Routes of Administration of Medicines to get rid of the Doshas, in keeping with Acharya Vagbhata

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Acharya Vagbhata has talked about three necessary routes of administering the medicines. In the identical context he additionally speaks concerning the routes of expelling the doshas. Then he hyperlinks each of them. Briefly, this precept is a primary guideline for the physicians concerning the route of administration of medicines and route of expulsion of doshas. It explains – ‘drugs must be administered by which path to get rid of morbid doshas by which route’? Principally, this reference speaks concerning the medicines given for shodhana – cleaning function.

Allow us to see what Acharya Vagbhata has to say about this.

Ref – A.Hr.Su.13/30-31

Routes of administration of medicines and Routes from which the morbid doshas must be eliminated

हन्त्याशु युक्तं वक्त्रेण द्रव्यमामाशयान्मलान्॥३०॥
घ्राणेन चोर्ध्वजत्रूत्थान् पक्वाधानाद्गुदेन च।

1. Herbs or medicines that are administered by way of the mouth (oral route) would expel the doshas from the abdomen and intestines. Right here we converse concerning the vamana – emesis and virechana – purgation. The emetic and purgative medicines are administered by way of the mouth together with medicines used for Deepana – medicines used to reinforce digestive hearth, Pachana – medicines used to digest and destroy ama and separate the morbid dosha and its affiliation with ama and snehana – oleation, that are used as preparatory medicines earlier than administration of vamana or virechana.

Grasp Vagbhata, in the identical chapter tells that the doshas on reaching the koshta i.e. abdomen / gut must be faraway from their nearest route. This implies to say that, if the dosha flowing to the abdomen from the tissues is kapha, it must be eradicated from the route nearer to abdomen (seat of kapha), i.e. by oral route by way of administration of vamana – emesis. If the dosha flowing to the gut from the tissues is pitta, it must be eradicated from the route nearer to the small gut (seat of pitta), i.e. by anal route, by way of administration of virechana – purgation.

Thus, it’s clear that the doshas in abdomen and gut (small gut) must be eliminated by administering medicines by way of oral route, by way of vamana or virechana.

2. Herbs or medicines administered by way of the nostril (nasal route), would expel the doshas from the components above the shoulder i.e. from head and neck.

Right here, we converse concerning the medicines administered by way of the nasal route i.e. nasya – nasal drops, nasal medicines or errhines.

Nasya medicines are administered by way of the nostril and the doshas are additionally eradicated by way of the nostril or mouth. Nostril is taken into account because the gateway of the pinnacle. The medicines administered from this route pull the doshas from the pinnacle and neck and expel them.

3. Herbs or medicines administered by way of the anus (rectum) will expel the doshas from the massive gut (colon).

Right here, we converse concerning the medicines administered by way of the anal route i.e. basti / vasti – medicinal enemas.

Enemas are administered by way of the anal route (and likewise urethral and vaginal) and the doshas are additionally eradicated by way of the anal route itself. The administered enema, be it within the type of medicinal decoction (asthapana vasti, niruha vasti) or medicated fat (anuvasana vasti) by way of the anal route, would pull down the doshas by way of the anal route and expel them.

To sum up

The routes of administration of shodhana medicines and routes of expulsion of the doshas –

Shamana or Shodhana

The phrase ‘Hantyashu’ within the first line of the verse means ‘rapidly destroys’. Whether it is taken as ‘rapidly destroyed’ as a substitute of ‘rapidly expels’ the shamana sort of therapy too shall be thought-about. These medicines too shall be administered by the identical route.

The medicines administered by oral route, would rapidly destroy the doshas within the abdomen and gut. That administered by nasal route would destroy the doshas within the head and neck. The medicines administered by way of the anal route would destroy the doshas within the colon. Right here the medicines could destroy the doshas with out expelling them and the dosha aggravation could also be minimal or average. However often, we don’t administer the medicines by way of anal path to pacify the doshas. It is a clue which clarifies that the verse means to clarify ‘fast expulsion’ and never ‘fast destruction’.