A critical review of Mānasa roga (Mental Disease) in the Ayurveda Sanskrit texts

Abstract

According to the data, there is a high prevalence of Mental Disease among elders of Sri Lanka. Prevalence of Dementia (Smruthibramsha) is 3% of elders in between the age of 60 to 80 years. This will be a big issue for Health policy planning and Health management. This study will be carried out to review classifications of mānasa roga, causative factors, signs and symptoms, treatment modalities of them in Sanskrit Authentic Ayurvedic texts viz Charaka Samhitha, Sussrutha Samhitha, vagbata Samhitha, Madawa Nidana, Bhavaprakasha, Bhela Samhitha and Ahstanga Samgraha. It is revealed that there is no definite pattern of classification of mānasa roga in Ayurvedic Sanskrit texts. Description of Mānasa roga are found in scatted form at different places in Sanskrit texts of Ayurveda. Mānasa roga can be mainly divided in to two types viz Unmāda and Apasmāra according to Ayurvedic Sanskrit authentic texts. Achārya Caraka has mentioned Unmāda, Apasmāra and Atathvābhinive^aya in two chapters in Cikithsā Sthāna of Caraka Samhitā as dominent mental illnesses. [1] Suśruta has mentioned Unmāda, Apasmāra and Amaānusopasarga in separate chapters in Uttara Tantra of Suśruta Samhitā. [2] Bhela Samhitā, Aṣṭānga Hṛdaya Samhitā, Aṣṭānga Sangraha and Mādhava Nidāna, Bhava Prakāṣa also followed the same pattern. [3]It is found that there are treatment modalities and managements of Manasa roga are different in text to text.