RAKTAMOKSHAN- AN ANCIENT AYURVEDIC PARASURGICAL PRACTICE AND ITS APPLICABILITY IN CONTEMPORARY CLINICAL PRACTICE: A REVIEW

Vartika Kashyap*, M. B. Gaur, Yogesh Kumar Pandey and Pooja Sabharwal

ABSTRACT

Ayurveda is about ten thousand year old science. There are several surgical and parasurgical procedures mentioned in ancient ayurvedic texts which are applicable today by making few technologic modifications to traditional use of them. One such parasurgical procedure is raktamokshan (bloodletting). Acharya Sushruta, father of Indian surgery, considered rakta (blood) as a fourth dosha (bodily humour necessary to carry out physiological functions) as it is responsible for nourishment of body and our efforts should be towards maintaining its health. Vitiation of rakta leads to varying pathologies. Raktaj (blood borne) and pittaj (bodily humour responsible for metabolism and transformation) diseases that cannot be cured by medication are treated by bloodletting. It is very ancient yet less accredited application of ayurveda. Leech therapy, venesection, cupping therapy which are gaining name today are all described as a subtype of raktamokshan in ayurveda thousands of years back. Nowadays, a lot of trained ayurvedic practitioners are practising raktamokshan (bloodletting) therapy. The present study enlightens the scientific practice of these procedures by acharyas as well as modern technologic advances applied for their use.

Keywords: Raktamokshan, jalauka, Siravedha, ghatiyantra, bloodletting.