Nasa Hi Shiraso Dwaram: Anatomical Correlation With Modern Nose-To-Brain Drug Delivery

Authors

  • Nishant Kumar
  • Kameshwar Nath Singh
  • Jai Prakash Singh

Keywords:

Nasya Karma; Nasa Hi Shiraso Dwaram; Intranasal Drug Delivery; Nose-to-Brain; Olfactory Pathway; Blood-Brain Barrier; Ayurvedic Formulations

Abstract

The Ayurvedic axiom "Nasa hi shiraso dwaram"—the nose as gateway to the head—underpins Nasya Karma for shiroroga and urdhvajatrugata vikara. This systematic review correlates this principle with modern intranasal drug delivery, analyzing classical texts (Charaka Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya, Ashtanga Sangraha) alongside contemporary literature on nasal anatomy, olfactory/trigeminal pathways, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) bypass mechanisms. Modern neuroanatomy validates direct nose-to-brain connections via intracellular (axonal transport through olfactory neurons) and extracellular (perineural/paracellular) pathways. Lipid-based Ayurvedic oils exhibit physicochemical properties analogous to modern lipid nanocarriers: lipophilicity facilitates mucosal spreading/retention; bioadhesion enhances absorption; fine dispersion mimics nanoparticle size (<200 nm) requirements. These correlations establish Nasya Karma as an empirically-derived precursor to targeted intranasal therapeutics for neurological disorders. Ayurvedic formulations therapeutic efficacy likely  stems from optimized drug delivery principles rediscovered by modern pharmacology. This synthesis provides mechanistic rationale for Nasya's clinical utility and identifies translational research priorities: pharmacokinetic tracing of Ayurvedic oils, comparative deposition studies, and clinical efficacy trials...

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References

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Published

2026-05-09

How to Cite

1.
Kumar N, Nath Singh K, Singh JP. Nasa Hi Shiraso Dwaram: Anatomical Correlation With Modern Nose-To-Brain Drug Delivery. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2026 May 9 [cited 2026 May 9];15(1s):83-7. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/10270

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 1s (2026): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

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