1] INTRODUCTION:

2] WHY STUDY PANCHAKARMA?

3] DEFINITIONS.

4] POSSIBLE MECHANISMS.

5] APPLIED ASPECTS.

6] FUTURE PROSPECTS.

1. Introduction

PANCHAKARMA literally means five procedures. These are procedures followed to cure diseases as 111 as promote health.

The PANCHAKARMA [Eve procedures] are described in CHARAKA SAMHITA, SUSHRUTA SAMHITA and ASTHANGA HRUDAYA OF VAGBHATA They are also described byCHAKRAPNl. ARUNDATTA and DALHAN.

Two sets are procedures are known They are as follows.

A

1] VAMANA.

2] VTRECHANA.

3] NIRUHA ASTHAPANA.

4] ANUVASANA.

5] SHTRO VTRECHANA / NASYA.

B

1] VAMANA 2] VTRECHANA 3] BAST! 4] NASYA.

5] SIRA MOKSHA RAKTA MOKSHANA.

Apart from these KARMAs which are called PRADHANA KARMAs i.e., five main procedures, there are PURVA KARMAs and PASCHAT KARMAs, i.e procedures to be followed before and after the main procedures respectively.

PURVA KARMAs are:

1] PACHANA 2] SNEHANA 3] SVEDANA and PASCHAT KARMAs are: 1] DHOOMA2] GANDUSHA3] SANSARJANA KRAMA 4] RASAYANA.

2. Why Study Panchakarma?

a. Just as I study physiology of adaptations to changes in temperature, ambient pressure e g. at high altitude or in space or during exercise. YOG AS AN As etc it is also essential to study physiology of the adaptations to these relatively simple and commonly used procedures.

b. Even grater reason to study these is that these and similar procedures form an integral part of Indian culture I and many Other cultures as well) and hence their study and inclusion in main stream medicine would make the medical care more aligned to the people A A c] It would bring about greater and appropriate and optimal utilisation of Indian herbs and thus save national wastage. A A d) It would mpower the people to be more self sufficient and less dependent on drugs and doctors and alien sources of drug production or corporate institutions catering medical care at prohibitive costs.

3. Definitions

Vamana

URDHVABHAGENA DOSHA HARANAM KAROTI CHARAKA SAMHITA KALPA STHANA 1.40 VAMANA means induced vomiting.

Vtrechana

ADHO BHAGENA GUDENA DOSHA HARANAM KAROTI CHARAKA SAMHITA KALPA STHANA.

VTRECHANA means induced loose motion. Thus this can be aperient, laxative, purgative or cathartic.

Niruha / Asthapana

SHARIRA ROHANAT DOSHA NIROHARANAT ACHINTYA VERYA PRABHAVATAYA CHASMI HAS AM BHAV ANNIRUHA ITI SUSHRUTA SAMHITA.

NÎRUHA means one which removes the DOSHA The other meaning is related to ROHA which means one which b uilds the body The third meaning is derived from the word UHA which means logical conjecture or imagination Thus NÎRUHA means the influence of which is unimaginable.

The other word for this is BAST! i.e. enema. This is one type of BASTI This does not contain any oily matter as against the ANUVASANA in which there is oil or ghee present.

Anuvasana

ANUVASAN API NA DUSHAYATI ANUDIVASAMAPI DEEYATE ITI ANUVASANAM.

ANUVASAN means retention BAST! or enema characterized by oily materials such as TAIL [oils] , TOOP [ Ghee ]. VASA [ lard ] also called MEDA and MAJJA [marrow] by some.

Shdro Virechan / Nasya

VIRECHANAM SHAMANAM BRUHANAM CHA This removes the defects from the nose PURVAKARMA.

PACHANA, SNEHANA and SIDANA PACHANA.

YADUPAYUKTAM ANNAPANAUSHADHAM APAKVANAM SAMANAM PACHANE SAMARTHAM.

TAT.PACHAYATE ITI PACHANAM.

One which promotes the digestive process to digest the useful food, liquid and medicinal matter. One which digests.

Snehana

SNEHANAM CHA ANHAHANANAM DEHAMARDAVA KARAM MALASANGA NASHANAM.

Sidana

STAMBHA GAURAVA SHEETAGHNAM SID AN AM SIDAKARAKAM A One which cures or prevents rigidity or akinesia or reduced activity, over Weight and tendency for reduced basal metabolic rate [BMR]

PASCHAT KARMA.

Dooma

This is a procedure of producing smoke from medicinal plants or cow dung sheep dung,boar dung etc In Chinese system there is a similar procedure called moxibution.

Gandoosha

This is a procedure in which person is supposed to hold in mouth, mouthful of medicated liquid oily or otherwise.

Sansarjan Krama

Giving gradually liquid, semisolid and solid and very light, light and heavy ie. very easy to digest, easy to digest and difficult to digest foods.

Rasayana

During PANCHAKARAMA some loss of energy can take place and to recuperate that RASAYANA CHIKITSA i.e. which facilitates fuller and quicker recovery are given.

4. Possible Mechanisms

The concepts underlying the PANCHAKARMA are a] DOSHA STHANA b] Traveling of DOSHAs to respective region/ organ c] The DOSHAs are removed from the body from their original location DOSHAs are control mechanisms, or better still they can be called as forces or energies responsible for the functioning of the control mechanisms They can be compared with the controlling centers in brain such as hypothalamus or centers in the brain stem, responsible for autonomic activities. Thus when I eat ANS, endocrine activities lead to exocrine secretory and smooth muscle motility changes This in AYURVEDIK terms is called reaching of or traveling of DOSHAs from their sites, i.e. STHANA i.e original sites to GIT. A It is presumed that there is disturbance in the DOSHA S THAN A and This is rectified by treatment of the region to which the DOSHAs have reached, thus it may be nose, stomach, colon etc This is similar to a concept of S WADHARMA In 18th chapter of GEETA the 45th and 46th verses explain how a man reaches his original abode through his KARMA. A A Thus DOSHAs, which have effect on the peripheral parts through certain routes, are rectified by KARMAs which influence the DOSHA sthana THROUGH THE SAME ROUTES and influence/ rectify them.

In POORVA KARMAs the actions are on skin, GIT, and also all cells and vessels.