RAKTA DHATU IN AYURVEDA AND ITS CORRESPONDENCE TO CONTEMPORARY FORMED ELEMENTS OF BLOOD ESPECIALLY PLATELETS AND FACTORS AFFECTING BLEEDING TIME

Vartika Kashyap* and M. B. Gaur

ABSTRACT

Dhatus are the entities that retain sharira, mana (mind) and prana (life). Raktadhatu is the second dhatu formed under influence of agni. Agni is the tissue fire performing transformation at cellular, tissue or organ level which corresponds to the action of enzymatic and hormonal activity. Rakta is the chief sustainer of life. All five properties of panchmahabhuta are expressed in rakta. For complete maturation of red blood cells, i.e. to attain raktata, various factors are necessary. After maturation, formed elements of blood perform distinguished functions. Out of these, platelets primarily perform the function of hemostasis. Primary hemostasis indicates the status of functionality of platelets. We are also able to appreciate the impact of various other factors like age, gender etc. on primary hemostatsis assessed in present study by bleeding time.

Keywords: Rakta dhatu, platelets, bleeding time.