CONCEPT OF AMA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CLINICAL EVALUATION AND THERAPEUTIC VIEW ON AMAVATA (RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS)

Today is the era of modernization and fast life, every body is busy and living stressful life. Changing of lifestyle of modern human being has created several disharmonies in his biological system. Due to weakness in Agni, adhya rasa becomes immature and improperly metabolized substance called Ama, which manifests in amasaya (stomach). Ama which is manifested due to derangement of Agni gets lodged in kapha-sthanas with the help of vitiated vyan vayu producing stiffness, swelling, tenderness, in the joint, making the person lame. Derangement of kapha dosha especially Shleshaka kapha in Amavata produces joint pain and swelling with tenderness which can be correlated with Rheumatoid Arthritis. The principles of management of Amavata are langana (fasting), swedna, drugs having tikta, katu rasa, deepana, virechan, snehapan, kshar basti which showed the therapeutic approach of ama related disorders.