Ayurvedic Perspectives on Alzheimer’s Disease: A Conceptual Review Based on Charak Samhita

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease marked by cognitive impairment, memory loss, and behavioral symptoms, and is currently the most common cause of dementia. Although Alzheimer’s disease has been extensively documented in contemporary medical literature, a clear analogy to Alzheimer’s disease can certainly exist in classical writings on Ayurveda, most specifically in the Charak Samhita text. This article discusses ancient texts of Ayurveda, mentioning cognitive impairments like Smriti Bhramsha (memory loss), Buddhi Vibhrama (Intellectual dysfunction), and imbalances of Manas Dosha, and correlates them with contemporary scientific understanding of Alzheimer's disease. The concepts of derangement of Vata Dosha, aging or Jara, improper dieting, lifestyle, stress, and nutritional deficiency, as documented in ancient texts of Ayurveda, almost correspond with contemporary risk factors documented for Alzheimer’s disease. This article also gives a brief insight into preventive and curative measures documented in ancient texts of Ayurveda through concepts like Medhya Rasayana drugs (including Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Shankhapushpi), monitoring dieting, lifestyle modification, and mental control.