APPLICATION OF KARYA-KARANA VADA: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY REGARDING LAVANARASA ATIYOGA

Abstract

The concepts of philosophical science and Ayurveda are symmetrical to some extent, but due to difference in purpose these are elaborated in different way. According to Karya-Karana vada every cause has an effect. The Ayurveda search causes of health as well as diseased conditions. Lavanarasa (salty taste) is one of the principal organoleptic units in food, which always provokes the consumer to consider it but its exorbitant intake in diet produces some symptoms. So far now many studies have been done with relation to Rasas (tastes) but no significant results obtained. Keeping this in mind a case-control study was performed where in 182 volunteers were interviewed personally to evaluate relationship between cause (Atisevana of Lavanarasa) and effective symptoms such as Raktavriddhi (hypertension), Vali (wrinkles), Palitya (greying of hairs), Khalitya (hair fall), Vicharchika (eczema), Trishna (thirst), Shotha (joint inflammation), Daurbalya (weakness). Subjects with these particular symptoms are included in study as cases while healthy ones are considered as controls. To measure the abundant use of salty taste quantity and frequency of common dietary processed food articles such as salty biscuits, potato chips, butter cheese, pickles, soups, papads (thin wafers) and some natural foods like milk, eggs and ham meat are taken into account. Data was obtained and statistical test odds ratio applied to derive relation between cause and effect. Present study shows that salty taste has strong association for hypertension and very mild relation for eczema and moderate association with rest of the symptoms which itself proves the law Karya-karana vada expressed in terms of Atiyoga of Lavanarasa and its repercussions.