Ayurvedic Toxicology is a special branch of Ashtang Ayurved.
Ayurvedic Toxicology was also called
Danstra chikitsa by Vagbhatacharya, Jangalee chikitsa by Kautilya , Vishagaravairodhik prashamanam by Charakacharya,
Agad tantra by Sushrutacharya.
तस्यायुर्वेदस्याङ्गान्यष्टौ ;
तद्यता - कायचिकित्सा , शालाक्य , शल्यापहर्तृक , विषगरवैरोधिकप्रशमनं , भूतविद्या , कौमारभृत्यकं रसायनं , वाजीकरणमिति । ( च.सू.३०/ २८ )
Charak has described eight main branches of Ayurveda (The science of life) namely,
kayachikitsa (medicine),
shalakya (E.N.T),
shalya (surgery),
vishagaravairodhika prashamanam (toxicology),
bhootvidya (relating to unnatural beings),
kaumarbhritya (pediatrics),
rasayana (science of longevity) vajikarana (aphrodisiacs).
कायबालग्रहोर्ध्वाङ्ग शल्यदंष्ट्रा जरावृषान ।
अष्टावङ्गानि तस्याहुचिकित्सा येषु संश्रिता ।।
(अ.हृ.सू.१/५)
अगदतन्त्रं नाम सर्पकीटलूतामूषिकादिष्ट
विषव्यंजनार्थ विविध विष संयोगोपशमनार्थच ।
(सु.सू.१/६)
Sushruta has described Agadtantra as the branch of Ayurveda, which deals with bites of poisonous animals such as snakes, insects, spiders, rats, etc and their treatment and symptoms of different poisons, their combinations and their treatment.
अगद = नास्ति गदो यस्मात् ।
The word Gada means the disease, pain, or visha (poison)
Agad means that due to which the disease, pain or poison (Gada) vanishes, i.e., Science of medicine, health, or science of visha chikitsa. Many a times, the word 'Agad' is used to mean an antidote (i.e. vishanga kalpa).
Agadtantra is that branch of Ayurved which deals with
visha and upavisha (i.e a variety of toxic and poisonous substances obtained from plants, animals, minerals, metals, etc) with reference to their sources i.e. utpatti of visha, visha yoni, vishadhisthanani, characteristics and properties i.e. visha gunani, the symptoms which they produce i.e. visha lingani, the lethal dose i.e.ghatak matra, the nature of fatal result i.e.visha vegani, (signs and symptoms produced in series one after another). The remedial measures which should be employed to combat their actions or effects i.e.visha -upakramani and the method of their detection and estimation i.e. vishapariksha.
प्रागुत्पत्ति गुणान् योनि वेगाल्लिङ्गानि उपक्रमान् ।
विषस्य ब्रुवतः सम्यगग्निवेश निबोध मे ।। (च.चि.२३/३)
Definition of Visha
According to Ayurveda, Visha' is a substance, which after entering the body disturbs all the functioning of rasas, doshas, dhatus, malas, and make them abnormal, thus degrading the health of a human being and sometimes leading to destruction of life.
देहं प्रविश्य यद्द्रव्यं दूषयित्वा रसादिकान् ।
स्वास्थ्यं प्राणहरं च स्यात् तत् द्रव्यं विषमुच्यते ।।
As it is named visha, it creates sorrowfulness (vishada) in the mind of the affected human being.
Visha Utpatti -
The mythological concept regarding origin of visha states that it was created at the time of creation of universe by lord Bramha and some opinions that it was obtained during samudra manthana.References regarding visha or poison and poisoning can also be traced in Vedas. In Atharvaveda (1500 B.C.9), description of two types of visha i.e sthavara and jangama and their management through mantrachikitsa is narrated. In Ramayana (500 B.C.11), Rama and Lakshmana were treated for poisoning by Vaidya Sushena with the help of Sanjeevani vidyaa along with four types of herbs from Himalaya. In Mahabharata (400 B.C.13), poisoned Bhima was treated by the sarpavisha. Further, a conversation between Kashyapa and Takshaka regarding treatment of poisoing (vishachikitsa) is also reported in Mahabharata. Brahmavaivarta Purana (3/51) (600 B.C. to 700 A.D.16) also narrates the conversation between Dhanvantari and Nagadevi which gives information about condition of Vishachikitsa at that time. In Kautiliya Arthashastra(363 B.C.18), a book not related to toxicology, many references regarding visha particularly description regarding kalakuta, vatsanabha, halahala, meshasringa, musta, kushtha, mahavisha, vellitaka, gaurardra, balaka, markata, haimavata, kalingaka, daradaka, kolasaraka, ushtraka, are mentioned. Ayurveda dedicated one of its branches as Danshtrachikitsa, Agadatantraor Vishatantra , Vishagaravairodhikaprashamana , which is dedicated solely to the concept and treatment of visha. These references provide ample evidence to prove that toxicology was a well developed branch in ancient India.
Visha Guna -
Every guna, attributed to a visha, has got some action on dosha, dhatu and mala. Due to Laghu guna visha does not remain constant in a particular place (anavasthitatva). Hence, does not allow the interaction between the visha and the administered bheshaja, which is necessary in order to treat the guna.
Sukshma guna of a visha dravya helps to penetrate the sukshma srotas of the body, resulting vitiation of rakta dhatu.
Ruksha guna, one of the gunas attributed to vata, vitiates the vata dosha.
Avyaktarasatva of visha, an equivalent guna attributed to Kapha and jala, leads to vitiation of kapha which is due to the principle being known as samanya-vishesha siddhanta. Further due to this guna, visha becomes yogavahi, and just like water, which takes the gandha of the substance it contains, visha also binds with the annarasa due to its avyaktarasa and thus the food gets contaminated. Ashu and vyavayi gunas, as a drop of oil spreads over water as soon as it touches its surface, lead to quick dispersion of visha all over the body. While describing vyavayi guna Dalhana says that although visha spreads quickly all over the body it does not come out by any of the way either from urdhvamarga or from adhomarga.
Tikshna guna being an attribute of agnimahabhuta affects marma. Marmas are saumya and mrudu in nature. It also produces distress of the body constituents, burning sensation and putrefaction.
Vishada guna, does not contain any mucous nature and doesn’t stop anywhere in the body, passes through all the doshas resulting in their vitiation.
Vikasi guna breaks the bonding between various dhatus and brings about looseness in the dhatus (dhatushaithilya) and resulting in their improper function.
Activity of a visha dravya depends on the dominancy of its possessing guna. For instance the domination of ruksha guna will lead to the vitiation of vata, domination of sukshma guna lead to vitiation of rakta dhatu as compared to others, while domination of tikshna guna will lead to the impairment three marmas of the body i.e. shira, hridaya and basti and may lead to murchha, sanyasa and other symptoms of marmaghata.
The importance of Agad tantra in ancient times was in the context of power politics and romances in royal families. Administration of a poison through food or drinks was a common practice to eliminate an unwanted person. The prevalence of poisonous reptiles, rodents, wild animals and poisonous plants in the country necessitated the knowledge of animal and plant poisons and also the expertise to handle them.
Ayurvedic visha parikshana i.e. ayurvedic toxicological study is an interesting topic, which includes different types of examinations, e.g. panchamahabhoot pariksha, drava pariksha, agni pariksha and animal tests for detection of poison. Previously ayurvedic vishaparikshan had the special intention to search the toxic material mixed with food before offering it to dignitaries. After a period of five thousand years, the question arises whether these tests, examinations are still useful in detecting the poison in the age of adulteration.
All alternative systems of medicines including Ayurved have one deficiency or drawback: that they do not use modern methods of proving or disproving their claims e.g. detailed documentation, analysis and clinical drug trials.
Ayurved is a holistic science, which lays emphasis on preserving and promoting the fitness of healthy individuals, besides providing methods for treatment of diseases. In modern times, importance is given only to the doctor and the disease process, while the patient plays a passive role. The emphasis should be shifted from curative medicine to maintenance and preservation of health. '
समदोषः समाग्निश्च समधातुः मलक्रिया ।
प्रसन्नात्मेन्द्रिय मनः स्वस्थ इत्यभिधियते ।। (सु .सू. १५/४९)
This is the definition of health. According to Ayurved, health includes fitness of the body as well as a sound happy state of mind and soul. That is why any substance, which hurts the mind, is also a visha (Poison).
Scope of Agadatantra
Agadtantra has not only given thought to harmful and toxic properties of visha and upavisha dravyas due to which dosha, dhatu and mala can be polluted and the balance, coordination and harmony between them can be disturbed; But Agadtantra has also shown how the disturbed dhatu, dosha and mala can be effectively brought to their normal condition.
Shodhan procedure is a unique feature of Ayurved. To retain the therapeutic properties, the toxic and harmful part of drugs (poisonous plants such as Aconitum ferox, Papaver somniferum, Datura metel, etc) can be removed by employing various shuddhi or purification processes. These procedures or shuddhi processes are carried out on the visha and upavisha dravyas before they are used as medicines.
For e.g. Before shuddhi. Datura acts as a poison and after shuddhi it shows good therapeutic values. Datura is a common roadside poison, which is used to facilitate a crime, especially rape, robbery, kidnapping, etc., as it is a stupefying poison, i.e., it renders a person unconscious, thus facilitating a crime. As per the modern science, datura is a cerebral deliriant poison and also as per the Indian system of medicine i.e. Ayurveda, it is a poison, which, on ingestion produces unmada.
(उन्माद) however, the same datura on shodhan, is useful in the treatment of unmada (आक्षेपोन्मादहरण).
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