Antacids in Ayurveda

by **Admin** Sat 06 Nov 2010, 11:28 pm

Antacids in Ayurveda

The antacids are drugs that have pharmacological property to relieve hyperacidity caused due toindigestion and heartburn by neutralizing stomach acid. The complication of hyperacidity occurs due to the reflux of hydrochloric acid occurs instomach during the process of digestion. This hydro-choric acid with other enzymes is necessaryfor the digestion process. This process ofdigestion is controlled by the hormonal function of gastrin and somatostatin that induces the secretion and suppression of hydro choleric acid
respectively. This is normal physiological process of digestion but when it gets interrupted either by hormonal imbalance or mechanical disorder, it develops the complication of hyperacidity. This is characterized by following symptoms. The very primary symptom of hyperacidity is feeling of bitter taste in mouth and increased saliva. After wards it is developed to heartburn, nausea, belching, and often stomach cramps are occurs. There is pain in the upper abdominal region (epigastric). Headache and giddiness is also present in some patients. The heartburn increases while the patient lies in bed. This is one of the most uncomfortable symptoms of hyperacidity. Pregnant women also suffer from this complication.

In advance stages, the complications can be caused in the form of ulcers. Some times several mouth ulcers that can range from oral cavity to the esophagus characterize it. This is generally due to the increased secretion of hydrochloric acid. Ayurveda describes this condition as amlapitta. Itis considered to be a disease caused due toaggravation pitta. The sign and symptoms described in ayurvedic texts are very similar to that ofmodern sciences. This root cause of this disease is as follows. The main cause is irregular dietary habits, indigestion, the excessive intake of spicy, heavy and fried food, disturbed sleep and stress, hormonal imbalance of gastrin and somatostatin andloss of appetite. There are certain other causes like alcohol, smoking there could be a mechanical disorder responsible for this disease. The esophageal sphincter helps to separate wind pipe from food pipe. Some times it may be loose and thus the acid produced is refluxed with the food or alone. This is also a reason behind hyperacidity. Generally we can classify the root causes for hyperacidity as improper life style and dietary habits like fried spicy food alcohol. The physiological conditions like pregnancy, mechanical disorder like the malfunctioning of esophageal sphincter, Hormonal imbalance. Ayurveda states that the elevated pitta is responsible for this disease. When the pitta get with the rasa dhatu and enters the annavaha strota (digestive tract) then this disease happens. Basic line of treatment in ayurveda and modern science is quit different in other words opposite to each other. The antacid category drugs from the allopathic side are said to be contain acid neutralization agents as well as Central nervous system depressant. The antacids are generally containing the aluminum and magnesium salts. Alginic acid is also used for this purpose. Alginic acid is responsible to make a foamy forth into the stomach by reacting with the saliva to control the acid reflux. These antacids are having side effects of constipation and abdominal pain, nausea and giddiness sometimes.

However the antacids are among the one of the most widely used medicine all over the world and about 1/3 rd of Americans and other world population. In India about 35% of the population is suffering with this disease. This is a life style problem and those who are addicted with tobacco, alcohol as well as excess of packaged food with rich salt content can easily caught by this disease. The ayurvedic line of treatment is just opposite to that of the modern sciences. The basic principleof treating this disease is virechan karma (the removal of undigested food as well as bile by purgative drugs). The basic line of treatment is the same in allopathic and ayurveda. That is life style modification to avoid the food stuff that causes the hyperacidity. According to Ayurveda, over exposure to heat should be avoidable in this disease. But the second stage of treatment that is drug based is quite different as the drugs in ayurveda are purgatives that have got the tendencyto remove out the pitta. But the allopathic drugs are acting upon the acids to neutralize it as well as they stop the secretion of the gastric juices. Again the allopathic side has got the surgical intervention in the chronic stages of hyperacidity that is either endoscopic anti reflux measure or the gastro esophageal surgery to prevent the reflux of acid.

The side effects of allopathic drugs used in hyperacidity are headache, abdominal pain, and indigestion. As far as the ayurvedic drugs are concerned the single drugs used as antacid are Amaltas, Amalaki (ambilica offecinalis), Haritaki (Chebulic myrobalan), Turmeric, aloe vera, pippali, shatavari, madhuyashti and in general all drugs that have property of tikta and madhur rasa and snigdha guru are suppose to be antacidic in nature. They have vata pitta shamak property. The patoladi gana herbs patol, chandana, murva,gaduchi, patha, are also used as pittashamak. The herb shatavari has got good result in the treatment of this disease. It is also used in ayurveda for treating amlapitta. The diet preparations used for treating this disease are generally containing the above category drugs. The yavagu (liquid diet preparation) used for treatment are prepared by using the above drugs as well as the 4 purgative category drugs (see virechan drugs in ayurveda) to control hyperacidity by performing virechan. In early stages the use of deepan (appetizers), pachan (digestives) are useful.

In ayurveda the mineral preparations are also used for the treatment of this disease. Pravaal pishti like drugs that are rich in calcium salts are very much effective in treating the hyper-acidic conditions. Apart from that several medicines from ayurveda to treat this disease are multi drug combinations. Like avapittikar choorna, Madhuyastyadi Choorna and mineral based like abhraka bhasma, shankha bhasma, confectionary preparation like dhatri rasayana and the mercuric preparations like Kamdudha Rasa, Sutsakher rasa and more are used in the treatment of hyperacidity. The recent studies show that the Shatavari herb has effects like metaclopramide (ant emetic drug).this has been stated by ayurveda thousands of years ago.

Anti hypertensive drugs in ayurveda

The drugs that are used to control the hypertensive conditions are called antihypertensive drugs. The term hypertension is commonly taken as prolonged and excess of tension and stress caused by bloodon the arteries. According to the medical sciences this is stage of
high blood pressure. The most devastating aspect of this disease is that it doesn’t characterize by any of the symptoms and causes damage to the vital organs in long run of time. This is reason that is termed as silent killer. The raised blood pressure increases risk of certain complications like Stroke, Aneurysm, Herat failure, Heart attack and Renal disorders. Nowadays, the most of the people around the world are suffering from hypertension in later ages. This is due to the improper life style and dietary habits that are spreading all over the world. The chances of Hypertension are two times in people who are obese as compared to the other people. The blood pressure is measured on the systolic and diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is the highest pressure of the arterial blood flow during the constricting of the heart, while as the diastolic pressure is measured as the lowest blood pressure during the diastole. The blood pressure is mentioned as per/mm of Hg pressure. For example it is written as 120 over 80 mmHg. A patient is said to be hypertensive when the value of systolic pressure is more than 140 at resting condition and the diastolic pressure is more then 90 at resting conditions. The limits of the systolic and diastolic pressures are relative to the patient specific details. However the disorder of the older people is called isolated systolic hypertension. This condition is due to the physiological changes of the body in older ages. The deadly conditions of hypertension are malignant hypertension that is due to the several reasons and the pressure is more then 210 to 120 mm/hg. However it is rarely seen into the patients but can cause death if remain untreated for a long time.The blood pressure is physiological phenomenon that turns malignant when it is disturbed. The physiology of blood pressure has got complicated mechanism that involves many factors. It depends upon the amount of the blood pumped to the heart as well as the arterial conditions and renal system. The liquid content of the blood can be changed as well as the blood flow can be increased or decreased as per the action of the heart and the dwelling conditions.

The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system and adrenal cortex of the kidneys govern all these mechanism. The sympathetic division uses several means to temporarily increase blood pressure during the reflex action of the body to prevent it from the coming danger. The hormones epinephrine that is released by the adrenal glands is due to the stimulation that is provided by the sympathetic division. The hormonal control of the blood pressure is due to the hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex. The renal system also affects the blood pressure as if the blood pressure is increased then the kidneys excrete the salt and water in increased quantity to maintain the blood pressure and vise versa.

The kidneys also control the blood pressure by hormonal function of rennin that tends to increase the blood pressure by causing the arterial constriction. This rennin also plays role in the release of aldestorene causing the retention of the salt and water content. The ayurvedic text does not describe the blood pressure as a disease but the symptoms are described in various segments. The relevant symptoms are found in the Vata vyadhi and rakta dushti. There are various drugs and measures to treat the symptoms arising from the hypertensive conditions. There are various medicines in ayurveda that are used to treat hypertension. These are sedative, tranquilizers as well as those acting on the renal system. There are several preparations that are commonly used in place of the barbiturates the yogendra rasa and sarpagandha mishran are used as antihypertensive medicines. There are several single drugs that are used as antihypertensive medicines. Commonly these are
taken into the intellect increasing and sedative category of medicines. The symptoms of the hypertensive conditions resemble to the vata Vriddhi symptoms. Thus the treatment used to reduce the aggravated vata is also useful in the treatment. Brahmi Vati, Brahmi Rasayana, Saraswatarishta are some of the medicines that are used as antihypertensive. These are supposed to have sedative effects. The madhur rasa (sweet) and kashaya rasa (astringent) are used in the treatment of the symptoms of hypertensive stages. These are supposed to be containing the antioxidant effect as per the modern sciences. The herbs that are used as hypertensive medicines are Brahmi, Shankhanpushpi, Jatamansi, Sarpagandha, Vacha, Gokshur, Amalaki and Punarnava. There are different combinations as well as the diet preparations based upon the above drugs and medicines, which are used as antihypertensive medicines. The mineral preparations that are used as antihypertensive are praval, mauktik, and some calcinated preparations like the abhraka bhasma. The most common vehicle for these medicines are honey and milk that is also useful for antihypertensive. There are various medicines that are used as antihypertensive by the ayurveda practitioners that are supposed to be vatanashaka (those destroying vata) like the use of drakshasava, kharjuur, priyal, milk and haridra are also having some antihypertensive properties. The yoga and pranayam are proved to be beneficial to the hypertensive people. The mudra (postures) described in the yoga section is very useful in treatment of hypertension. The saw asana is the posture that helps in lowering down the blood pressure easily. (See yoga and pranayama).

Antipyretic drugs in ayurveda
The antipyretic drugs are used for the purpose of reducing the body temperature and then maintain it to normal. It is the category of medicine that prevents feverish conditions as well as lower downs the body temperature from raised stage to normal condition. The antipyretics commonly don’t effect in the healthy state means don’t disturb the temperature regulation in healthy state. According to modern sciences antipyretic medicines are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that generally act by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesize within the hypothalamus region that acts a temperature regulator in our body. The fever is the state of the body where the body temperature reaches higher then the normal body temperature. This normal body temperature in an individual is taken on as 98.4-degree feranhite or 37 degree Celsius. The thermometer is used to measures this temperature orally, in arm pit or in rectum. Fever is caused by many factors. It can occur independently or as symptom of any disease. Fever is generally due to the pathological impact of the microbes as well as the traumatic and several other reasons. The complex biochemical syntheses of the interleukin as well as the other substances like prostaglandins are the responsible factors for the hyperpyrexia.

These biochemical are released due to the pathological invasion and complex reaction of the pathogens that affects the central nervous system resulting in fever. This temperature regulation process is governed by various systems. That involves the central nervous system and the circulatory system. In the state of fever the bodily symptoms are commonly the same as the rise in temperature, some times shivering, in acute stages the delirium as well as the unconsciousness is also there. The fever is the also described as symptom another disease. In various diseases fever is present as symptom. Like typhoid, rheumatic disease and more. In ayurveda related old classics the fever is described in details and is termed as “Jwara”. It is divided into several types and subdivisions according to the dosha theory and other pathological principles of ayurveda. The basic principle of treating the pyrexia is to reduce the body temperature by certain procedure and drugs. The antipyretics described in ayurveda can be broadly classified into following types-Antipyretics and,Analgesic and diaphoretics.

According to ayurveda the basic line of treatment for fever involves the elimination of the root cause that is aggravates the body temperature. The swedavrodha (stopped sweating) is the main cause that increases the body temperature. The process of langhanam (fasting) and paachan (using appetizers and digestive stimulants) are also described as basic line of treatment of the patient suffering from fever. There are different medicines and drugs that are used as antipyretic. Apart from that there are several therapeutic measures that are used to lower down the body temperature of the body. The action of antipyretic drugs occurs in following ways.They act by reducing the activity of the hypothalamus. They act by increasing the heat radiating speedof body.

They increase the sweating activity. The procedures that are used to lower down the temperature.The antipyretics describes in the ayurveda classics are- Jwaraghana gana (antipyretic category) Following are some of the main drugs from the ayurveda references that are used as jwaraghana. They are –Sariva, Sharkarapataha, Manjishta, Draksha, Peelu, Parushaka, Abhya, Amla, Bhibhitaki, Patola, Shewats chandan, Rakta chandan, Moorva, Gaduchi, Patha, Katuki, Nimba, Dhaniya, Padmakha, Amaltas, Madan phala, Karanj, Kalmegha, Saptaparna, Kaarvellak, Vatsanabh, Dhatura, Atis, Droon pushpi, Sahdevi, Arka and Karvir, The mineral based drugs that are used as antipyretic are- Pkitkari, Narsaar, Godanti, Neelanjana, Sankhiya, Hartaal, Manashila, Praval, Kaparda, Shankha, Qunine, The all drugs mentioned above are used according to the patient’s specific need and the dosha involved or the kind of fever. Besides these there
are several combination medicines that are used as antipyretic in ayurveda. The following medicines are used as antipyretic. Commonly following medicines are used in the different types of fever.

In navajwara (acute fever)- Tribhuvan Kiriti Rasa, Sanjivani Vati and Godanti Mishrana are given. In Visamajwara (Malarial fever) - Saptaparna ghana Vati and Sudarshana Choorna are given. In Vat shlaishmika jwara (Viral fever) - Laksmi Vilas Rasa and Samsamani Vati are given. In Jirna jwara (Chronic fever) - Pratap Lankeshvar Ras, Mahasudarsana Choorna and Amritarishta are given. In Sannipatika jwara (Typhoid fever) - Nardiya luxmi Vilas Rasa and Bhunimbadi Kwath are given. Apart from these the medicines used as antipyretic as per the dosha classification are - Mrituyanjaya rasa, trailokyasundar rasa, hinguleshvarrasa, panchavaktra rasa, amritashtaka kashaya rasa and Panchatikta kashaya The medicinal decoctions of Shaobhanjan, Aranda, Shewata Punarnava, Yava, and Kulatha are used as antipyretic. There are mineral combinations that are used as antipyretic medicines. They are-Kasturi Bhairava Rasa, Naracha-Rasa, Tarun-Jwarari Rasa, Prataap-Martanda Rasa, Chintamani Rasa, and Mritansanjavinai Rasa.

Ayurveda describes the various diet preparations of antipyretic medicines. The procedures involve the dripping and embrocating the cold temperament drugs as well as the fumigation. Ayurveda also describes fever that is caused due to mental conditions like fear and shock. It is also seen that the religious rituals are also described into the classical texts of ayurveda. However the tikta rasa pradhan (bitter taste medicines) are very much useful in the feverish conditions. The Anupaan concept of ayurveda (vehicle concept for medicine) is very useful in treatment of fever. The Shadangpaaniya combination (see different forms of medicines) is found to be very useful in reducing the aftereffects of the quinine based antipyretics. The have the tendency to treat side effects of the antipyretic.

The following five medicines are having antipyretic effect. They are used in various forms like decoctions, powder, pills, diet preparations, and more. These are Guduchi (tinaspora cardifolia), Sunthi (zingiber officinalis), Vacha (Aarus calamus), Yashti-madhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Musta (Cyprus rotundus).

The medicinal procedures that are used for the antipyretic purpose are also used by the modern medicine system like the cold process. The basti preparations are found to be useful in the chronic fever condition.