CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF HOMEOSTASIS WITH ITS INTERPRETATION IN AYURVEDA

Homeostasis is the maintenance of relatively stable conditions in the body's internal environment in a range that is compatible with maintaining life. Healthy living depends on the constant maintenance of the internal environment within set limits. If it goes beyond the limits, body exhibits malfunction and manifests inrmity and illness. The physiological mechanisms which work to stabilize the internal environment are called homeostatic mechanisms achieved by positive and negative feedback signals and three working components namely detector, integrating center and effector. Ayurveda describes many principles for maintaining health like theory of similarity and dissimilarity (SaamanyaVishesha Siddantha), theory of three entities (Tridosha Siddantha) etc. Dosha, Dhatu and Mala are working in synchronous manner to regulate the homeostasis in the body. Features of healthy individual and causation of disease described in Ayurveda are similar to denition and function of homeostasis respectively. The physiological functioning of components involved in the homeostasis is understood by the description of terms used in derivation of the word Vata like Gati, Gamana, Jnana, Prapti and Utsaha. The internal environment is analogous to Asthayi Dhatu which in balanced states fullls the nutritional requirements of the body and renders health. Features of Chaya, Dosha Kshaya, Vata Vriddi and Raktha Kshaya are the examples where body's self-regulation occurs to correct the deviations as in homeostasis.