In Ayurveda anything that exists on this earth can be a dravya (drug) as it is made up of panchamahabhootas. Caraka says even a poison can be an effective drug when administered in the proper way and in the same way an elixir can prove harmful if administered wrongly. However, these plants, animal and mineral products can hardly be used as a drug in its natural form. They all must be processed in different ways. This process is known as Bhaisajya Kalpana. The drug must pass 4 tests namely safety, efficacy, stability and palatability.
Caraka always stressed that the raw material must be grown in a certain type of soil and in a specific geographical area and should be collected only at certain times of the year. He also stressed that every plant picked must be replaced by another similar plant.
The therapeutically active ingredient is separated using different solvents like fat, oil or alcohol. Water, being the universal solvent, is used for majority of extractions. This ingredient is called the saara bhaaga.
In Ayurveda there are 5 basic forms from which all the other formulations are derived. These are:
- Swarasa (expressed juice)
- Kalka (herbal paste)
- Kwatha (decoctions)
- Hima (cold infusion)
- Phanta (hot infusions).
The first two are made from freshly collected plant material and directly used by the patient whereas the last three forms are aqueous extracts made from dried plant material.
Fresh as well as dried plant materials are used for processing. Thus, the type of processing depends on the following factors:
Nature of the material whether dry or fresh.
Required concentration of the dosage form
Solubility of the saara bhaga of the plant
Heat stability of the saara bhaga of the plant
Route of administration.
Shelf life of prepared dosage form.
Swarasa
Filtered juice taken from the cleaned and crushed raw drugs is called as swarasa. In case fresh material cannot be obtained or the juice is difficult to obtain a decoction is obtained by cooking either the dry powdered form with four-fold water and then reducing to one fourth.
Centella asiatica (mandukaparni good for memory and the brain) and tinospora cordiflora (guduci ) should be used only in the form of expressed juice if their rasayana effect is required.
Swarasa is obtained usually from freshly collected plants. The useful part of the plant could be the leaf, stem, fruit, or the whole plant itself, is cut up into small pieces and a bolus is made from it. This is then mechanically squeezed to extract the juice. This juice is used immediately. If there is not enough moisture in the plant, then 2 parts of water are added, and this soaked overnight after which it is squeezed. If the plant material is dry, then it is ground into a powder. Eight parts of water are then added to the powder which is then boiled to one fourth of its volume. In some cases, the plant material has to be steamed to yield swarasa. This is called as putapaka. Here the material is ground to a fine paste which is then made into bolus and covered with leaves. Two-finger thick mud is applied over the leaves. This is then heated in an open fire until it becomes red hot and then allowed to cool. The bolus is then taken out and mechanically squeezed to yield the swarasa.
Swarasa is the most potent preparation. Hence it is usually given to patients who have a good agni and less of ama (toxins) otherwise it could be harmful. It is not usually given to children and the elderly. The disease status also plays a role as to what is given.
Adult dosage is 30 to 60 ml 2 or 3 times a day. Ginger swarasa is good for anorexia. sigru (drumstick) leaves swarasa is good for red eyes. Vasa swarasa with honey is good for bleeding disorders. Guduchi leaves and honey are good for prameha (diabetes).
Kalka (herbal paste)
Cleaned herbs are cleaned and crushed and ground with water or any other prescribed liquid and made into a fine paste. This called kalka. This is not as potent as swarasa. This is more potent than kwatha.
Adult dose is 5 to 10 grams twice or thrice a day.
A kalka of chitrak (plumbago rosea) is used in arshas (piles)
A kalka made with nagakesar and butter is good for bleeding arshas. Tila (sesame seeds) kalka made with tila seeds and butter is also good for bleeding arshas.
. . . to be continued
Mrs. Mira Swami, Dept of Ayurveda