APATARPANA AS A CAUSE AND THERAPEUTIC MODALITY IN RUTUCHAKRA VIKARA

Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of ahara(proper nutrition) for the sustenance of life and maintenance of health. Apatarpana—a state of inadequate nourishment or deliberate therapeutic depletion—is considered both a nidana for several disorders and a chikitsa in conditions arising from Santarpana janya vyadhi. Menstrual health is governed by artava, an upadhatu of rasa dhatu, and is expressed through the rutuchakra, which is highly sensitive to nutritional status and lifestyle factors. Classical texts describe the influence of dosha balance and ahara–vihara on menstrual rhythm, while modern science correlates these factors with the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian (hpo) axis and hormonal regulation. This article analyzes the impact of apatarpana on rutuchakra—both as a cause of menstrual disorders such as artava kshaya, anartava, asrigdara, and yonivyapad, and as a therapeutic modality in conditions like obesity, pcod, and kaphaja artava dushti.