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Created page with "The word pachana literally means causing to cook or boil, softening, digestive. The act of cooking or baking <ref>Monier-Williams, Monier-Williams Sanskrit- English Dictionary..."
The word pachana literally means causing to cook or boil, softening, digestive. The act of cooking or baking <ref>Monier-Williams, Monier-Williams Sanskrit- English Dictionary, 1st edition; Oxford University Press, pacana, Page 614.</ref>is also termed as pachana. As a treatment measure pachana chiefly denotes digestion or that which promotes digestion. It is one of the prime treatment for undigested food/toxins ([[ama]]) and it is advocated as a prerequisite for purificatory therapies and as a pacification therapy also.

==Etymology and derivation==

The word pachana is derived from the root ‘pach’ with ‘nich’ and ‘lyut’ suffix. [Shabdakalpadruma]

==Defnition==

The process in which the digestion of undigested food/toxic waste products ([[ama]]) takes place without increasing the digestive fire ([[agni]]) is called pachana. [Sha.Pu.04/01]<ref name= Shargadara> Sharangadhara. Sharangadhara Samhita. Translated from Sanskrit by K.R. Srikantha Murthy. Reprint ed. Varanasi: Chaukhambha orientalia;2016.</ref>

==Synonyms==

Pachana, paka, vipachana

==Contextual meanings==

The term pachana represents the following
*Digestion
*Suppuration/ripening

Digestion: Whenever there is a presence of [[ama]] or [[dosha]] associated with [[ama]], pachana should be done to digest that [[ama]].

Suppuration: In the treatment of inflammatory swellings (sopha) and wounds, pachana (suppuration) is a treatment of choice.

==Types==

Based on the method of administration – 2 types
#Internal administration
#External administration

Internal administration: The pachana medicine is administered internally for the digestion of undigested food/ toxins ([[ama]]). It may be in the form of medicines or food items that possess the pachana property.

External application: The pachana medicine is applied externally in the form of poultice [Su.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 20/52]<ref name= Susruta> Sushruta. Sushruta Samhita. Edited by Jadavaji Trikamji Aacharya. 8th ed. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia;2005.</ref>, topical applications etc. Eg: Application of alkali (kshara) over inflammatory swelling (vrunsopha) for suppuration. [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 11/05]<ref name=Susruta/>

==Importance of pachana==

[[Ama]] is considered similar to poison.[A.Hr Sutra Sthana 8/14]<ref name= Hridaya > Vagbhata. Ashtanga Hridayam. Edited by Harishastri Paradkar Vaidya. 1st ed. Varanasi: Krishnadas Academy;2000.</ref> So that has to be removed from the body. Most of the treatment procedures are contraindicated in the case of [[ama]]. The best method to remove [[ama]] is to digest it which is attained through pachana.

Pachana property can be attributed to some of the drugs and food items. Pachana drugs have predominance of heat (ushna) [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 46/515]<ref name=Susruta/> and drying property (ruksha guna). [Aaddammalla on Sha.Pu.04/01]<ref name=Shargadara/>


{| class="wikitable"
|+ Table 1: A few examples for pachana drugs and foods
|-
! Drugs !! Food items
|-
| | Nagakesara (Mesua ferrea) [Sha.Pu.04/01] || Curd, buttermilk, vinegar [Su.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 1/25]
|-
| | Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) [A.H Sutra Sthana 6/153] || Citrus fruit (jambheera) [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 27/167],
|-
| | Musta (Cyperus rotundus) [A.S.Sutra sthana 12/38] || Jagala (a variety of wine) [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 27/181],
|-
| | Pippalyadigana [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 38/23] || Asafoetida (hingu) [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 27/299],
|-
| | Vachadigana [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 38/26] || Oil [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 45/112],
|-
| | Haridradigana[Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 38/27] || Scum of gruel prepared with fried paddy (laja manda)[Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 46/340]
|-
| | Mustadigana [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 38/54-55] ||
|-
|}

Time of administration of drugs for pachana: Before and after food (samudgam). [A.S Sutra Sthana 23/20]<ref name= Sangraha> Vridha Vagbhata, Ashtanga Sangraha. Edited by Shivaprasad Sharma. 3rd ed. Varanasi: Chaukhamba sanskrit series office;2012.</ref> According to Shargadhara the medicines for pachana should be administered at night. [Sha.Pu.2/12]<ref name=Shargadara/>

Taste (rasa) with pachana property : Salt (lavana), bitter (tikta) [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 26/43], sour (amla) [A.Hr. Sutra Sthana 10/10]<ref name=Hridaya/>, spicy (katu). [A.Hr.Sutra Sthana 10/17]<ref name=Hridaya/>

==General indications for Pachana==

*Based on [[dosha]] involvement: [[Kapha]] and [[pitta]][Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 22/20]
*Severity of [[dosha]] involved: Moderate aggravation of the [[dosha]]
*Based on the extent of [[dosha]]: If [[ama]] spreads all over the body [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 15/75]
*Based on strength of patient: For patient having moderate strength
*If [[ama]] is involved [Cha.Sa.[[Sddhi Sthana]] 8/44]

==Importance of pachana as treatment modality==

*Pachana is one among the four techniques mentioned in Ayurveda to stop bleeding.[Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 14/39]<ref name=Susruta/> By the application of powders at the site the bleeding can be stopped.
• It is one among the methods to remove the unfixed foreign body from the body. [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 27/04]<ref name=Susruta/>. By suppurating the foreign body it can be easily removed from the body.
• It is one among the eight kinds of treatments advocated for inflammatory swelling (vruna sopha).[Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 37/9]<ref name=Susruta/> By the application of drugs that are hot in potency the pachana of swelling is attained.
• It is one among the 60 methods of treatment of wounds. [Su.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 1/8]<ref name=Susruta/>
• It is one among the pacification therapies(shamana). [A.Hr Sutra Sthana 14/06]<ref name=Hridaya/>
• It is one among the ten types of topical applications (alepa). [A.S. Uttara Sthana 30/08]<ref name=Sangraha/>

==Importance in management of disease==

Pachana as an independent treatment is having the ability to pacify the [[dosha]] but the chance for recurrence of disease is more when compared with the purification treatment. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 16/20] Pachana can be advocated in the conditions of vomiting, diarrhea, heart disease, acute intestinal irritation, intestinal sluggishness, fever, constipation, heaviness of body, eructation, nausea, anorexia as a first line of treatment. [Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 22/21]

Pachana is advocated in fever (jwara) especially if it is originated from stomach (amashaya). This can be achieved by providing hot water as it possess the pachana action. [Cha.Sa.[[Vimana Sthana]] 3/40] If the fever patient is having morbid thirst, water having pachana properties can be administered. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 3/144] After the initial phase of fever (after 6 days) the decoctions having pachana property can be given. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 3/160] In the treatment of [[kapha]] [[dosha]] predominant intermittent fever (vishamajwara) pachana can be used as a treatment principle. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 3/295]

For the treatment of distaste in the mouth and to increase the appetite drugs with pachana property can be used. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 8/36]. In the treatment of wasting diseases (rajayakshama), if the digestive power is less, pachana medicines can be given [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 11/84]

For the treatment of swelling associated with toxic waste products ([[ama]]), pachana medicines should be administered followed by purification treatment. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 12/17] If the glandular erysepalas is not cured by other treatments then suppuration of the lump must be attained by administering external applications having pachana property. After attaining suppuration both internal and external purification should be done. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 21/135]

In diarrhea with predominance of [[kapha]] [[dosha]], pachana should be administered in the beginning.[Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 19/102] In the treatment of hemorrhoids the recipes for pachana can be given. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 14/65]

In the treatment of [[kapha]] dominate alcoholism, pachana can be advocated as a treatment measure. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 24/167]

In ulcers with [[kapha]] dominance also pachana is used externally and internally as a treatment modality. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 25/16]

As a general line of treatment for diseases caused due to [[vata]] (vatavyadhi), if [[dosha]] is associated with [[ama]], it should be treated with pachana etc treatments. After removing the [[ama]], oleation etc therapies can be given.[A.Hr Chikitsa Sthana 22/50]<ref name=Hridaya/> Debilitated patients having [[vata]] ailments who are contraindicated for purgation should be given evacuative enema followed by food mixed with pachana medicines. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 28/87]

If morbid [[vata]] lodged in the alimentary tract (kosta) or if [[vata]] is occluded by food, the digestion of humors is to be done with pachana drugs. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 28/90] [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 28/196] If bloating of upper abdomen (anaha) caused by undigested food ([[ama]]), pachana is used as a treatment measure. [Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 26/26]

==As a preparatory measure before purificatory therapy==

The [[dosha]]s if undergone pachana will never stick to the tissues ([[dhatu]]s) again. So the [[dosha]]s can be moved easily towards the alimentary tract (koshta).[A.Hr. Sutra Sthana 13/18]<ref name=Hridaya/> So pachana is advocated as a preparatory measure for purificatory therapies like [[panchakarma]]. [A.Hr Sutra Sthana 13/29]<ref name=Hridaya/>

==To manage the complications==

In therapeutic enema therapy, if enema is occluded as a result of excess intake of food should be managed by pachana therapy. [Cha.Sa.[[Sddhi Sthana]] 4/35]

Fissure in ano (parikartika), fatigue etc, caused as a complication of purificatory therapies should be treated by pachana medicines. [Cha.Sa.[[Siddhia Sthana]] 6/63] [Cha.Sa.[[Siddhia Sthana]] 6/93]

==Current researches==

As an objective criterion to assess the pachana activity food conversion ratio is used in experimental studies. It is calculated as the food consumed in gram percentage (gm%) by dividing fecal matter in gm% passed on the same day. As a result of improvement in digestion the metabolism of food takes place properly which results in an increase in nutritional part (sarabaga) and a subsequent decrease in waste products (kittabaga). So if waste products are less when compared with the food intake higher will be the food conversion ratio. In a study to compare the pachana activity of Oroxylum indicum (shyonaka) and its substituent Ailanthus excelsa (aralu), shyonaka shows more pachana activity.<ref>Makwana AJ, Patel BR et al. Comparitave pharmacological evaluation of shyonaka (Oroxylum indicum Vent.) and Aralu (Ailanthus excels Roxb.) W.S.R to its deepana pachana activity. International Ayurvedic Medical journal (2015) Voulme 3, issue 4 Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282847910_Comparative_pharmacological_evaluation_of_Shyonaka_Oroxylum_indicum_vent_And_Aralu_Ailanthus_excels_roxb_Wsrto_its_Deepana_pachana_activity</ref>

In another study to compare the efficacy of fasting (upavasa) and fasting with pachana in patients with less digestive fire, the fasting with pachana group shows better results.<ref>Ami Rajani, Mahesh K Vyas, Hitesh A Vyas. Comparative study of Upavasa and Upavasa with Pachana in
the management of Agnisada. AYU. 2010 DOI: 10.4103/0974-8520.77166</ref>

Digestants are substances included to promote digestion of food. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme obtained from raw papaya is used as digestants. Pachana drugs are chiefly used to manage indigestion. Bitter (tikta) taste is mostly found with the drugs having pachana effect.<ref>Hemang.N. Joshi, K. Nishteswar, P.P.Sharma et al. Ayurvedic Pharmacological Principles of Deepana (Stomachic) and Pachana (Digestant) Drugs.The global journal of pharmaceutical research. 2012 Sep; Vol 1 (4) Available from https://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Ayurvedic+Pharmacological+Principles+of+Deepana+%28Stomachic%29+and+Pachana+%28Digestant%29+Drugs&btnG=</ref>

==List of theses done==

#Jaidev Gehija (2018): Efficacy of Paushtika biscuit with and without deepana pacahana in the management of karshya (Malnutrition) – An open labeled, randomized, comparative clinical trial. Department of Kaumara Bhritya, IPGT&RA Jamnagar.

==More information==

[[Langhanabrimhaniya Adhyaya]]

==References==
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