Title: Ayurvedic potentials for cellular protection, regeneration and immunomodulation with special reference to resistance against low radiation

Authors: Mehra Raakhee

Addresses: Central Research Institute for Ayurveda, New Delhi-26, India

Abstract: The exposure to acute low Linear Energy Transfer (LET) at more than 10 rem or 0.1 Sv due to background radiation, occupation exposure or free radicals appears to be responsible for biological changes that have a health impact on cells, including DNA damage and contribute to the ageing process and to the manifestation of diseases, including cancer. Individuals and subpopulations (cultural groups defined by geography or occupation) vary in their responses to environmental conditions. Interventions are required to minimise or block disease incidence associated with damaged or altered cells. The World Health Organization has clearly recognised the utility of the Ayurveda system of medicine to fulfil the worldwide health need today. Aiming to improve immunity and to modify resistance by using several pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches from Ayurveda for cellular regeneration, biocatalyst for biological energy conservation, signal transduction along with immunomodulation as well as providing resistance against the background radiation of daily life is of clinical use today.

Keywords: low LET; linear energy transfer; cell damage; ageing; immunomodulation; resistance enhancer; Ayurveda potency; cellular protection; cell regeneration; low radiation; DNA damage; immunity; biological energy conservation; signal transduction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2008.018813

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2008 Vol.5 No.1, pp.9 - 21

Published online: 18 Jun 2008 *

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