BIOMEDICAL STUDY OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DISEASE KLAIBYA MENTIONED IN AYURVEDA

Abstract

Background: Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is a globally prevalent male sexual disorder, affecting over 150 million men worldwide with projections exceeding 322 million by 2025. Ayurveda describes a parallel condition, Klaibya, with remarkable clinical, aetiological, and prognostic precision in the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Bhavprakasha, and Ashtanga Hridayam.

Objective: To conduct a systematic conceptual-analytical study of Klaibya and correlate its typology, aetiology, pathogenesis, and prognosis with contemporary biomedical understanding of ED.

Methods: Classical references from Charaka Samhita (Chikitsa Sthana 30), Sushruta Samhita (Chikitsa Sthana 26), Bhavprakasha Uttarakhanda (72), and Ashtanga Hridayam were systematically reviewed. Modern biomedical literature was sourced from PubMed and Scopus using standard MeSH terms for erectile dysfunction.

Results: Seven distinct types of Klaibya were identified, correlating with vasculogenic, neurogenic, psychogenic, endocrinological, traumatic, age-related, and congenital ED. Aetiological factors overlap significantly with established biomedical risk factors including obesity, metabolic syndrome, psychological stress, and hormonal dysregulation.

Conclusion: The Ayurvedic conceptualisation of Klaibya demonstrates a sophisticated, multi-dimensional understanding of ED that offers integrative insights relevant to contemporary andrology and sexual medicine.