF AQUEOUS HUMOR. IN ADDITION, THIS YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION MIGHT DECREASE STRESS AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN GLAUCOMA PATIENTS. 2018 12 373 29 AYURVEDA AND YOGA IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. AYURVEDA IS DERIVED FROM 2 SANSKRIT WORDS, NAMELY, "AYUS" AND "VEDA," MEANING LIFE AND KNOWLEDGE, RESPECTIVELY. IT LITERALLY MEANS SCIENCE OF LIFE. AYURVEDA, OF WHICH YOGA IS AN INTEGRAL PART, IS WIDELY PRACTICED IN INDIA AND IS GAINING ACCEPTANCE IN MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND A HOLISTIC SYSTEM, THE FOCUS OF WHICH IS ON THE BODY, MIND, AND CONSCIOUSNESS. THE AYURVEDIC TREATMENT CONSISTS OF THE USE HERBAL PREPARATIONS, DIET, YOGA, MEDITATION, AND OTHER PRACTICES. BASED ON THE REVIEW OF AVAILABLE STUDIES, THE EVIDENCE IS NOT CONVINCING THAT ANY AYURVEDIC HERBAL TREATMENT IS EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASE OR HYPERTENSION. HOWEVER, THE USE OF CERTAIN SPICES AND HERBS SUCH AS GARLIC AND TURMERIC IN AN OVERALL HEALTHY DIET IS APPROPRIATE. MANY HERBS USED BY AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONERS SHOW PROMISE AND COULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR LARGER RANDOMIZED TRIALS. YOGA, AN INTEGRAL PART OF AYURVEDA, HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE USEFUL TO PATIENTS WITH HEART DISEASE AND HYPERTENSION. YOGA REDUCES ANXIETY, PROMOTES WELL-BEING, AND IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE. ITS SAFETY PROFILE IS EXCELLENT. ITS USE AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPEUTIC REGIMEN UNDER MEDICAL SUPERVISION IS APPROPRIATE AND COULD BE WORTH CONSIDERING. 2005 13 433 26 CAN YOGA THERAPY STIMULATE STEM CELL TRAFFICKING FROM BONE MARROW? IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT MESENCHYMAL STROMAL CELLS (MSCS) FROM BONE MARROW ENTER THE PERIPHERAL CIRCULATION INTERMITTENTLY FOR POSSIBLE TISSUE REGENERATION, REPAIR AND TO TAKE CARE OF DAILY WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS EVIDENT FROM THE DETECTION OF MSCS FROM PERIPHERAL BLOOD. THE FACTORS GOVERNING THIS MIGRATION REMAIN ELUSIVE. THESE MSCS CARRY OUT THE WORK OF POLICING AND ARE SUPPOSED TO REPAIR THE INJURED TISSUES. THUS, THESE CELLS HELP IN MAINTAINING THE TISSUE AND ORGAN HOMEOSTASIS. YOGA AND PRANAYAMA ORIGINATED IN INDIA AND IS NOW BEING PRACTICED ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR POSITIVE HEALTH. SO FAR, THE CHEMICAL STIMULATION OF BONE MARROW HAS BEEN WIDELY USED EMPLOYING INJECTION OF COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR. HOWEVER, THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL FACTORS SUCH AS MECHANICAL STIMULATION AND STRETCHING HAS NOT BEEN SUBSTANTIATED. IT IS CLAIMED THAT PRACTICING YOGA DELAYS SENESCENCE, IMPROVES THE PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF HEART AND LUNG AND YOGA POSTURES MAKE THE BODY ELASTIC. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THE YOGA THERAPY PROMOTES TRAFFICKING OF THE STEM CELLS FROM BONE MARROW FOR POSSIBLE REPAIR AND REGENERATION OF WORN OUT AND DEGENERATING TISSUES. WE COVER IN THIS SHORT REVIEW, MAINLY THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL FACTORS ESPECIALLY THE YOGA THERAPY ON STEM CELLS TRAFFICKING FROM BONE MARROW. 2016 14 1535 21 KARMA YOGA: A PATH TOWARDS WORK IN POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY. KARMA YOGA IS THE PATH THAT LEADS TO SALVATION THROUGH ACTION. SALVATION IS THE ULTIMATE STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS. WORK IS THE CENTRAL AND DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF LIFE. IT MAY HAVE INTRINSIC VALUE, INSTRUMENTAL VALUE, OR BOTH. INSTRUMENTAL VALUE INCLUDES INCENTIVE, DIGNITY AND POWER, ETC., WHICH IS THE RESULT EXPECTED FROM THE WORK. THE GITA TEACHES US TO DO WORK WITHOUT THINKING OF RESULT (WORK WITH INTRINSIC VALUE). ATTACHMENT WITH THE RESULT LEADS TO STRESS, COMPETITION AND AGGRESSION. STRESS FURTHER GIVES RISE TO HEART AILMENTS, DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY STUDIES THE FACTORS AND CONDITIONS LEADING TO PLEASURABLE AND SATISFYING LIFE. UNDERSTANDING KARMA YOGA AND ITS PRACTICE HAS A SIMILAR ROLE THAT LEAD AN INDIVIDUAL TOWARDS WORK AND LEADING TO A SATISFIED LIFE. THIS MAY PLAY A UNIQUE ROLE TOWARDS PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY TO IMPROVE ONE'S LIFESTYLE AND AID IN THE TREATMENT OF STRESS DISORDERS. 2013 15 2407 25 YOGA AND HEALTH. YOGA HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF RESEARCH IN THE PAST FEW DECADES FOR THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES FOR MODERN EPIDEMIC DISEASES LIKE MENTAL STRESS, OBESITY, DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, CORONARY HEART DISEASE, AND CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE. INDIVIDUAL STUDIES REPORT BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF YOGA IN THESE CONDITIONS, INDICATING THAT IT CAN BE USED AS NONPHARMACEUTICAL MEASURE OR COMPLEMENT TO DRUG THERAPY FOR TREATMENT OF THESE CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THESE STUDIES HAVE USED ONLY YOGA ASANA, PRANAYAMA, AND/ OR SHORT PERIODS OF MEDITATION FOR THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES. GENERAL PERCEPTION ABOUT YOGA IS ALSO THE SAME, WHICH IS NOT CORRECT. YOGA IN FACT MEANS UNION OF INDIVIDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS WITH THE SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS. IT INVOLVES EIGHT RUNGS OR LIMBS OF YOGA, WHICH INCLUDE YAMA, NIYAMA, ASANA, PRANAYAMA, PRATYAHARA, DHARANA, DHYANA, AND SAMADHI. INTENSE PRACTICE OF THESE LEADS TO SELF-REALIZATION, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF YOGA. AN ANALYTICAL LOOK AT THE RUNGS AND THE GOAL OF YOGA SHOWS THAT IT IS A HOLISTIC WAY OF LIFE LEADING TO A STATE OF COMPLETE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING AND HARMONY WITH NATURE. THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO PURELY ECONOMIC AND MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTAL GOAL OF MODERN CIVILIZATION, WHICH HAS BROUGHT SOCIAL UNREST AND ECOLOGICAL DEVASTATION. 2014 16 1176 48 EVALUATION OF GANDHAKADI YOGA AS AN ADJUVANT THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF BEEJADUSHTIJANYA PANDU (THALASSEMIA MAJOR). INTRODUCTION: THALASSEMIA MAJOR IS A MALIGNANT TYPE OF GENETIC DISORDER AND IRON OVERLOAD IS THE MAIN COMPLICATION OF THE DISEASE WHICH RESULTS DUE TO FREQUENT BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS. GANDHAKADI YOGA HAS BEEN PROVED EFFECTIVE AGAINST IRON OVERLOAD IN EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES AND PILOT VOLUNTARY STUDY, HENCE, TAKEN FOR CLINICAL EVALUATION IN THE PRESENT STUDY. AIM: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY IS TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF GANDHAKADI YOGA AS AN ADJUVANT THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THALASSEMIA MAJOR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A TOTAL OF 46 PATIENTS OF AGE GROUP 2-12 YEARS WERE REGISTERED AND RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS. GROUP A (TRIAL GROUP-GANDHAKADI YOGA WITH BLOOD TRANSFISION (BT)) AND GROUP B (CONTROL GROUP-WITH BT AND IRON CHELATION THERAPY). THE ASSESSMENT WAS DONE BASED ON THE SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE PARAMETERS AFTER12 WEEKS OF TREATMENT, WITH A FOLLOW-UP OF 12 WEEKS. THE DATA OBTAINED IN CLINICAL STUDY WAS ANALYZED USING STUDENT'S "T" TEST. RESULTS: TRIAL DRUG PROVIDED HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT RESULT (P < 0.001) IN MOST OF THE SUBJECTIVE PARAMETERS AND BT INTERVAL WAS PROLONGED. IN GROUP A, THE MAXIMUM IMPROVEMENT WAS FOUND IN THREE PATIENTS (13.04%); MODERATE IMPROVEMENT IN 15 PATIENTS (65.22%) AND MILD IMPROVEMENT IN FIVE PATIENTS (21.74%). NO ADVERSE DRUG REACTION WAS REPORTED DURING THE CLINICAL STUDY. CONCLUSION: GANDHAKADI YOGA PROVIDED BETTER RESULTS THAN CONTROL IN SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE PARAMETERS, BT INTERVAL AND GENERAL HEALTH STATUS, HENCE, HAS AN EFFECTIVE ROLE AS AN ADJUVANT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THALASSEMIA MAJOR. 2016 17 924 20 EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA IN EATING DISORDERS - A CASE REPORT. EATING DISORDERS ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMON PSYCHOSOMATIC DISEASES AND ARE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH NEGATIVE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES. THE USE OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT METHOD IN EATING DISORDERS IS CONTROVERSIAL DISCUSSED. THE INTERVIEWEE WAS A 38 YEAR OLD FEMALE PATIENT SUFFERING ON ANOREXIA NERVOSA AND VARIOUS PSYCHOSOMATIC-PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES IN HER MEDICAL HISTORY. THE PATIENT REPORTED THAT YOGA RECOVERED THE SOUL CONTACT WHICH SHE LOST AND SHE HAD LEARNED TO PERCEIVE AND FEEL HERSELF AGAIN. SHE STATED THAT YOGA HELPED HER TO FIND ACCESS TO HER BODY AND ITS NEEDS AND TO COPE WITH HER TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES. SHE ALSO REPORTED THAT ATTITUDES HAVE CHANGED IN RELATION TO HER STOMACH IN THE TREATMENT OF HER ANOREXIA. THE CASE REPORT CONFIRMED THE POSITIVE EFFECT OF YOGA ON EATING DISORDERS. RESEARCH SHOULD PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUAL'S CO-MORBIDITIES, AS EATING DISORDERS USUALLY OCCUR IN ASSOCIATION WITH CO-MORBIDITIES. 2019 18 422 23 BRIDGING THE SCHISM OF SCHIZOPHRENIA THROUGH YOGA-REVIEW OF PUTATIVE MECHANISMS. SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS EXPERIENCE A 'DISCONNECT' AT MULTIPLE LEVELS-NEURONAL NETWORKS, MENTAL PROCESSES, AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. THE RESULTANT POOR QUALITY-OF-LIFE AND FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY ARE RELATED TO THE PERSISTENT COGNITIVE DEFICITS AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS, WHICH ARE RATHER RESISTANT TO CONVENTIONAL ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATIONS. YOGA HAS EMERGED AS AN IMPORTANT THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. RECENT PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT EFFECTS OF YOGA ON COGNITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS MAY DRIVE THIS BENEFIT. THIS STUDY ATTEMPTS TO INTEGRATE EVIDENCE FROM NEUROSCIENCE-BASED RESEARCH, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE NEUROPLASTICITY-HARNESSING EFFECTS OF YOGA TO BRIDGE THE SCHIZOPHRENIA CONNECTOPATHY. IN AN OVERARCHING MODEL TO STUDY PUTATIVE NEUROBIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS THAT DRIVE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA, IT IS PROPOSED THAT (A) VARIOUS STYLES OF MEDITATION MAY HELP IN STRENGTHENING THE LATERAL AND MEDIAL PREFRONTAL BRAIN NETWORKS, THUS IMPROVING NEUROCOGNITION AND MENTALIZING ABILITIES, AND (B) LEARNING AND PERFORMING CO-ORDINATED PHYSICAL POSTURES WITH A TEACHER FACILITATES IMITATION AND THE PROCESS OF BEING IMITATED, WHICH CAN IMPROVE SOCIAL COGNITION AND EMPATHY THROUGH REINFORCEMENT OF THE PREMOTOR AND PARIETAL MIRROR NEURON SYSTEM. OXYTOCIN MAY PLAY A ROLE IN MEDIATING THESE PROCESSES, LEADING TO BETTER SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES. CLINICAL AND HEURISTIC IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MODEL ARE FURTHER DISCUSSED. 2016 19 320 28 AN INTRODUCTION TO KUNDALINI YOGA MEDITATION TECHNIQUES THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. THE ANCIENT SYSTEM OF KUNDALINI YOGA INCLUDES A VAST ARRAY OF MEDITATION TECHNIQUES AND MANY WERE DISCOVERED TO BE SPECIFIC FOR TREATING THE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS AS WE KNOW THEM TODAY. ONE SUCH TECHNIQUE WAS FOUND TO BE SPECIFIC FOR TREATING OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD), THE FOURTH MOST COMMON PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER, AND THE TENTH MOST DISABLING DISORDER WORLDWIDE. TWO PUBLISHED CLINICAL TRIALS ARE DESCRIBED HERE FOR TREATING OCD USING A SPECIFIC KUNDALINI YOGA PROTOCOL. THIS OCD PROTOCOL ALSO INCLUDES TECHNIQUES THAT ARE USEFUL FOR A WIDE RANGE OF ANXIETY DISORDERS, AS WELL AS A TECHNIQUE SPECIFIC FOR LEARNING TO MANAGE FEAR, ONE FOR TRANQUILIZING AN ANGRY MIND, ONE FOR MEETING MENTAL CHALLENGES, AND ONE FOR TURNING NEGATIVE THOUGHTS INTO POSITIVE THOUGHTS. PART OF THAT PROTOCOL IS INCLUDED HERE AND PUBLISHED IN DETAIL ELSEWHERE. IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF OTHER DISORDER-SPECIFIC MEDITATION TECHNIQUES ARE INCLUDED HERE TO HELP BRING THESE TOOLS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. THESE TECHNIQUES ARE SPECIFIC FOR PHOBIAS, ADDICTIVE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS, MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS, DYSLEXIA, GRIEF, INSOMNIA AND OTHER SLEEP DISORDERS. 2004 20 2436 28 YOGA AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: A REVIEW OF BIOMARKER EVIDENCE. TRADITIONALLY, YOGA HAS BEEN USED AS A MEANS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH BUT OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES OR SO ITS THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS HAVE BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY EXPLORED. YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE USEFUL AS A MONO-THERAPY IN MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION AND AS AN ADJUVANT IN SEVERAL PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS INCLUDING SCHIZOPHRENIA, ANXIETY DISORDERS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. FURTHERMORE, SYSTEMATIC ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO UNDERSTAND THE BIOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF YOGA IN THESE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. GIVEN THAT NO PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER HAS STRONG AND ESTABLISHED BIOMARKERS, IT IS INTERESTING THAT PRELIMINARY RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CERTAIN IMPORTANT BIOMARKERS FOLLOWING REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. IN THIS BRIEF REVIEW, WE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BIOCHEMICAL, NEURO-PHYSIOLOGICAL AND NEURO-IMAGING RELATED BIO-MARKERS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. ALTHOUGH FINDINGS AND TRENDS ARE PROMISING, MUCH MORE RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO ESTABLISH A DEFINITE BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR YOGA IN PSYCHIATRY. 2021