VATARAKTA IN AYURVEDA: CLASSICAL CONCEPTS, CONTEMPORARY CORRELATION WITH GOUT AND EVIDENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT

Background Vatarakta is a distinctive disorder described in Ayurvedic classics, characterized by the simultaneous vitiation and interaction of Vata Dosha and Rakta Dhatu. The disease manifests predominantly with severe pain, swelling, tenderness, burning sensation, stiffness and restricted joint movements. Owing to similarities in clinical presentation, particularly acute inflammatory arthritis involving peripheral joints, Vatarakta is frequently correlated with gouty arthritis in contemporary medicine. Aim To critically review the classical Ayurvedic understanding of Vatarakta, its etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, types, diagnostic considerations and therapeutic principles, and to examine its contemporary correlation with gout and hyperuricemia. Materials and Methods A narrative literature review was undertaken using major Ayurvedic classical texts, including Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya, along with peer-reviewed literature indexed in PubMed and other scholarly databases. Contemporary studies concerning Ayurvedic management of gouty arthritis and Vatarakta were also reviewed. Results Ayurvedic literature describes Vatarakta as a disorder arising from the vitiation of Vata and Rakta, with obstruction and mutual aggravation playing a central role in its pathogenesis. The condition is broadly described as Uttana and Gambhira Vatarakta. Management is individualized according to Dosha, Dhatu, stage and severity of disease and includes Nidana Parivarjana, Shamana Chikitsa, Shodhana Chikitsa, external therapies, Raktamokshana where indicated, Basti, Virechana and Rasayana therapy. Contemporary clinical studies have reported improvements in pain, inflammatory manifestations and serum uric acid following selected Ayurvedic interventions; however, the available evidence remains heterogeneous and requires confirmation through larger, well-designed controlled trials. Conclusion Vatarakta represents an important Ayurvedic model of inflammatory and metabolic musculoskeletal disease. Its classical emphasis on dietary regulation, individualized treatment, correction of Dosha-Dushya imbalance and long-term lifestyle modification offers a potentially valuable complementary framework in the management of gout. Rigorous clinical research integrating Ayurvedic diagnostic parameters with validated biomedical outcomes is required.