Vatarakta beyond gout: A critical narrative review and proposed multidomain correlation framework

Background

Vatarakta, also known as Vatashonita, is described in Ayurveda as a disease arising from the pathological interaction of Vata and Rakta. Because classical descriptions include painful inflammatory manifestations of the extremities and joints, contemporary Ayurvedic literature frequently correlates Vatarakta with gout. Modern gout, however, is a crystal-deposition disease involving monosodium urate (MSU) crystals. Clinical resemblance between the two conditions does not necessarily establish diagnostic or pathophysiological equivalence.