UNDERSTANDING CONCEPT OF RASAYANA IN RESPECT TO DHAATU & STEM CELLS

DR BS PRASAD MD, PhDPRINCIPALKLEU SHRI BMK AYURVED MAHAVIDYALAYABELGAUM, KARNATAKA

Scientists are promising

•Culturing of any type of cells•Making available of one’s own duplicate

organs for transplant

•What made the scientists think and postulate stem cells?

and •What they are?

120 days

Haemopiotic Cells

RBCs

WBCs

????What after

Formation of RBC

Spermatogenesis

2N

2N

1N

2N

1N

1N

1N

What next?

Spermatogenesis

•In 1960S the existence of stem cells in an irradiated mouse was reported by Canadian scientists Ernest A. McCulloch and James E.

120 days

Blood Stem cells

RBCs

WBCs

After

STEM CELLS

•Cells that can make more of themselves

•Cells that can become almost any cell

Stem cells

•Stem cells are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods.

•Unlike muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells—which do not normally replicate themselves—stem cells may replicate many times, or proliferate.

•Stem cells differ from other kinds of cells and have three general properties: ▫they are capable of dividing and renewing

themselves for long periods▫they are unspecialized▫they can give rise to specialized cell types

•Stem cells are unspecialized. •Stem cells do not have any tissue-specific

structures that allow to perform specialized functions.

•For example, a stem cell cannot pump blood (like a heart muscle cell), and it cannot carry oxygen molecules (like a red blood cell).

•Unspecialized stem cells can give rise to specialized cells, including heart muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells and the process is called differentiation.

•Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all the types of blood cells: red blood cells, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and macrophages.

•Mesenchymal stem cells give rise to a variety of cell types: bone cells (osteocytes), cartilage cells (chondrocytes), fat cells (adipocytes) etc.

•Neural stem cells in the brain give rise to its three major cell types: nerve cells (neurons) and two categories of non-neuronal cells—astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.

•Epithelial stem cells in the lining of the digestive tract give rise to several cell types: absorptive cells, goblet cells, and enteroendocrine cells.

•The epidermal stem cells give rise to keratinocytes

•The follicular stem cells can give rise to both the hair follicle and to the epidermis.

Stem cell classification

•By source▫Embryonic▫Adult

•By potency▫Totipotent▫Pluripotent▫Multipotent▫Oligopotent▫Unipotent

•Potency is how many types of cells a stem cell can become.

▫Totipotent stem cells are capable of developing into any other type of body cell.

▫Pluripotent cells are almost as potent as totipotent stem cells. They have barely started differentiating and can develop into almost any other type of  cell, except placenta.

▫ Multipotent stem cells that have begun differentiating into a general type of cell. For  blood cell giving rise to a blood cell only but not brain cell.

▫ Oligopotent stem cells can differentiate into only a few types of cell. For example, a lymphoid stem cell can become any of the blood cells found in the lymphatic system (T cells, B cells, and plasma cells),  but not a different kind of blood cell, such as a red blood cell, or platelet. 

▫ Unipotent stem cells can only become one type of cell their own. They are considered stem cells because they can reproduce indefinitely. An example is skin cells, which can renew themselves indefinitely, but which cannot become any other type of cell.

Embryonic stem cells

•Embryonic stem cells come from a five to six -day- old embryo. They have the ability to form virtually any type of cell found in the human body.

•Embryonic stem cells can become all cell types of the body.

EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Blastocyst

Adult stem cells

•Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found among specialised (differentiated) cells in a tissue or organ after birth.

•Adult stem cells have limited to differentiating capasity.

•Adult stem cells have been identified in many organs and tissues, including brain, bone marrow, peripheral blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, teeth, heart, gut, liver, ovarian epithelium, and testis.

•They are thought to reside in a specific area of each tissue (called a "stem cell niche").

•Differentiation of adult stem cells: •Adult stem cells divide, when needed, and

can give rise to mature cell types that have ▫Characteristic shape▫Specialized structures ▫Functions of a particular tissue

Adult stem cell differentiation

•A blood-forming cell in the bone marrow - hematopoietic stem cell—cannot give rise to the cells of a very different tissue, such as nerve cells in the brain.

Differentiation

Transformation

• Scientists discovered two regions of the brain that contained dividing cells that ultimately become nerve cells.

• Despite these reports, most scientists believed that the adult brain could not generate new nerve cells.

• It was not until the 1990s that scientists agreed that the adult brain does contain stem cells that are able to generate the brain's three major cell types—astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which are non-neuronal cells, and neurons, or nerve cells.

Dhatu

•Ayurved identified sapta dhatu and few upadhatu.

•Adya rasadhatu is the source for Saptadhatu

•Sukshmabhaga of dhatu nourishes successive dhatu

•Uttarottara dhatu poshana is possible only in forward direction

•Several types of tissues are described at present

•Ayurved considered group of tissues under one dhatu and hence listed only seven dhatu

•Dhatu concept represent advanced stem cell theories

STHAYI DHATU (STEM CELLS)

ASTHAYI DHATU (FUNCTIONAL

CELLS)

STHULA BHAGA

SUKSHMABHAGA (STEM CELLS UNDERGOING TRANSFORMATION)

POSHYA (CELLULAR

PART)

FROM ANNARASA (EXOGENOUS)

FROM SARIRARASA (ENDOGENOUS)

POSHAKA (NOURISHMENT PART FROM RASA)

D H A T U

FERTILIZATION

FUNCTIONAL TISSUES OF SKIN ETC.

(ASTHAYI RASA DHATU)

DI F

FE

RE

NT

I AT

ION

STAGE OF TOTIPOTENT CELLS (STHAYI RASA DHATU

TOTIPOTENT CELLS UNDERGOING….

TRANSFORMATION

SUKSHMABHAGA

Stem cells of Mamsa Dhatu(Sthayi Mamsa Dhatu)

Differentiation

Sukshma Bhaga of Mamsa dhatuTransforming into

Meda dhatu

Asthayi Mamsa Dhatu

Asthayi Rasadhatu(Functional skin tissue)

Asthayi Raktadhatu

Asthayi Mamsa dhatu

Sukshma Bhaga

Differentiation

Sthayi Rasa dhatu

Sthayi Rakta dhatu

Sukshma Bhaga

Differentiation

RBC WBCPlatelets

Sthayi Mamsa dhatu

RASAYANA

•Geriatric medicine•Immuno-modulator•Anti-oxidant•Nutrient supplement•Rejuvenator

RASAYANA

•Measures to obtain tissues of optimum quality & quantity

•Vayasthaapana/Ayu (100 yrs of life or preserving youth for more years)

•Smriti, Medha•Balakara•Prabha, Varna•Svaroudaarya•Vaaksiddhi

•Rogaapaharana•Achintyaatbhuta prabhava•Nidra, tandra, srama, klama, alasya hara•Daurbalya hara•Anila, kapha, pitta saamyakara•Sthairya kara•Abaddha mamsa hara•Antaragni sandhukshanam•Sthirasamabhaktha maamsaaha•Susamhita sthira sarira•Sarvatra apratihata paraakramaha•Klesha saha

Rasayana is

•Cell proliferator•Nutrient supplement•Immunomodulation•Antioxidant•Metabolic corrector•Geriatric medicine•Functional capacity enhancer

IN RELATION TO PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS•Measures to obtain tissues of optimum

quality & quantity•Vayasthaapana/Ayu (100 yrs of life or

preserving youth for more years)•Sthira samabhaktha maamsaaha•Susamhita sthira sarira•Jivaniya – Jeevaka, Rishabhaka•Brimhaniya – Aswagandha, Kakoli

MULTI/OLIGO/POTENT STEM CELLS

•Balakara•Rogaapaharana•Antaragni sandhukshanam•GI system – Bilva, Guduchi•Urinary system – Punarnava, Gokshura•Respiratory – Pippali, Pushkaramula

Unipotent stem cells

•Smriti, Medha•Prabha, Varna•Svaroudaarya, •Abaddha mamsa hara•Sukra janaka•Keshya•Chakshushya

Somopaana vidhi – kuti pravesika Rasayana

Day EventSecond Vamana with maggots & blood stain

Third Virechana with maggots

Fourth Whole body swelling & maggots from all orifices

Seventh Only skin & bones remain. Life is preserved due to soma

Eighth Skin shred off. Fall of teeth, nails, body hair

17th & 18th

Eruption of good teeth & nails….

VIDANGA TANDULA RASAYANA

Duration EventAfter a month

Maggots come out of body

Second month

Ant like creatures come out

Third month Lice comes out

Fourth month

Fall off – teeth, nails, body hair

Fifth month Good strength & lusterIncreased perception of sense organs

Asthayi Rasadhatu(Functional skin tissue)

Asthayi Raktadhatu

Asthayi Mamsa dhatu

Sukshma Bhaga

Differentiation

Sthayi Rasa dhatu

Sthayi Rakta dhatu

Sukshma Bhaga

Differentiation

RBC WBCPlatelets

Sthayi Mamsa dhatu

Rasayana

•As the stem cells give rise to functional tissues rasayana drugs are supposed to act on stem cells

•Tissue/system specific rasayana are likely to act on that particular stem cells

•Rasayana drugs for vayasthapana – enhance cell proliferation capacity of stem cells

SUMMARY• Stem cells are unspecialised Cells capable of renew

or proliferate for longer times. • Unspecialized stem cells can give rise to specialized

cells and the process is called differentiation. • Stem cell classification:

▫By source: Embryonic, Adult▫By potency: Totipotent,

Pluri/Multi/Oligo/Unipotent• Embryonic stem cells can become all cell types of

the body.• Dhaatu concept & advanced stem cell theories are

in same lines• Rasayana exerts effects mostly at stem cell level

FURTHER STUDIES

•Rasayana drugs specific to type of stem cells

•Stem cell lines

THANK YOU