title: Merger of ayurveda and tissue culture-based functional genomics: inspirations from systems biology.
abstract: Ayurveda is one of the ancient systems of health care of Indian origin. Roughly translated into "Knowledge of life", it is based on the use of natural herbs and herb products for therapeutic measures to boost physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony and improve quality of life. Although sheltered with long history and high trust, ayurveda principles have not entered laboratories and only a handful of studies have identified pure components and molecular pathways for its life-enhancing effects. In the post-genomic era, genome-wide functional screenings for targets for diseases is the most recent and practical approach. We illustrate here the merger of ayurveda and functional genomics in a systems biology scenario that reveals the pathway analysis of crude and active components and inspire ayurveda practice for health benefits, disease prevention and therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Central 4, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan. custerd@biochem.taiiku.tsukuba.ac.jp
authors.forename: Custer C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Deocaris
authors.forename: Nashi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Widodo
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wadhwa
authors.forename: Sunil C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kaul
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001681:Biological Assay; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049490:Systems Biology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D032341:Withania / Q000737:chemistry; D054358:Withanolides
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D054358:Withanolides; C009684:withaferin A; C030693:Ashwagandha; D004875:Ergosterol