A CRITICAL REVIEW OF PRANAVAHA SROTAS AND ITS CLINICAL CORRELATION WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)
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Title: A Critical Review of Pranavaha Srotas and Its Clinical Correlation with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Background: Ayurveda describes Pranavaha Srotas as an important functional channel responsible for the transportation and regulation of Prana Vayu, which is essential for respiration and the maintenance of life. The classical Ayurvedic texts explain various physiological and pathological aspects of Pranavaha Srotas, including its Moola (root), Dushti Lakshana (features of vitiation), and etiological factors. Impairment of this system may manifest through respiratory disorders characterized by Shwasa, Kasa, Pinasa, and difficulty in normal respiration. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory disorder characterized by persistent airflow limitation, chronic inflammation, breathlessness, cough, and sputum production. The clinical manifestations of COPD show certain similarities with the respiratory abnormalities described in Ayurveda. Objective: To critically review the classical Ayurvedic concept of Pranavaha Srotas and explore its clinical correlation with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), focusing on similarities in etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and principles of management. Materials and Methods: This review is based on a comprehensive study of classical Ayurvedic literature, including Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga Hridaya, along with relevant contemporary medical literature on COPD. Relevant concepts such as Pranavaha Srotodushti, Srotovidha lakshanas were critically evaluated and compared with the modern understanding of COPD pathophysiology, including chronic airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, bronchial narrowing, and progressive airflow limitation. Results and Discussion: The review highlights that the clinical features of Pranavaha Srotodushti, particularly Atisrishta Shwasa, Atibaddha Shwasa, Kshudra Shwasa, and Shwasa Kashtata, demonstrate functional similarities with respiratory impairment observed in COPD. The involvement of aggravated Vata and Kapha Dosha, along with obstruction of respiratory channels (Srotorodha), may provide an Ayurvedic framework for understanding certain clinical features of COPD. However, these concepts are interpretative correlations and should not be considered direct pathological equivalents of modern COPD mechanisms. Conclusion: The concept of Pranavaha Srotas provides a valuable Ayurvedic perspective for understanding respiratory physiology and disorders. Its critical correlation with COPD offers an opportunity for integrative exploration of respiratory health through classical Ayurvedic principles and contemporary medical science. Further clinical and interdisciplinary research is required to establish the scientific validity and therapeutic relevance of this correlation. Keywords: Pranavaha Srotas, Pranavaha Srotodushti, COPD, Shwasa Roga, , Srotorodha,
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THIS DATA IS GATHERED FROM AYURVEDIC TEXTS