A CRITICAL STUDY OF PRATHU SNAYU AS DESCRIBED IN SHUSHRUT

Abstract

Acharya Sushruta is one of the most pioneer scholars in the field of Shalya Tantra (Surgery). Acharya Sushruta in Sharirsthan has given the anatomical position of various structures. He was the first person in the field of Ayurveda, who had defined the clinical importance of structural components of body like Sira, Dhamni, Snayu,Kandara, Rajju, Jalaetc in detail. Snayu is also one of them. Acharya sushruta has described about the formation of Snayu in Garbha which strongly support the concept of formation of ligaments/tendons/aponeurosis according to principles of modern medical sciences. As he has described in the 4^th chapter of Sharir Sthana, formation of Snayu in foetus is the result of the Khar Paka of Meda Dhatu by Teja (Pitta) of the Garbha which present throughout the foetal development¹. Due to dominancy of Parthiva Guna, Snayu achieve the characteristic of hardness. In the fifth chapter of Sharir Sthana, Acharya Shusruta has described the clinico-anatomical importance of Snayu from the surgical point of view. He has put his view by making the resemblance of body with a boat²