INTRODUCTION TO AGADA TANTRA

Introduction
The word Agadtantra is derived from two words- Agad & Tantra. Agad itself is
derived from word Gada means disease or poison. Agada means the substance which
entercount the action of poison. Hence Agadtantra is a science which deals a study of Gada
(poison) &its management. Knowledge of the origin, development and toxicity, manifestation
of accumulated poisons and suitable remedial measures are an integral part of health.
Present food habits, life style and mental attitudes etc, are entirely different from the past.
The basic essentials of a healthy life such as air, food and water are all polluted and the
resultant hazards paint a gloomy picture for the generations to come. The greatest gift we
can offer to the new generation is a clean world.
There are many historical references of Vishatantra in ancient Sanskrita Literature
Atharva Veda – The principle of the use of antidote (7-88-1) & incantation for Treatment of
Snake bite (5/131-11).
Ramyana – Use of powerful herbs for snake bite (Yuddha-Khanda).
Mahabharata – The snake KARKOTAK gives immunity from poisoning to King Nala by
Biting.There are many Ayurvedic references of Vishatantra in Various Samhita
Sushruta Samhita – It is the main text of Agadtantra. It devotes entire Kalpa-Sthana
Charak Samhita – it include one comprehensive chapter in chikitsa-sthana for Vishachikitsa.
Ashtanga Sangraha – It devotes 9 chapters in Uttar-Tantra (40-48) for Visha-chikitsa.
Ashtanga Hrudya - It devotes 4 chapters in Uttar-Tantra (40-48) for Visha-chikitsa.
Kashyapa Samhita (Vridha Jeevak) - It devotes 1 chapter for Visha-chikitsa.
Kashyapa Samhita (Gautama Tantra) – It is complete devoted for Agadatantra & is source
text for Kerliyan Tradition.
Baisajya Ratnavali- It devotes 1 chapter for Visha-chikitsa and Bhava-Prakasha,
Yogaratnakara, Chikitsakalika, Rasa-Shastra these Laghutrayi also devoted some chapter for
Agadatantra.
Definition of Visha-:
जग ष णं तं ् वा तेनासौ वषस तः ॥च. च. २३/५॥

वषादजनन वा च वष म य भधीयते ||सु.क.३/२१||

The substance which causes the sadness to the human beings or living is called as a poison.

Poison (Visha ) is defined as any substance that gains entry into the body (exogenous) or
formed in it (endogenous) causes Pathology (Vikruti) in ‘Dosha, Dhatu & Mala’ & produce
toxic effect in body or that can impair health.
Definition of Poison-: The substance which after ingestion, injection or inhalation will
produce a toxic effect in the living body is called as poisons.
Definition of Agadtantra-:
अगदत ं नाम सपक टलूतामूषका दद वष नाथ व वध वषसंयोगोपशमनाथ च ॥च.सु.१/ (६) ८॥

According to Acharya Sushrut, the subject which deals with the study of poisoning &
Management of bite or stings or any other means by Snake, Insect, Spider, Rat or various
chemical poisons.

The branch of Ashtang-Ayurved which deals with study of clinical feature & Management of
Sthavar Visha, Jangam Visha, Dooshee visha, Gara visha & Sayonjak visha is called as
Agadtantra or Visha-Chikitsa.
Agada Tantra also known as Visha Chikitsa is one among the eight branches of Ayurveda ,
the ancient system of Indian Medicine. Agadtantra or Visha Chikitsa also known as

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Visha Tantra - a science which deals a study of Gada (poison) &its management.
Damshtra Chikitsa- means fangs (poisonous teeth), Signs-Symptoms &its management.
Visha Vidya- is an art of using powerful incantations (Mantra) to treat poisons.
Visha Vaidyaka- is a science of use of medicine to treat poisons.
Visha Gara Virodhika Prashamana- a science which deals a study of all poisons including
Gara Visha &its management.
Jangulika- A janguli means persons who catch snakes & his tricks in trade called as a
Janglika Vaidya.
Definition of Toxicology-: The branch of medical science which deals with the study of toxic
substance, toxic chemical compound, mechanism of action, fetal dose & fetal period,
Clinical feature, Management, Post-mortem appearance, Chemical Analysis & Medico-legal
Aspect is called as Toxicology.

Derivation of Poison
The mythological origin of visha has found in the Bhagavat Geeta, Charak Samhita, Sushrit
Samhita, Ashtang Samgraha and Hridya though the theory of derivation of poison is varies.
वष क उ प
क ं पबतः पाणेयत् क जगृ ः।वृ का द वषौष यो द तशुका येऽपरे॥
ीमदभागवत ८/७/४६
When God Shiva has ingested the poison, some of the droplets has fall down on the earth.
The Scorpion like animate and Herbs has become poisonous due to taking of droplets of
this poison which fall down on the earth.
वष क उ प चरक के अनुसार
अमृताथ समु े तु म यमाने सुरासुरैः| ज े ागमृतो प ेः पु षो घोरदशनः||४||
द ततेजा तुद ो ह रकेशोऽनले णः| जग ष णं तं ् वा तेनासौ वषस तः||५||
ज म थावरायां त ोनौ ा ययोजयत्| तद बुस भवं त मा ् व वधं पावकोपमम्||६||
च. च.२३/४-६
The ugly man has emerged during the process of the churning of ocean for the purpose to
receive the nectar. He was extremely bright having four big teeth, green coloured hair. The
flame of fire was winkling out form the eyes of the ugly man. The whole world has become
lugubrious after seeing that ugly man. It is called as poison. When Lord Bramha has seen
that the entire animal including man has pensive, he dived this into inanimate & animate
poisons.
वष क उ प सु ुत के अनुसार
जा ममामा मयोने णः सृजतः कल | अकरोदसुरो व नं कैटभो नाम द पतः ||१८||
त य ु य वै व ाद् ण तेजसो नधेः | ोधो व हवान् भू वा नपपाता तदा णः ||१९||
स तं ददाह गज तम तकाभं महाबलम् | ततोऽसुरं घात य वा त ेजोऽवधता त ु म् ||२०||
ततो वषादो दे वानामभव ं नरी य वै | वषादजनन वा च वष म य भधीयते ||२१||
ततः सृ ् वा जाः शेषं तदा तं ोधमी रः | व य तवान् स भूतष
े ु थावरेषु चरेषु च ||२२||
सु.क.३/१८-२२
When Lord Bramha was creating the nature, the evil namely Kaitabha was barricading in
arrogance. Bramha was bridle, which was appeared from his mouth and killed that of evil.
After that the physical bridle was going to increase, hence the Gods & Goddess has become
lugubrious, so name Vish originated. Lord Bramha has fixed the bridle into inanimate &
animate, after creating the remaining livings.

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Scope of Toxicology
More than 70% people belonging to rural India. The incidences of Snake bite,
Scorpion bite, Insect bite etc are more in this area. India having an Agricultural Country &
after green revolution this population is highly exposed to poisonous agrochemical &
pesticides. The economical stress & failure of agriculture has resulted in a rising trend of
suicides among the farmers. High degree of stress in urban life is prime cause of suicide by
taking Drugs. Addiction to psychotropic, Sedatives & narcotics drugs is more in urban area
than in rural. Environmental pollution is causes of chronic toxicity with CO, CO2, Lead,
Mercury etc. The Toxicology are divided into many branches like Clinical, Pre clinical,
Forensic, Occupational, Environmental, Aquatic, Toxinology, Ecotoxicity etc.
Clinical Toxicology- This is concerned with diseases and illnesses associated with short
term or long term exposure to toxic chemicals, its diagnosis & management. The
assessment and management of an acutely poisoned patient involves the following
approach:
1. Taking an appropriate history
2. Assessing vital functions (level of consciousness, ventilation, circulation and
temperature) and correcting any impairment)
3. Examining the patient and observing features (Tables 1 and 2) that help to identify
the substance(s) to which the patient has been exposed
4. Identifying complications and treating them: (a) Fluid, acid–base and electrolyte
abnormalities, (b) Skin blisters, (c) Convulsions, (d) Rhabdomyolysis, (e)
Methaemoglobinaemia, (f) Serotonin syndrome
5. Requesting appropriate investigations
6. Assessing the patient psychiatrically and offering appropriate management.
Diagnosis is based on the history, circumstantial evidence, the features present (if any) and,
occasionally, on the results of hematological, biochemical and toxicological analysis.
Forensic toxicology  deals  with  the application of toxicology to cases  and  issues 
where those  adverse  effects  have administrative  or  medico‐legal  consequences, 
and where the results are likely to be used in court. Forensic toxicology is a thoroughly mode
rn science, based on published and widely accepted scientific methods and practices, for bo
th analysis of drugs in biological materials, and interpretation of those results. 
Occupational toxicology- Occupational Toxicology introduces the basics of toxicology that
underpin the application of toxicological information to the workplace environment. The
book contains chapters on the most important workplace exposures such as metals,
pesticides, solvents, plastics, gases, and particulate matter, as well as the organs likely to be
affected. The lungs and the skin are given individual consideration as common sites of injury
and disease caused by exposure to chemicals. Genotoxicity and cancer are also singled out
for particular attention due to ongoing concern about cancer-related effects of chemicals.
Important fields interfacing with occupational toxicology - hygiene, epidemiology, and
occupational medicine - are also covered to assist the reader in understanding the necessity
of cross-discipline considerations in dealing with workplace exposures. This practical
approach makes this book particularly valuable to students of toxicology as well as to
occupational health and safety professionals at all levels.
Environmental Toxicology- Environmental toxicology is a field of environmental science that
studies how exposure to toxic chemicals can directly change the health of individuals or
indirectly affect us by disrupting or defiling the content of lakes, oceans, forests, and the
atmosphere. Environmental toxicologists also assess the potential risks of substances that
may be deemed harmful to people, animals, or other aspects of the environment. There are
many sources of environmental toxicity that can lead to the presence of toxicants in our

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food, water and air. These sources include organic and inorganic pollutants, pesticides and
biological agents, all of which can have harmful effects on living organisms.
Pre clinical toxicology- studies of the toxicology of a substance on animals and cells to
prepare parameters for Phase I human subject clinical studies. These include determination
of acute, subacute, and chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, teratogenicity, and
effects on the reproductive system. It is also called as preclinical trial - a laboratory test of a
new drug or a new invasive medical device on animal subjects; conducted to gather
evidence justifying a clinical trial. Aims of non-clinical safety evaluation is the
Characterization of toxic effects, Establish at what doses/plasma levels toxicity occurs, i.e.
what are the safety margins, Identify target organs that should be monitored in clinical trials,
Examine reversibility of toxic effects, Examine effects that cannot be addressed in clinical
studies: genotoxicity, carcinogenicity & reproduction toxicity.
Aquatic toxicology is the study of the effects of manufactured chemicals and
other anthropogenic and natural materials and activities on aquatic organisms at various
levels of organization, from sub cellular through individual organisms to communities
and ecosystems. Aquatic toxicology is a multidisciplinary field which integrates toxicology,
aquatic ecology and aquatic chemistry.
Toxinology-  Toxinology is an interdisciplinary and specialist area of the science of
toxicology, which deals specifically with naturally occurring toxins, their composition and
their modes of action. Unlike poisons which can also be produced synthetically, toxins (low
molecular chemical compounds and complex biomolecules alike) can only be produced by
living organisms, such as animals, fungi, plants and bacteria. There is much more to the field
of toxinology than the chemistry and modes of action of a toxin. Toxinology also involves
the study of the biology of venom- and toxin-producing organisms, the structure and
sometimes the function of a venom apparatus, as well as the use and ecological role of
these compounds.
Ecotoxicity- The branch of Toxicology which deals the study of the effect of toxicants at all
levels of biological organization from molecular level to the level of ecosystem is called as
Ecotoxicity.
Industrial Toxicology- This deals with the study of effects of chemicals released from the
Industries on the environment and the living organism.
Biochemical & Molecular Toxicology- This branch of Toxicology deals the study of
determination of the mode of action of the toxins & the effect of toxins at molecular level.
Product Development Toxicology- The branch of Toxicology which deals the study of the
effect of the chemical & drugs on the organisms before released to the market.
Regulatory Toxicology- This branch of Toxicology deals with regulating i.e. deciphering &
analyzing the data of toxins for risk estimation, the thresholds of solvent vapors in industries
and the safe level of drugs for organism. This concerned with the formulation of laws, and
regulations authorized by laws, are intended to minimize the effect of toxic chemicals on
human health and the environment.
Toxicogenomics- The branch of Toxicology which deals the study of the effect of the toxins
on gene & molecular profiling of the toxins is called as Toxicogenomics.

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