ROLE OF MEDOGNI KSHAYA IN STHAULYA

Dr. Shilpa Tirkey*, Dr. Gitanjali Sasmal, Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj and Dr. Ashok Kumar

ABSTRACT

In Ayurveda, Agni maximally represent digestive and metabolic fire in the body. It is the substance secreted in body, which is directly responsible for chemical changes in the food. It consist of digestive (Pak) and different other hormones, enzymes and co-enzymes, which participate in digestive & metabolic functions. Agni is the invariable agent in the process of Paka (digestion, transformation). Ingested food is to be digested, absorbed and assimilated, which is unavoidable for the maintenance of life and is performed by the Agni. According to Charak, Agni has been divided into 13 types, i.e. Jatharagni –1, Bhutagni – 5, Dhatvagni – 7 Jatharagni is the most important one, which digests four types of food and transforms it into Rasa and Mala. Medo Dhatu means fat tissue. Medo Agni is the factor that controls fat metabolism. If the Medo Dhatvagni or the tissue fire of fat gets weak or stronger than usual, it leads to a wide set of diseases which are again the root source for origin of many systemic illness like obesity.

Keywords: Agni, Dhatvagni, Medogni, Sthaulya, Obesity.