Punto de equilibrio Egresos vs Ingresos

50. Vayahasthapana Varga (Rejuvenators)

Chakrapani has rendered the following interpretation for certain karmas (pharmacological actions) delineated by Charaka.

1. Jivaniya – Drugs conducive to longevity (Ayushyam) are known as Jivaniya.

2. Triptighna – Kapha, when vitiated gives rise to a sense of pseudo-contentment which tells upon normal health. Drugs, which remove that sort of pseudo-contentment are known as Triptighnas.

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 48 3. Snehopaga – The drugs that help the process of unction achieved by fats etc., are known as Snehopagas. Such drugs are known as Vamanopagas as they help madanaphala etc. for emesis viz., honey, yashtimadhu etc.

4. Purisha Virajakeeya – such drugs as eliminate the vitiated doshas from faeces are known as purisha virajaneeya.

5. Mutra Virechaniya – Drugs which increase diuresis are known as Mutra Virechaniyas.

6. Udardaprasamana – Udarda in this context is to be taken as Sitapitta (Urticaria) but not the disease described in Maharogadhyaya (Sut.20).

Otherwise the prescription of Tinduka etc. for the relief of udarda cannot be justified because these drugs are not useful for vata.

7. Sonitasthapana – Drug which restores blood in its pure form after eliminating its eliminating its vitiating doshas.

8. Vadanasthapana – In the event of physical pain, the class of drugs which eliminates that pain and restores the body to its normal state is known as Vedanasthapana.

9. Samjnasthapana – It is the category of drugs that restores consciousness.

10. Prajasthapana – The drug which eliminate procreational defects and thus restores embryo are known as prajasthapana.

11. Vayasthapana – The drugs useful for restoration of youth are known as vayasthapana.

Sarangadhara has enumerated the following pharmacological actions;

1. Deepana (Appetisers) 2. Pachana ( Digestives) 3. Sodhana (Expungents)

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 49 4. Samana (Palliatives)

5. Anulomana (Aperients) 6. Sramsana (Laxatives) 7. Bhedana (Purgatives) 8. Rechana (Cathartics) 9. Vamana (Emetics) 10. Chedana (Sacrificants) 11. Lekhana (Anti-obese)

12. Grahi (Water absorbants and bowel binders) 13. Sthambhana (Constipative and bowel binder) 14. Rasayana (Rejuvenator)

15. Vajeekarana (Aphrodisiac) 16. Sukrala (Spermagogue)

17. Sukra pravartaka (Semen ejaculator) 18. Sukra Sthambhaka (Semen anti-ejaculator) 19. Sukra Soshaka (Semen dehydrant)

20. Sukshma (Subtle Penetrator) 21. Vyavayi (

22. Vikasi (

23. Madaqkari (Intoxicants) 24. Pramathi (

25. Abhishyandi (Obstructants)

Susruta has introduced certain pharmacological actions of the drugs indicated in various surgical procedures Viz; Romasnjanana (Hair growth promoters), Romasatana (Depilators), Savarnikarana (Inducer of pigmentation), Vranaropana (Wound healers) etc.

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 50 Ayurvedic pharmacological science identified certain novel pharmacological actions viz.

Sukrasodhana (Semen purifiers) Sthanyasodhana (Breast milk purifiers) Sonitasthapana (Blood purifiers)

Medhyarasayana (Brain tonics / Memory boosters) Vajeekarana (Aphrodisiacs)

Rasayana (Rejuvenators) Chakshusya (Eye tonics) Kesya (Hair tonics)

Dantya (Tooth and Gum tonics)

The scientists of modern pharmacology may take another century to develop the drugs possessing the actions enumerated above. If the blood culture report shows the growth of infective organism and the semen analysis indicates the presence of pus cells one has to accept that blood and semen are not pure and requires drugs which can restore normalcy of these tissues / liquid substances. Modern medical scientists have initially not accepted the claims of Ayurvedic aphrodiacs. After the invention of Viagra they are constrained to accept the pharmacological actions described in the Ayurvedic medical science.

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 51

RASA (TASTE)

Rasa or taste is the object of gustatory sense organ, and distinct from the objects of the other sense organs. Rasas in a substance and formed by different combinations of Mahabhutas. There are only six types of tastes viz., Madhura (sweet), Amla (sour), Lavana (saline), Katu (pungent), Tikta (bitter) and Kashaya (astringent). The source material for the manifestation of all these tastes is Jalamahabhuta. The qualities of preceding basic elements (Akasa, Vayu, Agni, Ap and Prithvi) are included in the succeeding ones; so the qualities of Ap is automatically included in Prithvi.

Ap and Prithvi are the substrata for the manifestation of taste (Rasa). That is to say, taste (Rasa) can manifest itself only through Ap and Prithvi.

Rasa-Anurasa (Primary and secondary tastes)

Among tastes present in a substance that which is clearly manifests (perceived, recognised) is designated as Rasa (chief/primary taste) and others which are not clearly manifest or which are understood (recognised) at the end are Anurasa (secondary tastes).

Vagbhata further quotes about the gustatory effect of the initial as well as final contact of a dry as well as wet substance with the tongue are known as Rasa or taste. When such an effect is not distinctly perceptible but is inferred only by its actions, it is known as Anurasa (after taste).

Formation of six Rasas:

The moon is the presiding diety of water. The water in the atmosphere (before it falls on the ground) is by nature cold and light, and its Rasa is not manifested at this stage. The moment it starts falling from

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 52 atmosphere and after it falls on the ground, it gets impregnated with the qualities of the five Mahabhutas and it nourishes the individuals belonging to the vegetable and animals kingdom. At this stage the six tastes manifest themselves in these individuals.

Of the six tastes, sweet taste abounds in the qualities of Jala Mahabhuta, sour taste of Prithvi and Agni, saline taste of Jala and Agni, pungent taste of Agni and Vayu, bitter taste of Vayu and Akasa and astringent taste of Vayu and Prithvi. So like the individuals belonging to the vegetable and animal kingdom of diverse types, depending upon their colour and shape (owing to the predominance or otherwise of the various Mahabhutas), the Rasas are also six in number due to the predominance or otherwise of the five Mahabhutas in turn depends on the six seasonal variations.

As a mater of fact, all the five Mahabhutas are there in al the six Rasas but the manifestation of the various Rasas depends on the predominance or otherwise of the qualities of one or more of the Mahabhuta, for example, Jala Mahabhuta is the root cause of all the six Rasas but it predominates in sweet taste and as such it constitutes a distinctive causative factor thereof. According to Susruta, saline taste is dominated by the qualities of Prithvi and Agni. This apparently goes against the observation made above. But as a matter of fact there is no contradiction so far as the manifestation of saline taste is concerned. One might ask: if the saline taste is caused by the predominance of Agni and Jala which are hot and cold respectively the resultant substance having saline taste should also have both hot and cold qualities; but how is it that salt is said to be of hot quality? The reply is, it is not that the involved in the composition of substance always

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 53 manifest all of their qualities for example, Jala Mahabhutas brings about sweetness and not unctuousness in Makusthaka (Phaseolus aconitifillus Jacq.); similarly even though Agni Mahabhutas predominates in the composition of rock salt, the latter does not possess heating property. The combination of the Mahabhutas in a particular way and the diversity of their manifestation are guided by some imperceptible factors which can only be inferred from the manifested effect of the substance. For example, salt posses heating and sticking properties and so it inferred that Agni and Jala Mahabhutas dominate in its composition. If fact we mortals cannot easily comprehend such combinations and their effects. They can only be ascertained from scriptures. To cite another example, we cannot offer any rational explanation as to how the Mahabhutas in isolation (other than Jala) do not cause any other Rasa. This proves that there is something inherent in the five Mahabhutas themselves which is responsible for their combinations and manifestation of their effects in various ways. The five Mahabutas constitute the efficient cause for the manifestations of the specific types of Rasa like sweetness etc. it is therefore immaterial whether all the Mahabhutas in themselves posses Rasas or not. Agni for example does not posses any Rasa but it is still an efficient cause for the manifestation of a Rasa like sourness.

Inter Relationship of Ritu & Panchamahabhuta:

The seasonal variations result in the predominance or otherwise of the qualities of the five Mahabhutas and bring about the manifestation of the various Rasas thereby. For example, in Hemanta (November-January) the qualities of Jala Mahabuta manifest themselves in excess, resulting in the production of drugs and deits having sweet taste; in Sisira (January-March) Vayu and Akasa predominate, resulting in the manifestation of bitter tastes.

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 54 Even day and night and some other imperceptible factors are responsible for the predominance of the one or the other of the Mahabhutas. Thus it is not that in the Hemanta (November-January) every drug and diet will always have sweet taste. There is a possibility of manifestation of other Rasas as well, depending on the effect of other imperceptible factors. As a matter of fact the predominance of Mahabhutas is responsible for the seasonal variations and vice-versa. This inter-dependence may be compared to the inter-dependence of the seed and the embryo.

Guru (heaviness) and other Gunas (qualities) present in the Prithvivyadi Dravyas (substances of Prithvi and other Bhuta predominance) are residing in the Rasas (tastes of those substances); they (Gunas) are ascribed to (attributed to) the tastes, because of intimate co-existence.

Actions of different Rasas:

Madhura Rasa:

Drugs possessing Madhura Rasa

 Wholesome to the body

 Add to the growth of seven body tissues

 Imparts long life

 Soothing to the six sense organs

 Promote strength and complexion

 Alleviate Pitta, Vata and effects of poison

 Relieve thirst and burning sensation

 Promote healthy skin, hair, voice and strength

 Soothing, invigorating and nourishing

 Bring about stability and heal up emaciation and consumption

 Soothing to the nose, mouth, throat, lips, tongue and relieve fits.

 Much liked by bees and ants.

 They are cold, unctuous and heavy.

Amla Rasa:

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 55 Drugs possessing Amla Rasa

 Add to the deliciousness of food

 Stimulate appetite

 Nourish and energize the body

 Enlighten the mind

 Strengthen the sense organs

 Promote strength

 Alleviate Vata

 Nourish the heart

 Cause salivation

 Help in swallowing, moistening and digestion of food

 Refreshing

 They are light, hot and unctuous.

Lavana Rasa:

Drugs possessing Lavana Rasa

 Help in carmination, production of stickiness, digestion, osnosia, excision and incision

 Sharp, mobile, Vikasi and laxative.

 Avakasakara (deobstructent)

 Alleviate Vata

 Cure stiffness, obstruction and accumulation

 Nullify the effect of all other tastes

 Cause salivation

 Liquefy Kapha

 Clarify the channels of circulation

 Bring about the tenderness of all the bodily organs

 Cause deliciousness and essential ingredients of food

 They are neither heavy & unctuous nor hot.

Katu Rasa:

Drugs possessing Katu Rasa

 Keep the mouth clean

 Promote digestion

 Help in absorption of food

 Cause secretion through nose, lacrimation

 Help proper action of sense organs

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 56

 Cure diseases like Alasaka, Swayadhu, Udarda, Abhishyandi, Kandu, Vrana, Krimi

 Allay excessive growth of ulcers

 Corrode the muscle tissue

 Break blood clot and other obstructions

 Clear the passages

 They are light, hot and ununctuous.

Tikta Rasa:

Drugs possessing Tikta Rasa

 Promote deliciousness

 Antitoxic and germicidal

 Cure fainting, burning sensation, itching, skin diseases including leprosy, thirst and fever

 Promote firmness of skin and muscles

 Promote carmination and digestion

 Purify milk

 Cause dry and help in depletion of moisture, fat, muscle fat, bone marrow, lymph, pus, sweat, urine, stool, Pitta and Kapha

 They are ununctuous, cold and light.

Kashaya Rasa:

Drugs possessing Kashaya Rasa

 Palliative, constipative and promotive

 Produce pressure on the affected part

 Cause healing, absorption and stiffness

 Alleviate Kapha, Rakta and Pitta

 Absorb the body fluid

 They are ununctuous, cold and heavy.

Drugs having sweet, sour and saline taste alleviate Vata; those having astringent, sweet and bitter (tastes) alleviate Pitta and those having astringent, pungent and bitter (tastes) alleviate Kapha.

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 57 The relative superiority or inferiority of the tastes of drugs of various categories is as below.

Property Superior Moderate Inferior

Unctuousness Sweet Pungent Bitter Dryness Astringent Sour Saline Heating Saline Sour Pungent

Cooling Sweet Astringent Bitter

Heaviness Sweet Astringent Saline

Lightness Bitter Pungent Sour

Determination of Virya – Vipaka according to Rasa:

The drugs and diets which are sweet in Rasa (taste) and Vipaka (taste after digestion) are of Sitavirya (that is potentially cold); those with sour or pungent taste and Vipaka are of Ushnavirya (that is potentially hot).

Only such of the drugs and diets which are sweet in taste as well as Vipaka are of Sitavirya. One cannot determine Sitavirya (or potential coldness) of drugs and diets only on the basis of sweet taste. The same principals is applicable to the drugs and diets of Ushna type as well.

The properties of such of the drugs and diets as possess Virya and Vipaka in conformity with Rasa are explained here only in terms of Rasas concerned. Thus the physician may explain the properties of milk, ghee, Cavya (Piper Chaba Hunter) and Chitraka (Plumbazo Zeylanic Linn.) on the basis of their tastes.

Drugs and diets having sweet taste and sweet Vipaka are generally of Sitavirya (potentially cold). Similarly those of sour and pungent taste and pungent Vipaka are Ushna Virya (potentially hot). In the case of such of the drugs and diets where Virya and Vipaka are in conformity with Rasa, their properties are explained in terms of Rasa only. As for example the

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 58 properties of milk and ghee both of which are sweet in taste and Vipaka and Sitavirya can be ascertained in terms of their taste only. The above principle does not apply in the cases of such of the drugs and diets where Virya (potency) is not in conformity with Rasa.

Some drugs having sweet taste are of Ushnavirya (potentially hot) e.

g. the meat of aquatic and marshy animals. Some drugs having astringent and bitter tastes are also of Ushnavirya (potentially hot) e.g. drugs belonging to Mahat Panchamula group (Aegle mamelous Corr.), Oroxylum indicum Vent., Gmelina arboria Linn, (Stereospermum suaveloens Dc., Clerodendrum phlomidis Linn. f.), Arka (Calotropis gigantean R.Br.), Aguru (Aguilaria agalocha Roxb.) and Guduchi (Tinospora cordiofolia Miers) – all the latter three having bitter taste. Similarly rock salt having sour taste is not of Ushna Virya (potentially hot).

Some drugs having sour taste are costive, e.g. Kapittha (Feronia limonia Swingle); some are laxative, e.g. Amalaka (Emblica officinalis Gaertn). Even though drugs having pungent taste are generally non-aphrodisiac, still Pippali (Piper longum Linn.) and Sunthi (Zingiber officinale Rosc) having pungent taste are generally non-aphrodisiac, still Pippali (paper Longum Linn.) and Sunthi (Zingiber Offcinale Rosc.) having such taste are aphrodisiac. Similarly drugs having astringent taste are generally of Sitavirya and costive but Haritaki (Terminalia chebula Linn.) is an exception to – it is Ushnavirya and laxative. Thus it is not possible to explain the properties of all the drugs and diets simply in terms of Rasa because individual drugs having identical tastes vary in relation to their properties.

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Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 59 VIPAKA

The ingested food or drug gets digested by the Jatharagni (digestive enzymes). The properties that emerge thereafter are known as Vipaka. It is not the taste, but the drugs having different tastes which undergo transformation in the form of Vipaka. Vipaka of drugs and diets having pungent, bitter and astringent tastes is pungent that of sour taste is sour and that of sweet and saline tastes is sweet.

Pungent Vipaka aggravates Vata, reduces semen and obstructs the passage of stool and urine. Sweet Vipaka aggravates Kapha, promotes semen and helps in the proper elimination of stool and urine. Similarly sour Vipaka aggravates Pitta, reduces semen and helps in the proper elimination of stool and urine. Sweet Vipaka is heavy; pungent and sour are light.

The relative superiority or inferiority of various types of Vipaka can be determined on the basis of the relative superiority and inferiority of the various properties of different drugs and diets.

Views of different commentators about the types of Vipaka:

Some commentators are of the view that every Rasa has its own Vipaka. Accordingly, there are six Vipakas corresponding to the Rasas.

Some others say that if there are more than one Rasa, only the strongest of them predominates. So the Vipaka cannot be correctly predicted. Susruta on other hand does not agree with any of the two views enunciated above about the unpredictability of Vipaka. In his opinion there are two Vipakas viz,

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 60 sweet and pungent in such of the drugs and diets where Prithvi and Jala Mahabhutas are dominant, the Vipaka is sweet; where the lighter Mahabhutas like Tejas, Vayu and Akasa are dominant, the Vipaka is pungent-cf. Susruta: Surta 40: 11-12. It is true that according to the theory which admits of one corresponding Vipaka for each of the Rasas and also according to the theory which establishes the fact that only the strongest Rasa predominates in the Vipaka stage, the drugs and diets do not undergo any change in the Vipaka stage. That is to say the properties of their Rasas continue to be the same even in Vipaka stage. Thus the stand taken by Susruta in disregarding these two views is quite justified. The only flaw in Susruta’s view point is that he does not accept the third Vipaka which is sour. If this sour Vipaka is not accepted, Vrihi (a type of paddy) and Kulattha (Dolichos biflorus Linn.) which are of sweet and astringent taste respectively but whose Vipaka is sour will remain unexplained and the statement regarding their action viz. the aggravation of Pitta would not hold good. It is not correct to say that will remain unexplained and the statement regarding but whose Vipaka is sour will remain unexplained and the statement regarding their action viz. the aggravation of Pitta would not hold good. It is not correct to say that Vrihi etc., cause the aggravation of Pitta due to their hot potency. Even if it is accepted that Vrihi is of hot potency, this potentiality would rather get superceded by the sweetness in its taste as well as its Vipaka. Moreover, the Pitta aggravated by Vrihi etc., abounds in sour taste. Had it been due to the hot potency of Vrihi, it would have rather abounded in pungent taste which is not corroborated by actual experience.

For the eructation after the intake of Vrihi etc. is always of sour taste.

Besides according to Susruta, sweet Vipaka is caused by the predominance of Prithvi and or Jala Mahabhutas and pungent Vipaka by the predominance of the rest. Now the question arises what would be the Vipaka if there is

Basic concepts of Ayurvedic pharmacology 61 overlapping in the combination of the Mahabhutas? The resultant Vipaka cannot be either sweet or pungent but a third one which as mentioned above, can only be the sour Vipaka. Or better we may leave out the discount as to whether there is a sour Vipaka or not. What Charaka characterizes as sour Vipaka, Susruta as of hot potency. There is in fact no contradiction whatsoever about the properties of the various drugs and diets in either of the theories. Susruta would have, however, done well not to point our any flaw (vide Susruta: Susruta 40:10) in the sour Vipaka theory enunciated by Charaka.

Saline taste results in sweet Vipaka, and bitter and astringent tastes in pungent Vipaka. But how is it that drugs and diets having saline taste cause aggravation of Pitta and Rakta, and those with bitter and astringent taste alleviate Pitta? Even if the saline taste results in sweet Vipaka, its not potency is responsible for the aggravation of Pitta and Rakta. Normally, sweet Vipaka is responsible for the aggravation both Pitta and Rakta but being over powered by the hot potency it is ineffective. Sweet Vipaka of

Saline taste results in sweet Vipaka, and bitter and astringent tastes in pungent Vipaka. But how is it that drugs and diets having saline taste cause aggravation of Pitta and Rakta, and those with bitter and astringent taste alleviate Pitta? Even if the saline taste results in sweet Vipaka, its not potency is responsible for the aggravation of Pitta and Rakta. Normally, sweet Vipaka is responsible for the aggravation both Pitta and Rakta but being over powered by the hot potency it is ineffective. Sweet Vipaka of

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