Ramanisblog

Category: Medicine

  • Vedas On Human Anatomy

    Lest people may think that the Vedas just skim the surface of any subject, here is a Sample of what the Vedas say on Human Anatomy.

     

    Head , Siras.

     

    This consists of three parts.

     

    a)     Lalata  (brow)

    b)    Kakatika

    c)     Kapala

    – Atharva veda[ii]and the shatapatha bramhana[iii],

    Four ,Sankhya aranyanka[iv]

    The upper skull bones are attached to the other skull bones- Shatpad bhramhan[v].

    The upper skull bone , the cranium.

    The number of skull bones in modern anatomy  Eight.

    The Shatapada bhramhan[vi]describes the human head as made of skin, bone, and the brain.

    The gopath bhramana[vii] mentions marrow in addition.

    Human Anatomy explained in the Vedas
    Vedas on Human Anatomy, Image Credit http://is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/forty_branches_large_views/Rk.gif

    The Atharva veda[viii]further describes the head as having seven apertures (khani) – two ears, two eyes, two nostrils and the mouth.

    2)    Griva (neck)

     

    The  structure of the Neck. as described in the Vedas.

    Posterior part – the posterior part of the neck is made of

    a)     One strong bone (virya) with 14 karukaras (lateral processes) on the two sides of the vertebral column.

    b)    One artery carrying the blood upwards (rig veda 10.163.2 . Av 11.32.2)

    c)     Eight manyas (carotid arteries)

    Anterior part – the anterior part of the neck is the throat (kanta)- in which their lies a dhamani (should be the wind pipe in this context).

    The structure given here refers to the cervical column  i.e griva with 14 karukaras [posterior] and to the windpipe anterior.

     

    The exact number of cervical bones according to modern observation is Seven.

     

     

    Hoernle[xi] comments : the two transverse process to each vertebral are counted as separate bones so the number they counted as 14.

     

    3)    Hanu (jaw)

    The atharva veda[xii] mentions the jaw as a complete organ.

    The expression found in the av is Hanu-cityaa.

    4)    Akshi (eyes)

    The bhramhana[xiv] texts refer to the white the black and the red ball of the eye

    Two passages of give elaborate description of eye as follows:

    a)     First Lohini-raji (red arteries and red veins of the white part of eye)

    b)    Then Aapa (vitreous humours)

    c)     Then Kaninika (pupil)

    d)    Then mandal (eye ball)

    e)     Then Krishna (iris)

    f)      Then Sukra or sukla (white part of eye ball)

    g)     Lastly the eye lashes in the upper and lower part of the eye.

    (Shatpath bramhan[xv] and bruhat aranyaka upanishad[xvi] )

    There are two arteries (nadis ) of the eye, which extend to the heart

    5)    Vaksha (thorax):

    The shatpath bramhan[xviii] through the analogy of chandas (metres) describes the chest of the human body.

    There are four sides of the chest:

    a)     kikasa (thoracic vertebrae)

    b)    parshvas (two sides)

    c)     uras (Sternum)

    d)     sixteen jatrus (costal cartilages)

    .

    6)    Hrdaya

    In the Upanishad period the hrdaya is described and is stated there as made up of flesh with a network structure.

    [xxi]. Puritat the coating of the heart has been mention in the text of the vajasaneyi samhita[xxii].

    Moreover in the same text[xxiii] there occurs the mention of two lump of flesh(kosi)of the hrday.

    In the Upanishad[xxiv] the heart is conceived of as the wheel of a chariot in which the arteries emanating from the heart are described as the spokes of the wheel.

    The numbers of vessels in the heart stated in different Upanishads differ.

    According to some the number is 101 whereas in Brhat Aranyaka upanishad[xxv] and other Upanishad the number of vessels with its branches and sub branches are 72000.

    The weight of heart is stated in the garbha upanishad[xxvi] as eight pala.

    7)    Parshva (sides)

    The shatapath bramhan[xxvii] gives the following account of the structure of the two sides.

    The two sides of the body are formed by 26 parsus or parisavas (ribs).

    Theses ribs are joined at either end to the thoracic vertebrae (kikasa) in the back and jatru (costal cartilage) in the front.

    These ribs are attached to the andaparisus ( which should mean globular end of the rib)

    8)    Pristi (vertebral or vertical column)

    The shatapath bramhan[xxviii] refers to the three division of the vertical column:

    a)     Griva (cervical)

    b)    Amuka (thoracic)

    c)     Udara (lumbar)

    In the thoracic portion of the vertebral column there are 32 pristi kundalas or karukaras (vertebra). The lumbaric portion (udara) is statedas consisted of 20 kuntapas

    9)    Vasti (Bladder)

    The atharva veda[xxix] describes it as the size of a bow.

    The urine is conveyed to the bladder by the two Gavini. To the bladder is attached the vasti –bila (bladder-orifice) and mehana or vartam (urinary duct).

    10)           Upper limbs

    From the account give in the vedic text we can form an idea of the component parts of the upper limbs.

    These are shoulder (amsa) and the hands, the arms (bahu), forearm (doshan) and palm (pani).

    Amsa (shoulder) – the atharva veda[xxx] mentions of two parts of shoulder consisting of aksha (collar bone) and kaphoda (shoulder blades).

    According to the shatpath bramhan[xxxi] the shoulder blade (phalaka) are very small bones.

    Bahu (hands) = the hands are joined to the trunk by means of the collar bones[xxxiii].

    They are made up of three parts[xxxiv].The name of the three parts are known as bahu (arm), doshan (forearm) and pani (palm).

    The palm consist of two parts – ucchalankhas (long bones) and in midst of the hand and the angulis each with three joints.[xxxv]

    11)                       The lower limb

    Fom the description given in atharva veda[xxxvi] and shatapath bramhan[xxxvii] the following idea about the structre of lower limb can be made.

    The lower limb are connected to the trunk by means of shroni (hip). Vankshana (groin) is a joint connecting the thigh with the belly. There are three parts of the leg

    a)     Uru (thigh)

    b)    Jagana(lower part of the leg)

    c)     Pada (foot)

    The knee resemble a ‘fourfold frame’ for joining thigh with the lower part of leg. The foot consists of five parts

    a)     Parsni (the heel)

    b)    Gulpha (ankle )

    c)     Ucchalamkha (meta tarsal)

    d)    Prastista (base – carpus)

    e)     Anguli (digits)

    Citations.

    An interesting and Informative site on AyurVeda, visit the Link below.

    Introduction to Vedic Anatomy

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  • Designer Babies Come To Market. Better Option Possible

    Britain is planning to go ahead with the Thee Parent IVF for Fertility treatment.

    This would help parents with Mitochondrial Disorder in preventing the faulty Genes  responsible for this disorder from being passed on to the child.

    The other fall out is this would help make ‘Designer Babies,’, made to order.

    Though there are objections to this on ethical grounds, it is a welcome step for people misuse any anything if it suits them.

    The Process involved is as follows.

    Two eggs are created fertilized with Sperm, one from the Donor and another from the parents.

    Oocyte with surrounding granulosa cells
    Oocyte with surrounding granulosa cells

    Then an Embryo is created each from the Parent and another from the Donor.

    The pro-nuclei , which contain the genetic information, are removed from both Embryos, but only the parents are kept.

    A healthy embryo is created by adding the parents ‘ pro-nuclei  to the Donor Embryo, which is finally implanted in the womb.

    “The process of producing a three-parent baby involves taking the nucleus of one egg and inserting it into the cytoplasm of another egg which has had its nucleus removed, but still containsmitochondrial DNA, and then fertilizing the hybrid egg with a sperm. The purpose of the procedure is to remove a nucleus from a cell with defective mitochondria and place it in a donor cell with healthy mitochondria, which after fertilisation will contain a nucleus with genetic material from only the two parents.”( wiki)

    Would it not be better, if only one parent is suffering from the Mitochondrial Disorder,use the healthy parents’ Cell and go in for IVF?

    Or am I mistaken?

    Doctor friends may   respond.

    Story:

    .Naked' Human Egg.
    .Naked’ Human Egg.

    Parents at high risk of having children with severe disabilities such as muscular dystrophy will be offered the controversial new IVF treatment after it was given the green light by ministers today.

    It means the world’s first “three-parent baby” could be born in Britain by 2015, if detailed proposals for regulating the procedure pass a public consultation and are approved by Parliament next year.

    Up to 10 patients per year are expected to undergo the treatment, which involves replacing a fraction of the mother’s damaged DNA with that of a healthy donor.

    The process avoids the risk of the mother passing inherited defects, which can lead to a host of rare and debilitating conditions affecting the heart, muscles and brain, on to her children.

    The technique is controversial because it involves “germ line” modification of the embryo’s DNA, meaning the third party’s genetic material would not only be passed on to the child, but also to future generations down the female line.”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10146226/Britain-could-create-first-three-parent-baby-through-IVF.html

     

    What is In Vitro Fertilization?

    In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process by which an egg is fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment for infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed. The process involves monitoring a woman’s ovulatory process, removing ovum or ova(egg or eggs) from the woman’s ovaries and letting sperm fertilise them in a fluid medium in a laboratory. When a woman’s natural cycle is monitored to collect a naturally selected ovum (egg) for fertilisation, it is known as natural cycle IVF. The fertilised egg (zygote) is then transferred to the patient’suterus with the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy. The first successful birth of a “test tube baby”, Louise Brown, occurred in 1978. Louise Brown was born as a result of natural cycle IVF. Robert G. Edwards, the physiologist who developed the treatment, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2010.

    The term in vitro, from the Latin meaning in glass, is used, because early biological experiments involving cultivation of tissues outside the living organism from which they came, were carried out in glass containers such as beakers, test tubes, or petri dishes. Today, the term in vitro is used to refer to any biological procedure that is performed outside the organism it would normally be occurring in, to distinguish it from an in vivo procedure, where the tissue remains inside the living organism within which it is normally found. A colloquial term for babies conceived as the result of IVF, “test tube babies”, refers to the tube-shaped containers of glass or plastic resin, called test tubes, that are commonly used in chemistry labs and biology labs. However, in vitro fertilisation is usually performed in the shallower containers called Petri dishes. One IVF method, Autologous Endometrial Coculture, is actually performed on organic material, but is still considered in vitro.

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_fertilisation

     

  • Doctor Forces Surgery To Meet Target, Patient Dies

    I have been critical of some Doctors who have become crass after money and for unethical practices like accepting gifts from Pharma Companies, forcing patients to take unnecessary  medicines.

     

    The scenario worsened after the entry of Corporates into Medicare making Medicare a Hospitality Industry.

     

    Many of the Corporate run hospitals are meant for Star Hotel Luxury than for patient Care.

     

    You may some of my posts under Medicine, Consumer forum.

     

    Now emerges a shocker.

     

    A Doctor in Uk forced operation on a patient to meet his ‘Target!’

     

    He met his Target but the patient died.

     

    There is another case where a Doctor forced three operations on a patient, patient died.

     

    Corporates mean profit, Profit means Sales ‘Targets”

     

    This evil can be eradicated only by patients going to Doctors who thorough checks you up physically,does not prescribe a battery of Tests ,  who listens to your problem , most importantly does not work in a Corporate run Hospital, and who does not have a Fancy Title or Degree.

     

    Story:

    Ray Law pictured in Lincoln with his wife Kathleen Photo: Steve Hill
    Ray Law pictured in Lincoln with his wife Kathleen Photo: Steve Hill

    Ray Law, 60, died of complications two days after his prostate cancer operation at Lincoln County Hospital in February 2010.

    On the day he died, a senior doctor raised serious concerns about the incident in an internal memo, saying the targets were putting patients at risk and putting “enormous and unsustainable pressure” on surgeons.

    Mr Law should have been put on a high-dependency ward, according to the memo sent to hospital managers, but he ended up on a general ward due to “increasing pressures”. Despite these concerns being raised, Mr Law’s widow Kathleen was never told about them.

    On Thursday night, Mrs Law told The Daily Telegraph of her “anger” at being kept in the dark and said: “I want answers.”

    Her daughter Nikki Law, 35, said: “It’s absolutely despicable. I have no trust in the NHS whatsoever. We’ll definitely take legal action…

     

    It emerged that United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Lincoln County Hospital, had attempted to gag Gary Walker, its former chief executive.

    He signed a £500,000 confidentiality deal preventing him from speaking out over patient safety worries at the hospital shortly before Mr Law’s death.

    On Thursday Mr Walker broke the terms of the order to claim he had come under “dangerous” pressure from NHS officials to prioritise target-hitting over emergency care. He refused to do so and was sacked. The memo, which did not identify Mr Law by name, said targets were exerting “enormous pressure” resulting in “ad hoc arrangements for surgery at short notice”. It noted: “This is not only prejudicial to ongoing patient care, but present enormous and unsustainable pressure on the operating surgeons.”

    The memo said normally only “one or two” radical prostatectomies would be performed by a surgeon in a day, but that “the additional case [of Mr Law] was required due to [redacted] target pressures”.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9871844/Father-died-after-surgery-driven-by-regime-of-targets.html

    A patient being treated at an under-fire hospital trust died after a surgeon had to carry out three “radical procedures” on the same day due to “target pressures”, a leaked letter from a doctor has claimed.

    Source :Telegraph)

    The surveyed doctors said they prescribed them to induce a “placebo effect,” to reassure patients or because patients pushed for a treatment.

    “For authorities to put their heads in the sand and pretend (placebo treatments) are not being given out is not helpful,” said Jeremy Howick of Oxford University, one of the authors of the study, which was published online Wednesday in the journal PLoS One. “We need to think of ways to maximize the benefits of using placebos,” he said.

    Howick and colleagues used a Web-based survey and got 783 responses. The sample was drawn from a list that included 71 percent of all doctors registered with the General Medical Council, the governing body for doctors in the U.K.

    The survey asked doctors if they had ever used a true placebo, like a sugar pill or another kind of dummy treatment such as a drug not meant for the patient’s condition or a non-essential examination including blood tests and X-rays. Nearly all of the doctors — 97 percent — reported having used some kind of placebo treatment at least once, while 12 percent reported having used a fake pill.

    http://ramanisblog.in/2013/03/23/doctors-admit-giving-useless-medicine-to-patients/

     

     

  • Kidney Problems India Help Line Donors Details

    A Study says that about 90,000 Kidneys are required for Transplants in India per year.

    Only 25 % is available, that is Donors are available.

    A Brief on Kidney Problems.

    Kidney Transplant .
    Kidney Transplant .

    Each bean-shaped kidney is 4-5 inches long and contains about a million nephrons, which are like tiny pouches. Each nephron has a filter at one end, called a glomerulus, to filter your blood. Your overall kidney function can be measured by how quickly blood is filtered through these glomeruli. This measurement is called the glomerular filtration rate.

    Healthy kidneys handle several specific roles:

    • Maintain a balance of water and concentration of minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, in your blood
    • Remove waste by-products from the blood after digestion, muscle activity, and exposure to chemicals or medications
    • Produce renin, an enzyme that helps regulate blood pressure
    • Produce erythropoietin, which stimulates red blood cell production
    • Produce an active form of vitamin D, needed for bone health.

    • Patient undergoing Dialysis
      Patient undergoing Dialysis

    • What Causes Acute Kidney Injury (Acute Renal Failure)?

      The loss of kidney function is called acute kidney injury, also known as acute renal failure (ARF). This can occur following a traumatic injury with blood loss, the sudden reduction of blood flow to the kidneys, damage to the kidneys from shock during a severe infection called sepsis, obstruction of urine flow, or damage from certain drugs or toxins.

      Acute kidney injury can also occur from pregnancy complications, such as eclampsia and pre-eclampsia, or related HELLP Syndrome.

      Marathon runners and other athletes who don’t drink enough fluids while competing in long-distance endurance events may suffer acute renal failure due to a sudden breakdown of muscle tissue. This muscle breakdown releases a chemical called myoglobin that can damage the kidneys.

      Obstruction of urine flow, such as with an enlarged prostate, also can lead to acute kidney injury.

      What Causes Chronic Kidney Disease?

      Kidney damage and decreased function that lasts longer than 3 months is called chronic kidney disease (CKD). Chronic kidney disease is particularly dangerous, because you may not have any symptoms until considerable, often irreparable, kidney damage has been done.

      Diabetes (types 1 and 2) and high blood pressure are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Other causes are:

      Immune system conditions, such as lupus, and chronic viral illnesses such asHIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

    • Causes.

    • A severe infection within the kidneys themselves, called pyelonephritis, can lead to scarring as the infection heals. Multiple episodes can lead to kidney damage.Inflammation in the tiny filters (glomeruli) within the kidneys; this can happen after strep infection and other conditions of unknown cause.Polycystic kidney disease, in which fluid-filled cysts form in the kidneys over time. This is the most common form of inherited kidney disease.Congenital defects, present at birth, are often the result of a urinary tract obstruction or malformation that affects the kidneys. One of the most common involves a valve-like mechanism between the bladder and urethra. These defects, sometimes found while a baby is still in the womb, can often be surgically repaired by a urologist.Drugs and toxins, including long-term exposure to some medications and chemicals; overuse of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such asibuprofen and naproxen; and use of intravenous “street” drugs.
    • http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-kidney-disease-basic-information?page=2

    Symptoms.

    • Urinate less than normal.
    • Have swelling from fluid buildup in your tissues (edema).
    • Feel very tired.
    • Lose your appetite or have an unexpectedweight loss.
    • Feel nauseated or vomit.
    • Be either very sleepy or unable to sleep.
    • Have headaches or trouble thinking straight.
    •  For more on Tests, Treatment, Dialysis and Transplants, Donors Check these resources.
    • webmd(link provided above)
    • http://www.nkfi.in/default.htm
    • http://www.nephroplus.com/

    http://www.nephroplus.com/allservices/hemodialysis/

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  • Cancer Drugs Combinations Prices

    Cost of Cancer Drugs are sky rocketing.

     

    Drug Companies arbitrarily fix rates and when an indigenous manufacturer is ready to supply at a fraction of the cost, these Drug companies hide behind patents.

     

    A sample.

    ”

    India‘s patent appeals office has rejected Bayer AG‘s plea to stop the production of a cheaper generic version of a patented cancer drug in a ruling that health groups say is an important precedent for getting inexpensive lifesaving medicines to the poor.

    Last year, India’s patent office allowed local drug manufacturer Natco Pharma Ltd. to produce a generic version of Bayer’s kidney and liver cancer drug Nexavar on the grounds it would make the drug available to the public at a reasonably affordable price. It was the first use of compulsory licensing under Indian patent laws passed in 2005.

    The Intellectual Property Appellate Board rejected the German drug maker’s appeal of the 2012 ruling on Monday. It also ruled that under the license Natco must pay 7 per cent in royalties on net sales to Bayer.

    Bayer sells a one month supply of the drug for about $5,600. Natco’s version would cost Indian patients $175 a month, less than 1/30th as much.

    Western pharmaceutical companies have been pushing for stronger patent protections in India to regulate the country’s $26 billion US generics industry, which they say frequently flouts intellectual property rights. However, health activists and aid groups counter that Indian generics are a lifesaver for patients in poor countries who cannot afford Western prices to treat diseases such as cancer, malaria and HIV.

    Bayer said Tuesday it “strongly” disagreed with the appeal panel’s decision and would pursue the case in the high court in India’s commercial capital Mumbai

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/03/05/india-bayer-patent-dispute.html

    ”

    A: Medicines produced by generic companies in India are among the cheapest in the world. That is because, until 2005, India did not grant patents on medicines. India is one of the few developing countries with production capacity to manufacture quality-assured generic medicines.

    By producing cheaper generic versions of medicines that were patented in other countries, India became a key source of affordable medicines, such as antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) to treat HIV and AIDS. Eighty percent of the medicines MSF uses to treat 170,000 people living with HIV in its projects today are sourced from Indian generic drug companies, and over 80 percent of all HIV and AIDS medicines bought by donors also come from India. In the case of treatment for pediatric AIDS, Indian generic producers supply over 90 percent of medicines used in developing countries. This is why India is known as the “pharmacy of the developing world.”

    Q: What is the relationship between patents and affordable medicines?

    A: When a pharmaceutical company has a patent in a country, it means it has a monopoly in that country for a certain amount of time. This means it can prevent other companies from producing, selling, or importing the medicine in that country for the duration of the patent term, which, according to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, is a minimum of 20 years. This in turn allows companies to charge high prices because there are no competitors in the market.

    In the absence of patents, multiple generic producers produce medicines, further driving the price down. Competition among different producers is the tried and tested way to bring prices down. Competition among generic manufacturers is what helped bring the cost of HIV and AIDS treatment down from over US$10,000 per patient per year in 2000 to $150 today. The absence of patents in India has also helped in the development of three-in-one HIV/AIDS medicines called fixed-dose combination pills, and formulations for children.

    Q: Aren’t patents needed to stimulate innovation for new drugs by pharmaceutical companies?

    A: An increasing number of studies have shown that while patent protection has increased over the last 20 years, the innovation rate has been falling, with an increase in the number of “me-too” drugs of little or no therapeutic gain. This undermines the case that is often made by the pharmaceutical industry that more patent protection would result in more investment in medical innovations.

    A study published in 2005 concluded that 68 percent of the 3,096 new products approved in France between 1981 and 2004 brought “nothing new” over previously available preparations. Similarly, the British Medical Journal published a study rating barely 5 percent of all newly patented drugs in Canada as “breakthrough.” And a breakdown of over 1,000 new drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration between 1989 and 2000 revealed that over three quarters have no therapeutic benefit over existing products.

    In addition, the 2006 report of the World Health Organization’s Commission on Intellectual Property, Innovation, and Public Health also found that there was no evidence that the implementation of WTO rules on patents in developing countries significantly boosts research and development in pharmaceuticals for diseases affecting developing countries.

    Q: Does India not grant patents on medicines at all?

    A: As a WTO member, India has to comply with trade rules set by the WTO. One of these is the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or TRIPS, which obliges WTO member countries to grant patents on pharmaceuticals. To comply with this international obligation, India amended its patent law in 2005 and started to grant patents on medicines. As a result, when patents are granted in the country, Indian generic manufacturers are not able to produce cheaper generic versions of these medicines.”

    http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/publications/article.cfm?id=5769&cat=briefing-documents

    I have a friend in Bangalore whose close relative is a distributor for Cancer drugs.

    He sells a medicine at Rs 8000 to Patients ans he makes a profit of 22% if he sells it Rs.1800!

    next time your Doctor recommends you a Cancr Drug, as him show  the combination, check the information at the Link below and confront him to prescribe an an equivalent Indian Drug or ask him to give you details of other drugs available in the market.

    Please remember these Drugs will not arrest Cancer immediately and you have some time to buy them.

    Cancer Drugs.
    Cancer Drugs.

    ‘

    This list includes more than 100 cancer drug information summaries from NCI. The summaries provide consumer-friendly information about cancer drugs and drug combinations.

    Summaries for individual cancer drugs cover the uses of these drugs, research results, possible side effects, approval information, and ongoing clinical trials. The list includes brand and generic names for the drugs.

    Summaries for cancer drug combinations are listed by abbreviation or common name and are shown in capital letters. Each summary gives a list of the drugs that make up the combination and explains what the combination is used for. It also has links to summaries for individual drugs in the combination.

    http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/druginfo/alphalist