– AYURVEDA IN PERSONAL CARE

USE OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE

The origin of Ayurveda dates back to 1st century bce in what is present-day India. Ayurveda was among one of the three oldest known forms of medicine, similar to Greek and Chinese medicine. The term “Ayurveda” is a Sanskrit word that embraces two facets, Ayus or Ayur, which refers to life principle, and Veda, the knowledge of how to live a long and healthy life (1). Like most ancient forms of medicine, Ayurveda is synonymous with holistic medicine and focuses on all facets of the individual for harmonious well-being. The primary means of treatment is by using phyto-active plant ingredients to cure various ailments. Ayurvedic practitioners have broad knowledge of plant biology and studied extensively the 1200 plants described for pharmacological applications (2). The medicinal practices are incredibly long and complex, and involve several aspects as described below (3):

1. Kayachikitsa (General Medicine)
2. Samhita (Basic Principles)
3. Vikriti Vigyan (Pathology)
4. Dravya Guna (Pharmacology)
5. Rasa Shastra (Pharmacy)
6. Shareer Kriya (Physiology)
7. Shalya Tantra (Surgery)
8. Kaumara Bhritya (Pediatrics)
9. Panchakarma (Bio-Purification Measures)

Ayurvedic therapeutic principles focus on treating a disease’s cause and not just mitigating the symptom. In addition, the ideologies of Ayurveda focus on developing customized medicine and therapy for each individual, as opposed to mass-produced pharmaceutics practiced in western medicine. This is accomplished by creating a unique assessment for each individual based on body type, mainly categorized as “doshas” or basic energy types. There are three main energy types as described below (4):

● Vata – (air) energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion
● Pitta – (bile) energy that controls the body’s metabolic systems
● Kapha – (phlegm) energy that controls growth in the body

Ayurvedic texts describe each individual with basic energy types following the above-mentioned principles. Imbalance of energy occurs due to a variety of factors such as genetics, stress, and unhealthy diet (1, 4). Much of the practice of Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes the need to balance energy for longevity. One might argue that knowledge and practice of Ayurveda is one of the oldest pioneering philosophies of the “beauty from within” concept that is widely accepted globally by the present-day cosmetic and beauty industry. This topical treatment was augmented in combination with an oral supplement, much like the cosmetic market today.

4.1.4.12 INGREDIENTS APPROPRIATE FOR
COSMETIC/TOPICAL USE

Dermatological therapy using Ayurvedic ingredients has been practiced extensively in South Asia since the origin of Ayurveda. “Panchakarma,” or bio-purification, uses oil or water based extracts of Ayurvedic blends to address dermatological concerns. These customized blends were taken in conjunction with oral supplements and applied as poultices for daily applications. Ayurvedic herbs become commonplace in the Western world around the 19th century, coinciding with the end of British colonization of India. The Ayurvedic recipes consist of simple botanical extracts, standardized ingredients, or purified actives, and can be of water or alcohol extracts based on the claim of the product. Different preparations have been used in cosmetic formulation as an ingredient or found in liposomal preparation. Some ingredients are also formulated as nutritional supplements to work synergistically with topical products (5). A brief summary of compounds used for Ayurvedic practices is given in Table 1 (End of Chapter). The following section describes in detail the most commonly used Ayurvedics in the beauty and personal care industry.

Ayurvedic ingredients with antioxidant potential

The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) results in cellular aging at different levels (19). ROS can react with various cellular components like the DNA, proteins, lipids, and saccharides, causing significant damage. ROS are important signaling molecules as part of the normal cellular processes and play a vital role in signaling and cellular cascades. Due to the exposure from the environmental insults (pollution, UV, stress, and smoking) the levels of ROS can increase dramatically and be a major factor contributing to aging. Skin, being the primary defense against environmental assault, is further damaged by ROS generation. Chronic exposure to ROS results in decline or even loss of skin’s normal function. Damages, which can happen at different levels, include: RNA/DNA damages, impaired lipid homeostasis, cellular inflammation, and oxidation of proteins and lipids. All of which lead to premature aging (19).

Almost all cells have endogenous protection systems, mostly in the form of enzymes to mitigate and convert the reactive singlet oxygen, the most important enzyme being superoxide dismutase. Another approach is to protect human skin by the use of antioxidants from herbs. Several Ayurvedic herbs that have found success in the cosmetic industry are primarily of interest for their antioxidant benefits (7). It has been well documented scientifically that folkloric medicine, particularly Ayurvedic medicine derived from plant extracts, has significant benefits in mitigating exposure to ROS.

The most successfully used Ayurvedic antioxidants include Amla (Phyllanthus emblica), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Guduchi (Tinospora cordiofolia), Vidarikanda (Pueraria tuberosa

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