Role of Rasayana in Management of Ageing: a Review

Persistent and excessive stress of modern life has made us recognize with new class of disease called stress-related diseases. In Ayurveda, rasayanas have been mentioned as a set of rejuvenating measures aimed towards youthful rich life free of diseases. It promotes longevity via optimizing cellular level nourishment (Svasthasya orjaskaram). The term rasayana means transportation of nutritional essence throughout body. Various activities such as antioxidant, immuno-competent, immune-potent, immunomodulator, adaptogent, rejuvenator, anti-stress agent, tissue protector, tissue proliferator etc. are proved rasayana properties. Acharya Sharangdhara has clearly stated rasayana as dravyas having ability to prevent early ageing as well as various opportunistic diseases and Hareetaki (Terminalia chebula), Guduchi (Tinospora cardifolia), Guggulu (Commifora mukul) and Rudanti (Capparis moonii) as four rasayana dravyas. According to some research studies free radical scavenging activity of methanolic extract and immunomodulator activity of aqueous extract of Guduchi (Tinospora cardifolia) proves its Rasayana property. Hareetaki (Terminalia chebula) and Guggulu (Commifora mukul) are proved antioxidant as well as cytoprotector. Extracts of Rudanti (Capparis moonii) stimulate lysozymal activity and thus act as immunomodulator. These all are capable of maintaining immune system from immune deficiency state to normal functional state. The present review is undertaken for screening these four herbs to evaluate their probable mode of action as anti-ageing agents helpful in graceful ageing.