Concept of oja vis -a -vis endoplasmic reticular function: An approach to decode the holistic view

• Main Authors: Anagha Vishwas Ranade, Rabinarayan Acharya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU
• Subjects: Endoplasmic reticulum; Oja; vayasthapana
• Online Access: http://www.ijournalhs.org/article.asp?issn=2542-6214;year=2015;volume=8;issue=2;spage=109;epage=114;aulast=Ranade

Background: In Ayurveda, Oja, being one of the most distinctive concepts is a factor of prime importance related to vitality. Ayurveda depicts the definition, types (Para, Apara); site (Hridaya- Heart, sarvashariravyapi - presence in cellular level), quantity (vindu-in drops), function (bala-vitality) and its derangement etiology etc. of Oja. Various researchers based on their own ideas have given its modern parlance with immunity and stem cell etc. Objective: To decipher the fundamental concept of Oja vis-ΰ-vis endoplasmic reticular function. Material and Methods: A critical analysis of information on Oja from available Ayurvedic literatureand endoplasmic reticular function form modern Physiology texts. Result: ′Endoplasmic reticulum(ER)′ is a multifunctional membranous organelle forming a network in the whole body and is responsible for lipid biosynthesis, calcium storage and protein folding and processing. Etiological factors of Ojadushti (dysfunction) are (Abhighata-may be environmental stress), (shoka-mental stress), (shrama-physical stress, etc) which share similarity with stressors that disrupt function of ER ultimately leading to ER stress causing lifestyle disorders. Achieving cellular homeostasis is now being emphasized in the management of various diseases, in conventional medicine. The cellular homeostasis is dependent largely onproper folding of proteins where as in proper folding results into accumulation of misfolded proteins ultimately enhancing cellular death. Scientific reports on vayathapanaherbs like Amalaki, Punarnava, Guduchi etc. to alleviate ER stress can be give an evidence to correlate the ER with Oja. Conclusion: The present hypothesis gives an insight to decipher a novel concept of Oja and its relation with Endoplasmic reticulum.