AYURVEDIC MEDICINES

We know that Ayurvedic medicines come in not the forms we are familiar.
Because of the allopathy that we have been having since our childhood we believe
that medicines can be only in the form of tablets or syrups but what we dont know
is that there are many extra chemicals added in the process of making the
allopathic tablets just to make them look like a tablet which is not good for
anybody. But in the Ayurveda no chemicals are used in making the medicines so
instead of getting the tablets we get some Churna or Bhasms.
Here I am going to discuss about the classification and working of the Ayurvedic
Medicine so that you will get a better understanding of the matter and you will be
able to accept the medicines and understand the working.

1. Arishtasavas
These are medicated spirituous liquors. They are prepared with honey, treacle and
medicinal substances. The ingredients are kept in earthen vessels and allowed to
ferment. When decoctions are used, the fermented product is called arishta. When
raw vegetables are used, the resulting liquid will be in the form of fermented wine
and is called asava. Charaka has mentioned eighty four kinds of asavas; six are
prepared from paddy, twenty six from fruits, eleven from roots, twenty from piths,
ten from flowers, two from leaves, four from stems, four from barks and one from
sugar. Since arishtasavas are in purified form and strong in content, children and
elder patients are required to add equal quantity of water before any intake of the
medicine. In some cases, the water added shall be four or eight times the quantity
of the medicine.

2. Kashayas
Kashayas, also called kwathas are decoctions of materials having medical
properties. The materials are first cut into small pieces, or pounded if necessary
and boiled over slow fire. Decoctions are administered by adding to them salt,
honey, sugar, treacle, alkaline, ashes, ghee, oil or medicinal powders as the case
may be. Kashayas, if prepared carefully, won't lose their quality even if stored for a
long period of time. They are considered the most important category of traditional
medicines.
3. Lehas
Also called Iehyas or avalehas, Eehas mean extracts. The medicines are formed
when decoctions are boiled down to a thick paste. If properly boiled, they will not
readily dissolve in water. Lehas are administered with the addition of honey, sugar,
powders and decoctions. The manufacturing process is similar to that of tailas.
Lehas are deemed to be the medicines of good taste. Prolonged diseases are first
controlled by kashayas or other categories of medicines and afterwards by lehas.
Lehas are included in the most important category of medicines in Ayurveda.

4. Grithas
Grithas, also called as neyyu, are medicated clarified butter. The preparation
process involves adding turmeric juice to the clarified butter for its purification.
The paste of drugs, water, milk or decoctions may be added to the purified butter
which is done by heating. The residue is strained through a piece of new cloth. It is
administered with honey, sugar or both, if necessary. Sometimes the juice of citrus
medica or that of pomgranates is added.

5. Gulikas

Gulikas, also called gutikas or gurikas, are large pills, the small ones being called
batika or vati. These are prepared by first making a decoction of medicinal
substances and then boiling it down to a thick substance by adding powders of
some drugs or sugar. In this study, batikas and modakas are included under the
head 'gulikas'.

6. Choornas

Choorna is the powder prepared by pounding dry medicinal substances with a

pestle and mortar. It is also made by pulverizer. Choornas are meant for internal
consumption by the patients preferably after mixing with honey, hot water, etc.
They can be used up to three months without losing quality if preserved properly.
7. Bhasmasindhooras
The preparation of bhasmasindhooras by the manufacturers of Kerala is different
from the manufacturers of other Sates of India. One of the essential ingredients of
this Ayurvedic medicine is metal like gold, silver and copper. It can be consumed
internally along with hshayas, grithas or lehas.

8. Rasakriyas

This category of medicines is applied in eyes. Unlike eye-drops and ointments in

Allopathy system of medicines, various restrictions are there for the usage of
rasakriyas. They cannot be applied when the patient suffers from fever, head
ache, vomiting tendency and sleeplessness. They cannot be applied and used
immediately after having food and bathing and when the body is exposed to
sunlight.

9. Tailas

Taila or medicated oil is manufactured by steeping powdered medicinal

substances, water, vegetable drugs in paste form and fragrant-producing materials
such as cardamon, safion, sandalwood, camphor, etc. Water is added several times
after its evaporation until the ingredients are reduced to thick oil. The oil used as
ingredient is oil such as castor oil and mustard oil.