A Historical Account of Endocrinology in Ancient India

Abstract Endocrinology is the study of tiny chemical messengers secreted from the various glands into the blood that regulate metabolism and a vast array of bodily functions. The earliest rudimentary observations and evolution of endocrinology were documented in the early 17 th and 18 th centuries. The prevalent procedure of castration led to the observation of the effect and the importance of male gonads. Earnest Sterling coined the term “Hormone” in 1905 and identified “Secretin,” the first substance recognized as a hormone in 1902. Starting from our ancient texts, the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, and later on, to the magnum opus epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, there are many references to endocrinological diseases, their descriptions, and remedies. Our brief review aims to draw a similar analogy between these references and contemporary endocrinology practices.