A scoping review of clinical Āyurgenomics studies incorporating Prakṛti (somatic constitution) assessment and genetic analysis and discussion of their relevance in primary healthcare.

BACKGROUND: Āyurgenomics, the integration of Prakṛti (somatic constitution) with genetics, seeks to rigorously analyze fundamental concepts of Āyurveda while incorporating this knowledge into modern practice. It has enormous scope for integration into the P4 systems of medicine (predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory) by predicting disease susceptibility, exploring disease profiles, and planning therapeutic targets. This scoping review aims to explore published studies on Āyurgenomics that incorporate both Prakṛti analysis and genetic assessment. METHODS: The scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology for scoping reviews and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Searches were conducted using the term "ayurgenomics" both individually and in combination with other terms in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Semantic Scholar. The studies were grouped into three broad categories based on their area of coverage. RESULTS: 16 clinical studies meeting the inclusion criteria out of a total of 281 were included for analysis. The studies were exclusively from India and published from the years 2012 to 2026. Out of the 16 studies, 13 were cross-sectional, while the remaining 3 were case-control. The total sample size was 3,695 subjects. Four methods of assessing Prakṛti, and a diverse range of genetic analyses were employed across all studies. Most of the studies (n = 13) could not be interpreted based on already-existing data as they are first-of-their-kind analyses. The relevance and application of these studies and Āyurgenomics as a whole in the primary healthcare sector may be understood under applicable parameters such as early-risk identification, personalized counseling, strengthening public health, low-cost risk stratification, and integration of traditional medicine with modern healthcare. CONCLUSION: This scoping review analyzes research on Āyurgenomics that incorporates both Prakṛti analysis and genetic assessment, and discusses their relevance in the primary healthcare sector. Further robust studies with larger samples may be employed to add to and enhance already-existing knowledge about this novel area of exploration in Āyurveda.