22 Scientific Basis for Ayurvedic Therapies

includes five procedures called panchakarma, all of which are not necessarily done at the

Panchakarma is a major therapeutic procedure in Ayurveda known to be useful for all

diseases of all the body organs and functions because the elimination of toxic products,

endogenous or exogenous, can contribute to overall management of an ailment. It is

toxic symptoms will develop over a period of time. The major cause of body ailments is

the toxic products produced by body metabolism, microorganisms, synthetic chemicals,

Palliation essentially consists of compound preparations of herbs and minerals for diet

and lifestyle interventions. Ayurvedic texts describe seven types of palliation: (1) digestive

yoga exercise, (6) lying in the sunlight or sunbathing, and (7) breathing exercise and

meditation. A variety of formulas are used to improve digestion, eliminate ama, and

balance dosas. Examples of herbs used to subdue deranged or vitiated dosas are shown in

acute fever.

2.5.2.1 An Example of Ayurvedic Case Management

To illustrate a typical Ayurvedic therapy, the management of Ama-vata (rheumatoid arthri-

tis) is given below. It includes biopurification and detoxification by dietary interventions

and necessary panchakarma procedures and administration of herbal formulas. The first

step is elimination of ama (the incompletely digested food material in the intestine, collagen

materials, allergens, mucus, mucoid materials, crystals like uric acid) by reducing the diet

to near or total fasting if possible. The diet consists of very small quantities of double-

boiled rice and watery mung dal (lentils) for the first 5 days, with the addition of small

amounts of vegetables for the next 5 days, and then one piece of bread (roti) for an

TABLE 2.8

Group of Herbs Used To Mitigate Vata 3

Medicinal Plant Botanical Name Medicinal Plant Botanical Name

Bhadradaru Vrsciva Boerhavia diffusa

Nata Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Devahvaya Cedrus deodru

Kustha Saussurea lappa cob Two Salpaparni

Dashmula Kandukari Mueuna pruriens

Two Bala Sida cordifolia Linn. Abhiru Asparagus racemoses

Vellantara Vativera zizanoides Vira Roscoea procera

Aranika Premna integrefolia Linn. Jivanti Leptadenia reticulata

Buka Osmanthus fragrans Rsbhaka Microstullus wallachi Lindl

Vrsa Addhatoda vasica Nees Brihatee Solanum anguivi Lam.

Asmabheda Bergenia ligulala wall Kantakaree Solanum surattense Burm. F.

Gokantaka Tribulus teriatris Saliparni Desmodium gangeticum

Itkata Sesbania bispinosa Prasniparni Uraria picta

Sahacara Baeleria prionitis Linn. Goksuraka Tribulus terristris

Bana Bareleria stringosa Hansapadi-Adiantum

Lunilatum-Burm

Podophyllum hexandrum royle

Gundra Typha elephantia Roxb Kasa Saccharum spontaneum Linn

Bhalluka Oroxylum indicum Vent. Vrksadani Loranthus longifolius

Karambha Pergularia extensa Nala Arundo donax Linn

Partha Gynandropsis pentaphylla Two Kusa Desmostachya bipinnata

Vrscikali Pergularia extensa Guntha Typha angustata

Tables 2.8 through 2.10. Fasting also helps in acute indigestion, dysentery, diarrhea, and

same time or to all patients. This topic is described in detail in Chapter 4.

understandable that if the body organs are not eliminating toxic products from the body,

power enhancement, (2) toxic waste (ama) elimination, (3) fasting, (4) observing thirst, (5)
xenobiotics, or drugs. Panchakarma is discussed in detail in Chapter 4.

© 2004 by CRC Press LLCHealth Care and Disease Management 23

additional 5 days. This treatment is generally given for a minimum of 1 month. During

this period, hot fomentations are applied and no ghee (dehydrated milk fat), vegetable

oil, meat, or animal fat is given. It is believed that this treatment increases the metabolic

power of the body, resulting in breakdown and excretion of the disease-producing vitiated

materials (ama), collagen, uric acid, sugar, urea, fat, etc. To augment the process of cleans-

ing, ginger juice or dry ginger is given daily in the early morning on an empty stomach.

Chirata or Swertia chirayita, a bitter herb, is also given to improve digestion.

After 1 month of this treatment, ghee (dehydrated butter) may be given to help in

removing fat-soluble materials from the body. A medicated enema (basti) containing ses-

ame (til) oil may be started and continued for 1 month for this purpose. At this point the

treatment is stopped for 4 to 8 weeks and the reduced diet treatment is resumed. Once

the acute phase has subsided, the patient is asked to exercise, first with passive movements

and then with active movements (yoga exercises using various body positions). Yoga

instructions are recommended to help the patients do these exercises correctly.

This treatment is often accompanied by an oral administration of Ayurvedic herbal

formulas two to three times per day. The formulas often used are Yograj-guggul or

Mahayograj-guggul (formulas from Ayurvedic text) with gold bhasma (gold formula made

by oxidizing gold with heat using herbs). A physician must carefully examine the patient

for other illnesses and organ disorders to determine a suitable antiarthritis formula,

depending on accompanying health conditions.

TABLE 2.9

Herbs Used To Mitigate Pitta 3

Herb Botanical Name Herb Botanical Name

Durva Cynodon dactylon Abhiru Asparagus racemoses

Ananta Alhagi camelorum Sitapaki Abrus precatorius

Nimba Azadirachta indica A. Priyangu Setaria italica Beauv

Vasa Litesa glutinosa Two Sthira Desmodium gangeticum

Atmagupta Mueuna pruriens Padmak Prunus cerasoides

Gundra Typha elephantine Roxb Vanya Cyperus rotundus Linn.

Nyagrodhadi group

Nyagrodha Ficus vengakensis Linn. Two Meda (fat) Litsea monpetala

Tuga Bamboo mann Mudgaparni Vigna trilobata

Rddhi Sphaeranthus inducus Mashaparni Teramnus labialis

Shringee Pistacia chinensis Bunge Rsabhaka Microstullus wallachi

Amrita Tinospora cordifolia Jivaka Microstyllus wallachi Lindl

Jivanti Leptadenia reticulata Madhuka Sapotaceae

Two Kakoli Roscoea procera

Sarivadi group (used to treat burning sensation, bleeding disease, thirst, and fever)

Pippala Piper longum Linn. Usira Vativeria zizanoides

Sadaphala Ficus glomerata Kasmarda Cassia sophera

Two Rodhra Symplocos racemosa Roxb Yashti-madhu Glycyrrhiza glabra

Arjun Terminalia arjuna Kadamba Anthocephalus chinensis

Kapitana Thespesia populnea Virala Diospyros tomentosa

Somavalka Acacia suma Kurz Madhuka Sapotaceae

Plaksha Ficus lucescens Blume

Amaara Vitex nigundo Linn.

Padmakadi group (increase breast milk to subjugate vata and pitta)

Padmaka Prunus cerasoides