MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF RASAYANA THERAPY FOR HEALTHY AGEING: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF GENOMIC AND EPIGENOMIC EVIDENCE

Abstract

Healthy ageing has become a global health priority owing to the increasing burden of age-related disorders and the need for interventions that preserve physiological and cognitive function. Rasayana therapy, a rejuvenative branch of Ayurveda, has gained scientific interest for its potential to modulate molecular mechanisms associated with ageing. To systematically synthesize the available genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and microRNA evidence describing the molecular mechanisms through which Rasayana therapy promotes healthy ageing. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect) and manual reference screening were searched for English-language studies published between 2016 and 2026. Original research investigating Rasayana interventions and reporting molecular evidence related to healthy ageing was included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tools, and findings were synthesized using a qualitative narrative approach. Fourteen studies met the eligibility criteria. The evidence demonstrated that Rasayana therapy modulates multiple interconnected molecular pathways involved in healthy ageing, including FOXO, SIRT1, AMPK, Akt–mTOR, and NRF2. The interventions consistently enhanced antioxidant defence, mitochondrial bioenergetics, genomic stability, neuroprotection, synaptic plasticity, and immune regulation. Advanced molecular technologies, including transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microRNA profiling, provided comprehensive mechanistic insights and highlighted the multi-target nature of Rasayana therapy. Rasayana therapy promotes healthy ageing through coordinated regulation of multiple longevity-associated molecular pathways. Although current evidence is predominantly preclinical, the consistent molecular findings support further clinical validation and the integration of multi-omics approaches to facilitate translational research and precision medicine applications.