Vaarahamihira and Cecil's Textbook of Medicine.

August 19, 2005

Every body who must have studied Varaahamihira s Brihat Jaatak must have been

acquainted with this verse :

“Kujenduhetu pratimaasaarthavam.”

– Varahamihira.

–

(Because of the Moon’s control on the woman’s body, she bleeds regularly once in

twenty-eight days).

Now I would request our learned friends to compare the above verse with the

following paragraph extracted from one of the prestigious and authorities Books

on Science of Medicine – Cecil’s Textbook of Medicine

“The pituitary has an intrinsic rhythm of small amplitude

with a frequency of every two to ten minutes.

Superimposed on this intrinsic rhythm is a rhythm caused

by the pulsatile release of hypophysiotropic releasing

factors, with or without the withdrawal of a corresponding

inhibitory factor. Rhythms that are shorter than a day are

referred to as ultradian rhythms. The next layer of

rhythmicity is the circadian rhythm, i.e., rhythms with

approximately 24-hour periodicity. These rhythms are

usually synchronised with the 24-hour period by a

periodic environmental cue such as dark-light cycle. The

supra-chiasmatic nucleus functions as a circadian pace

maker and receives light-induced electrical impulses from

the retina via the retino-ophthalmic tract, finally

transmitting those impulses to the pineal gland, where

they are converted to hormonal signals. Signals, for a

rhythm with a periodicity longer than 24 hours, i.e., an

infradian rhythm, include the gravitational influence of

the moon, which gives rise to the menstrual cycle.”

~Page 1202- physiology of Menstruation

I first come to learn about this from an article published in the

Journal, Indian Academy of Clinical Medicine _ Vol. 5, No. 1 _ January-March, 2004.

I would request to follow the link and read the full article written by one of

the Vice-chancellors of a prestigious medical institute of south -India .

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