An Exploration on physiology of Vasa, Meda, Majja in Ayurveda w.s.r. to adipose tissue.

Recent researches on adipocytes in human and mice model have reported that the adipocytes are not only the fat depots but having role in maintenance of physiology and metabolism through adipokines released by them in accordance to their anatomical location. Ayurveda scholars too have mentioned different tissues like Vasa (inter muscular fat), Meda (visceral fat) and Majja (bone marrow) which are predominantly rich in adipocytes similar to adipose tissues, with a different sites, functions, compositions and pathological outcomes. The metabolic effect of Meda and Majja Dhatu on other tissues like muscle (Mamsa Dhatu), bone (Asthi Dhatu) and reproductive tissue (Shukra Dhatu) shows their functional interdependence. The detailed description of therapeutic indications of Vasa and Majja under Snehakarma (oleation therapy) illustrates that clinical physiology of these tissues have been elaborated rather than general physiology. This article is an attempt to comprehend the physiological aspect of Vasa, Meda and Majja retrospectively on the basis of their therapeutic indication for the management of variety of disorders, in the form of Sneha through different therapeutic procedures. An effort has been also taken to distinguish Vasa, Meda, Majja based on the functional peculiarities of adipocytes present in different sites of body like omentum, muscle and bone marrow. Critical observation of explanations of Vasa, Meda and Majja in Ayurveda compendia and advanced research in field of adipocytes reflected that Ayurveda scholars had deep insights regarding the various dimensions of adipocytes, most of which are in consistent with the advanced physiology and biomolecular studies of adipocytes.