International Journal of Health Sciences and Research

www.ijhsr.org ISSN: 2249-9571

Review Article

Physiological and Clinical Significance of Srotas

Vd. Khendkar Jayashree Chandrakant1, Pawar Jatved Janardanrao2
1
PG Scholar, 2Associate Professor,
Department of Kriya Sharir, Government Ayurved College, Nanded.
Corresponding Author: Vd. Khendkar Jayashree Chandrakant

Received: 28/07/2016 Revised: 24/08/2016 Accepted: 26/08/2016

ABSTRACT

The living body is the resultant of aggregation of innumerable structures called ‘srotas’. Srotamsi is
pleural form of srotas, which mean minute individual cells i.e. anusrotas and it also mean different
organ systems i.e. sthula srotas. Actually srotas is a channel. The word etymologically derived from
the Sanskrit root ‘stru-strabane’ dhatu which has different meanings - exudation, oozing, filtration,
permeation, to flow, to move, etc. According to Charaka Samhita, srotas is a structure through which
sravanam occurs. The internal transport system of the body is represented by srotas and has been
given a place of fundamental importance in Ayurveda - both in health and disease - an importance
which recent developments in the field of medicine have begun to emphasis. The structural and
functional integrity of this system to physiological states and likewise, the impairment of their
integrity to pathological state were correlated by Charaka Acharya. He says- “No structure in the
body can grow and develop or waste and atrophy, independent of srotas that transport dhatus, which
latter are constantly subjected to (metabolic) transformations. They sub-serve the needs of
transportation. They are transporters of factors that cause the prakopa (excitation) or shamana
(alleviation) of doshas. The srotas recognized by surgeons as - having regard to traumatic injuries as
may be inflicted on them or due to piercing them during surgical manipulations with sharp
instruments. The special kinds of pain exhibited in cases of srotodushti (pathological involvement of
srotas) which are important to gain knowledge of prognosis of disease as well as to treat the root
cause of the disease.

Key words: Srotas, dosha, dhatu, srotodushti.

Aim (alleviation) of doshas. Dosha get vitiated

To study the physiological and clinical due to apathyaahara-vihara causing
significance of srotas as it is involved in khavaigunya and disease process occurs. So
pathogenesis of disease. as to know the prognosis and treat the
Objectives disease, knowledge of strotas is necessary.
1. To understand concept of srotas in detail
by review of literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2. To get knowledge of functions of srotas. Classical texts which were available
3. To understand clinical significance of in the library of Government Ayurved
srotas in disease condition. College, Nanded were reviewed. Pubmed
Need of study database available from net surfing was also
Srotas are transporters of factors that reviewed as per the title. Three research
cause the prakopa (excitation) or shamana articles are included in review of this article.

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INTRODUCTION  Srotamsi- channels

The living body has two basic  Sira - veins
 Dhamanis- arteries
components - one of them is chetana, which  Rasayanis- lymphatics, ducts
is responsible for giving life. Another  Rasavahinis- capillaries
component is a figure or shape, which is a  Nadis- tubular conduits
body, composed of panchamahabhuta. [1]  Panthanas- passages
Various structures produced by  Marga- pathways, tracts
 Sharirchhidrani- body orifices,
panchamahabhuta stay together and also openings, cavities
maintain co-ordination with each other to  Samvrutta- asamvruttani- open or blind
keep homeostasis. Akasha is the basic passages
mahabhuta from which others evolve.  Sthanani- sites, locus
Wherever space exists, it is due to this  Ashayas- repertories
 Niketas- resorts
mahabhuta. Body entities bearing properties
These words seem to be used as
of Akashamahabhuta are - inter and
synonyms, yet they indicate different
intramolecular space, different channels,
functions and structures. The above
words, ears, etc. [2] From this we can
explained nomenclature maintains to both
understand that, there existed a concept of
the drushya and adrushya channels that
minute and numerous individual living units
afford passage to the movement of sharira
in the body which are imperceptible by
dhatus. Though all of these body entities are
sense organs. Nowadays, such microscopic
defined and indicate one common function
living units are known as ‘cell’ (basic
of conveyance of material from one place to
structural and functional unit of human
another in living body, purpose of each
body) which can be considered as
space in body seems to be different. [7]
‘Anustrotas’. Tissues is a group of
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
structurally and functionally similar cells
Genesis of Srotas
which work together to form an organ
In intra-uterine life, srototpatti takes
system are considered as ‘Sthulastrotas’;
place. Vayumahabhuta is responsible for
perceptible by sense organs.
generation of srotas. With appropriate Agni,
Dictionary meaning of word ‘strotas’
when differentiation takes place, vayu
are read as -a current, a stream, a river. As
creates srotas. [8]
srotas are formed due to Akasha
In this way, during the intrauterine
mahabhuta, they have characteristics like -
life, due to differentiation of fertilized
patency, porous, clean, soft, slightly
zygote, many srotas are created in which
unctuous, thin, colorless and transparent. [3]
various body entities take their origin.
Kala is a structure which is limitation
Types of Srotas
between dhatu and ashaya. [4] Kala acts as
According to law, ‘Bhetta hi
semi-permeable membrane and only
bhedyam anyatha bhinnatti’- categorization
selected substance are allowed to pass
of srotas is done different ways.
through it. The kalas are seven in all and are
They are structurally similar to their
situated at the extreme borders (forming
corresponding tissues they transport
encasement and support) of the different
(svadhatusamavarnani), but the size may
fundamental principles (dhatus) of
differ as per morphology of dhatu- some of
organism.
them may be round (vrutta), some may be
Srotamsi of body are channels of
gross (sthula) or minute (anu), some may be
different kinds. It includes all cannels - big
slender (dirgha) or reticular
or small, perceptible or imperceptible,
(pratansadrushyani). [5]
minute or gross - that compose internal
Srotas can be classified on following basis:
transport system of the body. [5] The concept
1. According to number:
of srotas can be understood with the help of
i. Numerable
synonyms. [6]
ii. Innumerable
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2. According to perceptibility: prakopa (excitation) or shamana

[10]
i. Drushya (perceptible) (allevation) of sharira doshas.
ii. Adrushya (imperceptible) Srotas are concerned with the
3. According to adhishthana: metabolic state of their corresponding
i. Sharirika tissues through different communicating
ii. Manasika mechanisms. In fact all srotas are conveyers
4. According to sthanabheda: of body entities, which are under process of
i. Bahirmukha (opening outside) : bioconversion. Charaka Acharya says
These are seven in number ‘srotas’ serves as ayanmukhas to both the
2 akshi (eyes) mala and Prasada part of dhatu. Ayana is
2 nasika (nose) derived from en-gatou root, meaning, to go
2 karna (ears) or to move, that is, hat through which
1 mukha (oral cavity) movement of materials takes place. [11] The
ii. Antarmukha (opening inside) : These word mukha is derived from root much-
are thirteen in number mokshane, meaning to leave or to be free.
Pranavhasrotas Also mukha is used as a synonym of nih-
Annavahasrotas sarana, meaning a structure through which
Udakavahasrotas things get out or get in. In this way srotas
Rasavahasrotas nourish sthayidhatu. This is exact nature of
Raktavahasrotas and main function performed by srotas.
Mamsavahasrotas Let us understand functions of srotas point
Medovahasrotas wise in physiological condition:
Ashtivahasrotas  Sravanam (oozing)
Majjavahastrotas The nutrient material of a particular
Shukravahasrotas dhatu does not nourish it through a srotas
Mutravahastrotas other than its own. E.g. the nutrients
Purishavahasrotas necessary to nourish asthidhatu, if reaches
Swedavahasrotas to mamsadhatu while circulating with
ahararasa, may not be allowed to ooze
Movement of tridosha i.e. vata, pitta through ayanamukhas of mamsavaha
and kapha is through entire body and strotas. According to Ayurvedic point of
through different srotamsi. Even manasika view, parthivatva related to nourishment of
guna sattva and manasika dosha raja and mamsa dhatu is different from that of
tama, which are imperceptible by sense parthivatva related to nourishment of
organs, use the entire body as vehicle and asthidhatu. The concerned srotas apparently
field of operation. [9] decide as to which kind of parthiva dravya
Physiological Significance of Srotas should be allowed to pass through their
There is much diversity in the ayanamukhas. All body entities get
srotamasi, as there is in the elements that replenished in its own srotas. Also we can
compose the structure of the body. All body take the example of digestive system.
entities which are present in the body Release of bile from gall bladder, produced
possess their own ‘srotas’. All body entities in liver is necessary for digestion of fats.
get replenished in own srotas. We can  Vahanam (transportion)
understand from this quotation that, at the Ahararasa is fluid, which circulates
time of Charaka Samhita, knowledge of the through different channels in entire body.
internal transport system of the body had This fluid reaches every srotas and supplies
reached a high degree of development. The required material for that part of dhatu,
living body is nothing but the resultant of which undergo catabolism. The prasada
aggregation of innumerable ‘srotamsi’, that part of dhatu and also mala dhatu (waste
are transporters of factors which causes products or products of degradation) are

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transported. If dhatu is not mobile then only mootraposhaka part gets absorbed and
actual motility of that dhatu is not expected. it oozes in basti (urinary bladder) where
Transport of material needed for urine is stored.
nourishment of that dhatu, from one place to  Typical functions
another is strongly indicated. The channels Poshana or nourishment of
which serve as vehicles of transport of both sthayidhatu is one of the main function of
prasada and mala dhatus also serve the srotas. Nutrient substances which nourish
purpose of their egress and ingress. E.g. the sthayidhatus undergo paka by ushma
Nutrients from Rasa dhatu are transported (agni) of dhatus. They are then made
to Raktavaha srotas to replenish Rakta available to dhatus through their own
dhatu. srotas. [12]
 Site of Biotransformation Mulasthanas of Different Srotas
Srotas is meant to carry dhatu in In classical Ayurvedic texts, concept
stage of metabolism. It means that during of srotomula is focused. Although they have
process of metabolism, one dhatu gets different opinions regarding mulasthana,
transformed into further dhatu in strotas. they consider it to be prabhavsthanam, [13]
Srotas is a device in which meaning from where almost all the activities
biotransformation of previous dhatu to next of that particular srotas takes place and also
dhatu occurs. E.g. Rasa can be replenish which is affected most during pathological
Rakta only where Rasa gets bio-transformed conditions.
into Rakta; this happens only in srotas. If Although purpose of stating
Rasa goes somewhere else and tries to get mulasthana of srotas is not mentioned
transformed in Rakta; Rasa is unable to directly, the commentator of Charaka
increase quantity of Rakta. Mamsa dhatu is Samhita, Chakrapanidatta says- ‘If root of
generated in Mamsavaha srotas by nutrients the tree is destroyed, it will cause harm to
coming from Rakta dhatu and so on. the whole tree, likewise if harm is caused to
 Excretion srotomula, it will lead to damage to whole
The term malakhya dhatu is used for srotas.
waste products or the degraded elements of Clinical Significance of Srotas
tissues, which are not meant to be discarded General Srotodushti Hetu
entirely. A part of malakhya dhatu is In general, all food and activity that
utilized for the synthesis of some structural are promotive of the morbid tendencies of
elements of the body as well as sub-serve the doshas and deleterious to the body
some of the vital functions of the organisms elements are vitiative of the body channels
while a part is utilized to compose i.e. srotas. [14]
excrements which are periodically thrown Characteristics of Srotodushti
out of the body. Sthayidhatus are seldom The characteristics of the morbidity
without malas. E.g. Mala of Asthidhatu is of the body channels are the increased or
Kesha (hair) and shmashru (beard) are decreased flow of their contents, knotted
structural elements of the body while sweat condition of the passages or flow of their
is mala of Medo dhatu which is excreted out contents in abnormal channels. [15]
of the body. 1. Atiprvrutti
 Absorption The term atipravrutti means
Srotas are also has power of excessive flow. When the srotas gets
selective absorption. Nutrients of different vitiated due to dosha, it may lead to
dhatus are present in ahararasa while functional deformity which causes
travelling through it. But only concerned atipravrutti. E.g. in prameha due to
srotas’s nutrient gets selectively absorbed medovaha srotodushti, there is bahumutrata
there. E.g. In the mootra-nirmiti process (excessive passage of urine).
(urine formation), at the site of pakvashaya 2. Sanga

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Sanga means obstruction/retention pathological lesions -acute or chronic, have

or holding up. Due to vitiated dosha, srotas their beginning at the level of srotas.
gets affected functionally. It cannot perform Understanding Concept of Srotas in
its routine function of sravanam/transport. Modern Point of View
The flow is obstructed and leads to diseased In Vatakalakaliya Adhyaya of
condition. E.g. In case of mutrakruchha, Charaka Samhita, function of Vatadosha is
there is obstruction in the passage of described as ‘sthulanu-srotasam cha
voiding urine, so there is retention or bhetta’. [17] This is the evidence to say that
dribbling micturition. classification of ‘srotas’ into sthulasrotas
3. Sira-Granthi and anusrotas existed. If this theme is taken
It means dilatation of veins causing into consideration, anusrotas at cellular
obstruction to normal flow through srotas. level. The cell membrane permits only some
E.g. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which selective substances to pass through it and
plaque builds up inside arteries, which acts as a barrier for other substances. The
causes obstruction to flow of blood. nutrients are also absorbed into the cell
4. Vimarga Gamana through the cell membrane. The metabolites
Due to some pathology, at the level and other waste products from the cell are
of srotas, there is the flow of fluid in the excreted out through the cell membrane.
affected area through channels other than its Also gaseous exchange takes place through
own. E.g. according to jwaravyadhi the cell wall, oxygen passes inside the cell
samprapti, Udakavaha and Sweadavaha from blood while carbon dioxide comes out
srotas are obstructed and vitiated doshas of the cell. So, at the cellular level anusrotas
causes srotodushti, agni gets out of its performs all its functions as per Ayurvedic
original place and resides in twaka causing texts, if there is no evidence of any
jwara. pathology. Likewise at the level of sthula
Concept of Srotovaigunya srotas, for example Annavaha srotas, all the
Srotas perform function of the physiological functions e.g. deglutination,
transmission of materials from one side to digestion, secretion, absorption, excretion
the other. The nutrient substances which are carried out routinely in normalcy. But if
nourish the dhatus undergo paka by the functional integrity is hampered due to
ushma (agni) of dhatus. This kind of vitiated doshas, all the functions are
agnivyapara and paka takes place at the disturbed. There is srotovaigunya at the site
level of dhatuvaha srotas. The dushti or of dosha-dushya sammurchhana which
impairment of agni may, lead to initiates disease process. Manifestation of a
khavaigunya or srotovaigunya i.e. the disease occurs in the body as a result of the
impairment of the function integrity of the defective Srotas of the body. Hence, any
srotas. It causes its inability to perform its defect of Srotas must be corrected quickly,
normal functions. The doshas get vitiated for the restoration of normal health.
and they interact with dushyas of the
affected region. This phenomenon is called DISCUSSION
as dosha-dushya sammurchana. At the site Srotas is a processing unit in which
of interaction the process of disease function of biotransformation of previous
initiates. According to SushrutaSamhita - dhatu into next dhatu takes place.
this process in detail explained under the Manifestation of a disease in the body as a
heading of Shatkriyakala. In which chaya, result of the defective srotas favoring the
prokopa, prasara and sthanasamshraya, dosha-dushya sammurchhana. Now, we
relate to accumulation, excitation, spread know the factors causing srotodushti, the
and initiation of symptoms of diseases. This best method is to prevent factors responsible
fourth stage of Shatkriyaka is due to for srotodushti. So, ‘Prevention is better
khavaigunya or srotovaigunya. [16] Thus, all than cure’. Nidana parivarjana is the

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method by which ‘swasthasya swasthya’ is Varanasi, Reprint; 5th Edition, 1992

maintained, which can play a key role in page 355.
maintenance of homeostasis. 5. Agnivesha, Charaka Samhita Volume I,
Vimana sthana 5/25 (Charaka and
Dridhabala with
CONCLUSION
Chakrapanicommentary and Vidyotini
Present article emphasis on proper Hindi commentary) Chowkhamba
understanding on concept of srotas in Sanskrit Santhana, Varanasi Prakashan;
systematic manner, to understand functions Sixth Edition 2000 page 596.
carried out by srotas in physiological 6. Agnivesha, Charaka Samhita Volume I,
conditions, its mulasthanas, causes of Vimana sthana 5/9 (Charaka and
srotodusthi, its characteristics and clinical Dridhabala with Chakrapani
importance of srotas. The role of Srotas in commentary and Vidyotini Hindi
the manifestation of disease is well commentary) Chowkhamba Sanskrit
discussed in almost all Ayurvedic texts; so Santhana, Varanasi Prakashan; Sixth
also its importance in the maintenance of Edition 2000 page 594.
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Vimana sthana 5/4 (Charaka and
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How to cite this article: Vd. Khendkar JC, Janardanrao PJ. Physiological and clinical significance
of srotas. Int J Health Sci Res. 2016; 6(9):451-457.

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