Vrushya (vajikaran) is one of the eight specialities of Ashtang Ayurveda dealing with the management of pathophysiology of spermatogenesis and healthy sexual potency. This aphrodisiac therapy consists of for various sexual and reproductive disease i.e., Klaibya or Erectile dysfunctions, Bandhyatva or Infertility, Shukraghata Vata or azospermia and premature ejaculation. Vrishya, a synonym of Vajikara, is the technical term indicating spermatogenic and aphrodisiac effect of a dravya (foods, herbs, spices and Medicinal plants) including audio-visual, socio-religious effects/ sexual behaviour factors/ constants. Currently, the importance of this branch has increased, as more and more people are reporting to clinics with various disorders related to seminal parameters and sexual dysfunction. It is estimated that globally, 60–80 million couples endure from infertility every year out of which approximately 15–20 million are in India alone. As per World Health Organization study on more than 8500 couples, the male factor contributes to infertility as much as 51.2%. Nearly 27.5 million couples actively trying to conceive suffer from infertility in India. Vajikarana therapy not only rejuvenates the male reproductive system and slows down the aging progression but also increases quality and quantity of sperms, thus increasing sperm motility and count. Vajikaran medicines directly exert the effect on Shukra Dhatu and causes increase in quantity of semen or ejaculation or both.
The aims and objectives due to which Vajikarana treatment gained importance was procreation, which is to produce a healthy offspring. A person unable to reproduce an offspring was considered socially unacceptable and had to face social exclusion and disgrace.
Another objective of the treatment was enhancement and maintenance of bodily strength and to achieve sexual fulfillment by remaining healthy. Vajikarana chikitsa mandates following the principles of healthy living as per the directions mentioned in Ayurvedic classics. This treatment involves various methods of snehana (oleation), swedan (sweating), shodhan (body cleansing) through vaman (emesis) and virechan (purgation). The Shodhan therapy is followed by oral medication based on the prakriti of the individual (doshic constitution of body) and certain herbal and herbomineral combinations are administered.
Latest research in Ayurveda.
An attempt has been made to compile the information through a computerised literary search of pre-clinical and clinical data from various search engines from available scientific journals up to 2014 and some unpublished research works of Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar. Review shows that thirty Ayurvedic medicinal plants, out of which, 20 single Ayurvedic medicinal plants have been screened for their spermatogenic effect in animal models, 20 single plants have been clinically reported in management of oligospermia & 10 medicinal plants have been reported in both types of studies.
