Pharmacogenomics, Ayurgenomics and Personalized Medicine: A Review

Abstract

Deciphering human genome has ushered modern bio-medical science towards a future hope of revitalizing current symptomatic or prophylactic treatment methods into personalized and predictive medicine depending upon an individual’s genetic makeup. Genetic variations related to person’s response towards drugs, differential susceptibility to disease and reciprocity of phenotypic attributes related to environment, ethno-racial origin and diseases to genotypes have not been meticulously apprehended yet. Acharya Charaka explains, “योगमासां तु यो विद्याद्देशकालोपपादितम् । पुरुषं पुरुषं वीक्ष्य स ज्ञेयॊ भिषगुत्तमः ॥ ^[1], that one is the best physician who knows how to administer the medicine in accordance with their region (habitation and procurement of medicinal plants) and time and Prakriti (Psychosomatic constitution) of each person individually. This is probably the first classical reference in the history of Indian medicine on Pharmacogenomics. Ayurveda classifying a person on the basis of “Prakriti” or unchangeable constitution type might be an advantageous inclination towards personalized medicine. Several genomic studies augmented the possibilities of yet undisclosed genetic basis of Ayurveda, which could further be integrated or complemented to current medical diagnosis and treatment. Further deep dive into the extremes of utilizable science and technology of this holistic practice remained quintessential for better enlightenment of future bio-medical science to fight all fiends of ailments.

 Pharmacogenomics, Ayurveda, Ayurgenomics, Personalized medicine