A Handbook On Ayurvedic Intranasal Drug Therapy: Nasya Karma Chikitsa

By M.A. Lahankar and A.P. Dwivedi

Ayurveda means knowledge of life. Ayurvedic Panchkarma (5 cleansing procedures) are popular worldwide. Nasyakarma (Transnasal Drug delivery) is the best treatment modality desired to extract the vitiated Dosha entities lodged above the supra clavicular part of the body.

Further, the book describes the scientific methodology of Nasyakarma procedure, its probable mode of action and the destiny of drug or metabolism of the drug administered by nasal route in scientific way.

This book will prove very beneficial for the researches from all health discipline who wish to benefit from this unique technique (Nasya karma) and use it for curing their patients.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781942061052

Book preview

PREFACE

Introduction

Ayurveda is simple practical science of life. Its principles are universally applicable to each individual for daily existence. Ayurveda speaks of all element and fact of human life while offering guidance that have been tested and refined over many centuries. Ayurvedic classics always emphasized the need of advancements in the science to keep pace with the need of time. The pledged purpose of Ayurveda as a medical system is to ensure a healthier and longer life to the human. In the backdrop of the resurgence of Ayurveda as an alternative or even an ultimate anchor to the psychosomatic and life style related diseases, the time is ripe enough to seriously take up productive researches in disorders where Ayurveda can offer better halp compared to modern medicine.

Panchkarma therapy in Ayurveda

According to Ayurveda, our body is formed by the combination of Dosha (Vata, Pitta and Kapha), Dhatu (Sapta Dhatu i.e. Ras, Rakta, Mamsa, Meda, Ashthi, Majja, Shukra) and Mala (Purish, Mutra, Sweda). The tissues in our body contain all the three i.e. Dosha, Dhatu and Mala in subtle amount. Out of these Tridoshas are considered more important as they form a base in nourishment and development of the body. Whenever there is an imbalance in these Doshas, it directly affects the health and leads to disease.

For instance, imbalance in Doshas and ensuing disease can be treated in two ways:

Shodhana chikitsa:

Elimination of excessive and vitiated Doshas from the body.

Shamana chikitsa:

When the increased Doshas are brought into equilibrium with the help of Herbo-mineral medicines, the therapy is known as Shaman chikitsa. Out of the two therapies, ‘Shodhan chikitsa’ has great importance. According to the Ayurvedic texts it is said, as applying colour on dirty clothes won’t help in attaining bright/good colour i.e the clothes must be washed prior to re-colouring. Similarly, when Ayurvedic treatment is given, especially in chronic diseases or metabolic disorders, Shodhan chikitsa has to be done before giving any palliative medicines so as to achieve good results.

In other words, for treating chronic diseases, the patient has to undergo Panchkarma (five fold detoxification measures) i.e. Shodhana, after which it becomes more easy to treat the disease.

The five Purificatory procedures advocated are:

Vaman karma (Induced Emesis)

Virechan karma (Induced Purgation)

Anuvasan Basti karma (Oil based Medicated Enema)

Niruh Basti (Decoction based Enema)

Nasya or Shiro-virechan (Intranasal drug therapy)

In addition to the above mentioned procedures acharya Sushruta has added Raktamokshan Therapy (blood letting therapy) in place of Anuvasana Basti.

As mentioned above, Nasya karma is one of the five procedures. Now a days Panchkarma are popular worldwide. People from around the world, are interested in learning the basic principles of Ayurveda and the exclusive procedures described in Ayurveda.

When the treatment of internal medicine falls short and expected results are not achieved, the Ayurveda physicians has to opt for Panchkarma. This is where the treatment like Nasyakarma brings the success.

We feel that if Ayurveda is presented in today’s scientific language, it will be welcomed in better way from other scientists. Furthermore, to the hospitable approach towards Ayurveda, it is necessary to present many of its aspects in present scientific ways.

Here is one of such effort, taken for the explanation of Nasyakarma. This procedure is basically, a sort of cleansing procedure for the body when it is desired to extract the vitiated Dosha entities loged above the supra clavicular (Urdhwa jatru gat) part of the body.

More than that this handbook intends to answer many curiosities like –

(Nasa hi Shirso Dwaram) elaborates that the Nasa is the door leading to important and vital part of the body. Nasyakarma becomes crucially imperative from treatment point of view. Therapeutic explanation of the effective result gained after Nasyakarma specially related to Shiro rogas is also revealed.

Exploration of the anatomical and physiological features and the path of the administered drug are the main focus of the book. We tried our best to explain the destiny of drug or metabolism of the drug administered by nasal route in scientific way.

This book will prove to be very beneficial for the Undergraduates as well as postgraduate scholars and researchs in the health science field and may be even more importantly the Western readers that is interested in it but otherwise is lacking the ability to interpret the fundamentals of it. It will also help modern surgeons who wish to benefit from this unique technique (Nasya karma) and use it for curing their patients. The topics described in this book have not been dealt in detail in the classical texts of Ayurveda, hence this book will act as a ready reckoner for students, Ayurved practitioners and last but not the least research scholars and researchers from all health disipline from all over the globe.

Dr. M. A. Lahankar

Dr. A. P. Dwivedi

Chapter 1

Ayurveda : The Indian system of medicine

Introduction to Ayurveda:

The term ‘Ayurveda’ consists of two words i.e. ‘Ayu’ and ‘Veda’. ‘Ayu’ refers to ‘Life’, while ‘Veda’ signifies ‘Knowledge’; thus the term ‘Ayurveda’ means the knowledge of life. Ayurveda is also said to be the Science of life wherein the principles of the good and bad life is contained, including: the happy and the unhappy; what is wholesome and what is unwholesome in relation to life as well as the measure of life.

The aim and objective of Ayurveda is to provide guidelines for maintenance and promotion of health in addition to prevention and treatment of diseases. Specifically, Ayurveda focuses on the maintenance of the metabolic equilibrium of human psychosomatic machine and the restoration of it to normalcy when the homoeostasis is upset or disturbed by aetiopathological factors.

Panchmahabhuta Theory:

The Panchmahabhuta theory is of great importance in Ayurveda because the entire Ayurvedic concepts are based on it.

It has been identified that all the objects in the universe are composed of five basic Panchmahabhuta elements. These elements include Akash (Space), Vayu (Air), Agni (Energy), Jala (Water) and Prithvi (Earth). Each of these elements have its own unique properties; for instance Akash has properties of sound; while Vayu has properties of Touch; likewise Agni has properties of Vision; in similar manner, Jala has properties of Taste; and Prithvi has properties Smell. Further, Mahabhuta consists of 50% or ½ portion of itself and other 50% i.e. 1/8 portion of each remaining 4 elements.

Applied aspect of Panchmahabhuta Theory in Ayurveda:

All the animate and inanimate objects of the universe including human beings and non-living things are composed of the transformation and combination of five elements known as the Panch Bhutas according to ancient science. The Ayurveda, which is the applied aspect of life in this situation deals with mental, physical and spiritual aspects of the health. The Panchmahabhuta elements could also be applied to the human body also; thus, the human body is composed of Akash, Vayu , Agni , Jala and Prithvi. In the development process of embryo, which in this case is after the fertilization of the ovum, the Akash Mahabhuta is responsible for providing space for growth, Vayu brings about cell division, Agni helps in the digestion of food as well as enhances cellular metabolism, Jala Mahabhuta maintains fluid balance and Prithvi provides food for growth in addition to keeping the cell mass together.

Similarly, the food / diet which nourishes the body in addition to the herbal medicine is also derived from the same five elements. Diet or drugs which are consumed, digested and assimilated in the body, increases the similar qualities and elements in the body; on the other hand, substances that do not comprises of diet and drugs suppresses the increments of these elements in the body that help to maintain a balance state. To avoid diminishing of these elements in the body, therapeutic measures is should be prescribed accordingly. Hence, the physician need to carefully study the state of the body and mind and assess which element or elements are diminished or increased in order to prescribe therapeutic measures consequently, so that the person diagnosed with a disease can recover from it and live a happy life.

Composition of the body: Concept of basic constituents Dosha – Dhatu - Mala

The living body is composed of both Panchmahabhuta i.e. the five basic elements and the Chetana (the Soul). The composition of body can be broadly classify into two groups which are:

1. Gross factors (Sthula Bhava)

2. Subtle factors (Sukshma Bhava)

In Gross factors, Dosha, Dhatu and Mala are incorporated, so they could be referred to Physical factors (Sharirika Bhava). In Subtle factors, the Soul (Atma), Sense organs (Indriyas) and the Mind (Mana) are the major components, as a rule they are Psychological factors (Manasika Bhava). In short, the balance of healthy state of the body depends mainly on the gross factors.

The living body is the subject matter of treatment while both the Gross and Subtle factors being kept in harmony perform performs different physiological activities in the body. Physical disorders as well as psychic disease could emerge if there is no rightful balance between Gross and Subtle factors. Ayurveda believes that maintaining harmony and rightful of both physical and psychological factors result in ultimate health.

There are no parameters to identify and establish the psychological factors in the body because they are assessed by only inferential knowledge of certain symptom; nevertheless, Ayurveda gives importance to gross factors (physical factors) as the basis of a physical body.

The gross factors of the body i.e. Dosha, Dhatu and Mala are composed of Panchmahabhuta, however, there is variations in proportion of their panchbautik compositions and they also differ in their structure and functions. When

Reviews for A Handbook On Ayurvedic Intranasal Drug Therapy

[QUINTESSENTIAL Trisutra Ayurveda · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Poor information half baked knowledge transfered in book form need to rewrite it.