Concept of Upadhatu.pdf

Upadhatu refers to the secondary tissues or organs in Ayurveda. They are derived from the primary tissues known as Dhatus. The Upadhatu are formed as a result of the transformation and metabolism of the Dhatus. They play important roles in various physiological functions and contribute to overall health.Each Upadhatu has its own specific functions and significance in maintaining overall health and well-being according to Ayurvedic principles.

1. ITRA,Jamnagar
ConceptofUpadhatu
PreparedBy:Ms.VaidehiVadhvana
Ph.D.Scholar
PharmacologyDept.
I.T.R.A.Jamnagar

2. VaidehiVadhvana
Introduction
Ayurvedahasexplainedthephysiologicalfunctionsofthehumanbodyunder
threeelementsviz.Dosha,DhatuandMala.Dosha,DhatuandMalaformthe
essentialcomponentsofthebody.TheyaregeneratedfromDhatu.Updhatu
isnourishedfromtheSaraportionproducedinnutrientfluidinDhatuvaha
srotas.ItmeanstheyarenotproduceddirectlyfromAhararasa.Updhatus
areimportantphysiologicalunitsandarederivedfromDhatusandresemble
Dhatusintermsofstructure,functionandnature.
Updhatusaresubtissuesorsecondarytissuesinthebodywhichserveas
importantcomponentsandhavecertainfixedfunctionstorender.Dhatus
arecloselyassociatedwiththeUpdhatus.Itisderivedfromthefirst4Dhatus.
UpdhatusarethefinestproductofDhatumetabolism.Dhatavagniplaysa
majorroleinmetabolismofDhatusandUpdhatus.Referencesrelatedto
DhatusareveryfewinAyurvedicliterature.
Theword“Updhatu”hasbeenmadebycombinationoftwowords;i.eUp
andDhatu.
'Upa’isaprefixattachedtotheword"Dhatu".Prefixchangesthemeaning
ofthewordwithwhichitisacting.
Dhatuformthebasicarchitectureofthebody,theyarenotaccomplishedto
executethefunctionsofthebodywithoutthesupportofUpdhatus.So,
UpdhatusarebasicallythederivativesoftheDhatusandresemble
Dhatusintermsoffunctionalandstructuralinnature.
DefinitionsofUpadhatu:
•Updhatushasbeendefinedvariously.
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3. VaidehiVadhvana
•TheAyurvedicscholarshavetriedtoexplaintheseUpadhatus.
AstangaSangrahakarahasmentionedthesecomponentsunderthe
'Prasadaja'elements.
•InSamhitaKala,AcharyaCharakwasthe1
st
totellUpadhatus
collectivelyinoneSutra.
•Substancesthatarepresentinthebodythatonlyperform“Dharana
Karma”is“Updhatu”.
•Meaningof“Up”isSub,subordinate,subsidiary,secondaryand
Dhatumeanstissue.
•Updhatuisasubsidiarytissuewhichprovidesbasetothebodybut
theydonotnurtureitlikeDhatu.Updhatuhelpstosustainthe
body.
EvolvementofUpdhatus:
AcharyaCharaka,whiledescribingthenutritionofbodyelementsdefinesa
separategroupofelements,buthasnotentitledthem.
Further,whileanalyzingthisunitcommentatorChakrapanientitledthemas
Upadhatu.
AcharyaSushrutadoesnotdescribeUpadhatusbuthiscommentator
Dalhana,notonlytooknoteofthembutalsotohaveincludedsandhi’s
(joints)inthelist.
PhysiologyofUpadhatuFormation:
Dhatumetabolismisanourishedpoolofallthebodyconstituents.
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4. VaidehiVadhvana
Foodafterdigestiontakestwoformsviz.thePrasadaja(essence)andthe
Kitta.
DependingupontheirnourishmentfromPrasadajaortheKitta,thetissue
elementsofthebodyaredescribedoftwotypes,thepureonce
"Prasadakhya"andwasteproduct"Malakya".
Utpatti(Origin)ofUpadhatu:
Sarirasthanaofclassicshaveillustratedthissubjectin"Garbhavakranti
Sarira"and"GarbhavyakaranaSarira."Inthisregardancientseershave
explainedthat:"TrutiyeMasiSarvendriyaniSarvangaAvayavasca
YaugapadyenaAbhinirvartante"[S.Sa.3/15].
Originofallthebodyconstituentstakesplaceatembryologicalstage.
"RaktadayoHiGarbhatPrabhutiEvaUtpanna...I”[C.Ci.15/16-Cakra]
NityaBhava:
AlltheDhatusandUpadhatusaretermedas"NityaBhava"ofthebody,as
theyarewithusfrombirth.
UpadhatuRajaandStanyaareexceptionsforthis,sincetheyemergeafew
yearsafterbirthandalsodonotcontinuethroughoutlife.Suchentitiesare
knownas"AnityaBhava".
MainDifferenceb/wDhatu&Upadhatu:
ThemaindifferencebetweenDhatuandUpdhatuisthatanychangesor
vitiationinDhaturesultsintheeffectinUttarDhatubutthiscan’thappenin
caseofUpdhatu.
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5. VaidehiVadhvana
EachofsevenDhatunourishesandsupportsUpdhatuwhichissubsidiary
tissueorsecondarytissueproductandproduceMalas(wasteproducts).The
Updhatuneithernourisheachothernoranyothertissueforthe
matter.
CharactersofUpadhatu:
UpadhatuarederivedfromDhatus.
AcharyaCharakahasexplainedtheirspecificcorrelationinthefollowing
verse:
"RasatStanyamTatoRaktamAsrjahKandarahSirahMamsatVasa
TwacahSatCaMedasahSnayuSambhavah”
[C.Ci15/17]
No.ofUpadhatusAccordingtoDifferentAcharyas.
Acharyas NameofUpadhatus NO.
Sharangdhar,
Bhavmishra,Trimalla
Bhatt
Stanya,Raja,Vasa,Sweda,Danta,Kesha,
Oja
07
VriddhaVagbhatta,
Dalhana.
Stanya,Raja,Kandara,Sira,Vasa,Twak,
Snayu,Sandhi.
08
CharakaSamhita,
Gayadass,Chakrapani
Stanya,Raja,Kandar,Sira,Vasa,Twak,
Snayu.
07
Bhoj
Stanya,Raja,Vasa,Sweda,Danta,Kesha,
Oja.Stanya,Raja,Sira,Twak,Snayu
05
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6. VaidehiVadhvana
1.UpadhatuofRasaDhatu;Raja&Stanya
Raja&Stanyaarepresentonlyinfemales.Theyarederivedbymeansof
specificfunctionattributedtofemalephysiologythatisreproduction.They
arecalledasUpadhatusbecausetheyderivetheirnourishmentfrom
PrasadajaportionofDhatus.Boththeentitiesarepresentinliquidstate.
A.Rajas/Artava
Rajasisthemenstrualblood.menstruationisintimatelycorelatedwiththe
normalfunctionalstatesofthefemaleanditisanindexofherwellbeing.In
Ayurveda,Raja&Artava,areusedassynonymsofeachother.
1.ARTAVA
“Rutoobhavatiitiartavam”(A.S.Sha.1/10)
Ovum??????fertilization
Ritu??????SpecificTimeorperiod
Thetimeformaturationofovumisritu/ritukala.
ConstituentproducedinritukalaisArtava.
Panchmahabhuta??????Teja(Su.Su.14/7)
Formation:Onemonth(fromahararasa)
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7. VaidehiVadhvana
RITUKALA
⮚Exactperiodoffertilization
⮚1
st
twelvenightsaftercessationofmenstrualflow.
Root of Artava Srotas:
Garbhashaya&Artavavaha
dhamanis
ConceptofRaja:
●Bleedingpervaginafor3
dayseverymonthisraja.
●Period:Rajakala/Menses
●Attheageof12&ceasesat
theageof50years.
●Healthyrajacharacters:
oRedlikebloodofhare/lac.
oLeavesnostainonclothes&washedoffeasily.
●Rajaisaccumulatedinuterus??????broughttocervixofuterus??????excreted
byvayuintheformofvaginalbleeding(odourless&balckish).
●Volume:4Anjali
●Itenhancesthegrowthoffemalereproductiveorgansalongwith
developmentofbreast.
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8. VaidehiVadhvana
FunctionofArtava:
ProducesfoetuswhenuniteswithShukra.
FunctionofRaja:
Duringpregnancy,mensturalcyclestops,duetogrowingfoetus,whileraja
formsplacenta&helpsinbreastdevelopment.
DisordersofArtava:(Su.Su.14/16)
•Mennorrhagea,bodyache,foulsmelling(increase)
•Irregularmenses,oligomenorrhea,dysmenorrhea(Decrease).
2.STANYA:
Stanyam(Stanya)referstothebreastmilkpresentonlyinfemalesand
relatedtoreproduction.Performsthefunctionofprovidingnourishmentto
theinfant(NEWBORNBABY).
Stanyaissecretedinthefemalebreastinthepuerperiumperiod
immediatelyafterthebabyisbeingdelivered.
NiruktiofStanya(Etymology):Forthenourishmentofababy,themilk
whichissecretedinthebreastiscalledStanya.
Synonyms:Paya,dugdha,kshira,gorasa.
SiteofStanyavahasrotas:Breastistherootofstanyavahasrotas.Stanya
isformedinthebreastandexpelledoutfromthenipple.Breastisa
secondarysexorganoffemales.
Afterpuberty,thegrowthofthefemalereproductivesystembegins.During
thattime,alongwiththegrowthofotherorgansofartavavahasrotas,breast
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9. VaidehiVadhvana
enlargementalsostartswhichiscalledthebuddingofbreasts.Raja,enhances
thedevelopment.Twodhamanisofbreastconductbreastmilkandbreast
milkisexpressedoutofthenipples.
Duringpregnancyreproductivesrotas(artavavahasrotas)ofapregnant
womangetobstructedbythefetus&hencethemenstrualcyclestopsduring
pregnancy.Obstructedrajatakespartintheformationofplacenta
(apara)whiletherestofrajareachesthebreaststomakeitfull&heavy.
Formationofbreastmilk(Su.Ni.10/18)
Rasadhatucirculatesinthewholebody,whenrasadhatureachesbreast,
stanyaorbreastmilkisformedfromthesweetnessofrasadhatu.
Touch,sightoreventhoughtofachildstimulatessecretion&expulsionof
breastmilk.(A.Hr.U.1/11)immediatelyafterlabor,artavavahasrotas
constrictsduetoexcessofvatadosha&duetotheselactiferousductsinthe
breastdilates&actualsecretionofmilkbeginsonthe3rdor4thpuerperal
day.
Onthethirddayactualmilkissecreted.Thick,heavy,yellowishfluidwhichis
calledPiyush.
Volumeofbreastmilk-2Anjali.(A.Hr.Sha.3/82)
Importanceofbreastmilk(A.Hr.Su.1/16)
Allinfantsshouldbefedonbreastmilk.Breastmilkenhancesthegrowthof
thebodyanditalsoprovidesimmunitytothebaby.
Qualitiesofbreastmilk;
Sweet,unctuous,light.
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10. VaidehiVadhvana
Itiseasydigestedbychild.
Normalbreastmilkeasilymixeswithwater.
Itiswhite&sweetandproducessatietyinchild(Su.Ni.10/25).
Functionsofbreastmilk:(Cha.Su.27/224)(DalhanonSu.Su.15/5)
Breastmilkisformedfromthedigestedfoodofamother,soitcontainsall
thenutrientsrequiredforpropernourishmentofbodyconstituents.
Infantscaneasilydigestbreastmilk.
BuiltUpimmunityinthechild.
Forfirst6months,breastmilkshouldbegivenntothechild.
Factorsresponsibleforsecretionofbreastmilk:
1)PropernourishmentofRasadhatu.
2)Dietofthemother.Sweet,liquid,lightfoodwillenhancesecretionof
breastmilk.Shouldhavesufficientquantityofwater,milk,ghee,greenleafy
vegetables.SweetherbslikeShatavaristimulatelactation.
3)Lactatingwoman'saffectiontowardsachildisthemostimportantfactor
forproperlactation.Touchorevensightofababystimulatessecretionof
breastmilk.
4)Psychologicalstatusofthelactatingwomanalsohasaneffectonlactation.
Sadanddepressedmoodscaninhibitthesecretionofbreastmilk.
3.UpdhatuofRakta;Sira(BloodVessels);Kandara(Tendon)
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11. VaidehiVadhvana
Sira:
“SharanatSiraah”..(Cha.Su.30/12)
●Hollowstructureoriginatingfromheart.
●Conductsrasa&raktadhatuinthe
body.
●FormedfromSnehaofmedadhatu.
●Duetomridupaka,soft&flexiblesira
areformedinthebody.
Number:700sira
Functions:Su.Sha.7/3
●Networkofbloodvessels??????
Networkofveinsinleaf.
●Nourishthetissues??????Upasnehana.
●Conductrasa&raktadhatualongwithdoshas.
●Conductnutrients.
●Conductpranatotissues.
TypesofSira:
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12. VaidehiVadhvana
Disorders:
●Engorgementofbloodvessels(Sirapurnatva)??????raktavriddhi.
●Collapsingbloodvessels(Sirasaithilya)??????raktakshaya.
●Constitutionalcontentofbloodvessels??????Medadhatu.
●Disorderinmedadhatuaffectssiras.
Increaseinmedadhatualsoincreasesfatdepositionontheinnermost
membraneofbloodvessels.
Kandara(Tendons):
“VrutashtuKandarah..”(Su.sha.5/31)
Isthetypeofvritta(round)snayu,large&long.Total16Kandarasare
presentinthebody.
1.UpperExtremities
2.LowerExtremities
3.NeckRegion
4.Back
Intrauterinelife??????Kandaraisformedform
theSnehaofmedadhatu.
DuetoactionofAgni&VataDosha,itbecomesfirm,stable,tough??????Snayu&
Kandara.Kandarafastensthejointsofneck,back&extremitiesveryfirmly,
sojointshavevariousmovements.Firmnessdependsonthestrengthof
Kandara.
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13. VaidehiVadhvana
2.UpdhatuofMamsa;Twacha(Skin);Vasa(Musclefat)
1.Twacha(Skin):
Synonyms:Twak,Charma,Valka,Valkal,Sparshan,Chadani.
Formation:Infetallife??????depositedonrapidlygrowingembryosimilarto
creamareformedontheboilingmilk.
Skin&Musclesarefunctionallysimilar.
Musclescoversbones&givesupporttobody.
Skinformsexternalcoveringofthebody&protectsthebody.
Nourishesattimeofmetabolismofmamsadhatu.
Skin:
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14. VaidehiVadhvana
FunctionsofSkin:
•ConductionofTouch
•Maintenanceofcomplexionofskin
•Lepana–protectsthebody
LayersofSkinasperAcharyaCharaka
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15. VaidehiVadhvana
LayersofSkinasperAcharyaSusruta
•Chaya(Complexion):VataDosha
•Prabha(Luster):PittaDosha
•Types:Red,Yellow,White,Blackish,Greenish&Black.
FunctionsofSkin:
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16. VaidehiVadhvana
3.UpdhatuofMeda;Snayu(Ligaments)
Snayu
Site:Distributedthroughoutthebody.
Infetallife??????formedformtheSnehaof
medadhatuduetokhara-paka,indicating
prolongedaction.
Snayubecometough&strong.
●900snayusinthebody.
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17. VaidehiVadhvana
TypesofSnayu:
Functions:
●Comparedtoaboatmadeofwoodenplates,fastenedtogetherby
largeropes.
●Similarly,humanbodyisbound&fastenedatjointsbysnayu.
●Duetosnayu,bodybecomestough&endureslotofmanualwork.
4.UpdhatuofAsthi;Danta(Teeth)
Danta(Teeth)
●AcharyaSharangdharadescribedit.
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18. VaidehiVadhvana
●Synonyms:Dwija,Ruchaka,DantaandRuchakasthi.
VataDosha&Danta
oSmallerinsize.Sufferfromweakteethandcarries.
PittaDosha&Danta
oSufferfromgingivitis,bleedinggums,whiteincolour.
KaphaDosha&Danta
oStrongteeth
Asthisarapurusha:Strong&bigteeth.Shukrasarapurusha:Very
compact,smooth&white.Medasarapurusha:Unctuousteeth
Functionsofteeth:Masticationoffood.Improperchewing,leadstoGItract
disorders.
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