Rakta dhatu

In Ayurvedic Medicine, rakta dhatu means "blood tissue" and its circulation. [Vinod Verma [http://books.google.com/books?id=wlJSAGRPNi4C Ayurveda: A Way of Life] Weiser, 1995 ISBN 0877288224 p61]

According to Charaka Samhita (200 B.C.), the most famous authoritative Sanskrit text of Ayurveda, "skin becomes coarse, cracked and lusterless with the diminishing of the rakta dhatu." ("Charaka Samhita", Sutrasthana Summary Section 17#73 -- from Sanskrit Verse 73)

Diseases of the Rakta Dhatu according to Ayurveda:

There is some correlation between Western of blood tissue and the Ayurvedic concept of rakta dhatu. However, the great 200 A.D. Ayurvedic Monk physician Arya Bhikshu Nagarjuna, in his redaction "Sushruta Samhita" (सुश्रुत संहित in Devanagari), considered rakta dhatu to be the fourth dosha (after vata, pitta, and kapha).

This article, like most of classical Ayur-Vedic medical practice is primarily based on authoritative ("apt" in Sanskrit) scriptural verses ("shlokas") from the Brhat Trayi ("Big Three" Sanskrit medical classic texts of Ayurveda). Although there is some correlation with modern medicine, Ayurveda, like Chinese Medicine, has radically different clinical notions of blood (rakta dhatu), of the immune system and lymph (ojas and rasa dhatu), of metabolism (agni and tejas), of the breath - respiration (prana or qi) and of toxins (ama). According to Dr. Vasant Lad in his seminal "Textbook of Ayurveda", Volume I, (Lad, 2001: pp. 117-118), to think of rakta dhatu and diseases of the rakta dhatu as simply the Indian Sanskrit word for blood tissue and blood disorders shows a strong bias towards Western Medicine methods of looking at disease diagnosis and treatment.

"Charaka Samhita" (चरक संहित in Devanagari) asserts that when "vata" (space and air), "pitta" (fire and water), or "kapha" (water and earth) "doshas" get disturbed ("dosha dushya samurchana" in Charaka's Ayurvedic Sanskrit) in the rakta dhatu, "there manifests ailments such as leprosy or other difficult to cure skin diseases ("kustha" in Ayurvedic Sanskrit), erysipelas, boils, internal hemorrhage, menorrhagia, suppuration on anus, penis and mouth, spleen, "gulma" (abdominal tumors), "abscess", nilika, "jaundice", vyanga, piplu, tilakalaka (black moles) ringworm, psoriasis, leucoderma, papules, urticaria patches, and red patches" to name a few. (Source: "Charaka Samhita", Sutrasthana Summary Section 28#11-12 - from Sanskrit verses 11 - 12)

Rakta Vruddhi (Increased Rakta Dhatu):

Polycythemia; Fullness of blood vessels; Bleeding tendencies; Skin conditions such as: rash, urticaria, acne, dermatitis, and eczema; erysipelas; hypertension; red, warm hands and feet; red eyes; and enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) or spleen (splenomegaly).

Rakta Kshaya (Decreased Rakta Dhatu):

Anemia; Emptiness of blood vessels; Pale skin, conjunctiva, lips, tongue, and nails; Dry, rough, cracked skin; Breathlessness on exertion (dyspnea on exertion); Craving for iron; Craving for hot spicy foods, sour, citrus fruit, or meat;Cold hands and feet; Loss of luster; Lack of enthusiasm.

Paraphrased from "Signs and Symptoms of Rakta Disorders" - Table 14, (Source: Lad, 2001: p. 118)

Rakta Sara - Patient with the Essence of Rakta Dhatu:

According to Charaka Samhita, Patients with "rakta sara" (the essence of rakta dhatu) have their ears, eyes, face, tongue, nose, lips, palms of hands, soles of feet, nails, forehead and genitals described as unctuous (oily), red, handsome and brilliant. Rakta sara patients have the qualities of happiness, sharp intellect, magnanimity, tenderness, moderate strength, lack of endurance and intolerance to heat.- Source: Charaka Samhita, Vimanasthana Measurement Section 8#104 (Sanskrit Verse 104)

References:

Source 1: Charaka Samhita, 200 A.D. Sanskrit Ayurvedic Medicine text composed by Arya Vaidya Charaka (Patanjali) - several translations are available in English.

Source 2: Lad, Vasant, Dr., B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc., "Textbook of Ayurveda: Fundamental Principles", Volume 1, Albuquerque, New Mexico: Ayurvedic Press, 2001, 335 Pages, ISBN-10: 1883725070. ISBN-13: 978-1883725075 (800-863-7721 or 505-291-9698)