Ayurvedic Medicine Names
Panchakarma Treatments
Panchakarma Treatments are the primary therapeutic, purification, detoxification and rejuvenation treatments in Ayurveda. ‘Panchakarma’ means five essential therapeutic treatments which include vamana(Induced vomiting through the oral administration of medicines), virechana(Induced purgation through the oral administration of medicines), snehavasti (ano-rectal administration of medicated oils), kashayavasti (ano-rectal administration of medicinal herbal extracts)and nasya (nasal administration of medicated oils/ medicinal herbal extracts). All of these are not commonly practiced together in all cases. Ayurveda recommends panchakarma treatments equally for prevention of diseases, restoration and rejuvenation of health and therapeutic management of diseases. On a wellness perspective, Panchakarma Treatments are done at anytime as an aid to keep the body immunity and metabolism strong and to prevent toxins accumulating in the body. It enhances and restores the essential balance of body and mind.The panchakarma treatments are provided with specific pre therapeutic measures through which the body can be prepared to undergo panchakarma therapies which predominantly include simultaneous oelation and sudation therapies. Likewise post therapeutic therapies, health and dietary supplements and life style prescriptions are to be followed after the panchakarma treatments for the complete therapeutic efficacy of the panchakarma treatments. The wide varieties of the pre and post therapeutic measures using purely herbal based medicines, medicinal combinations and medicated oils along with specific health and dietary supplements and lifestyle prescriptions have been developed and practiced in Kerala, predominantly used for the treatment of various diseases and equally for the purification, detoxification and rejuvenation of the body systems along with panchakarma treatments. These pre therapeutic procedures are specific therapies (massage therapies with medicated oil, medicinal leaves etc;) by which the effect of oleation and sudation can be applied simultaneously.
This authenticated practice of Panchakarma treatments along with specific pre and post therapeutic procedures have been popularized as Kerala Ayurveda Panhakarma and this makes Kerala as the prioritized destination for experiencing the healing and wellness of authentic Ayurveda. Places with moderately cold climate and natural diversities of nature with beauty and calmness are preferred for the Ayurvedic treatments, because all pre therapeutic procedures are basically thermogenic (simultaneous oleation and sudation therapies which increases the body heat and if the environmental temperature is high, it will result in total body exhaustion) and the natural diversity will boost the psychosomatic relaxation and there by therapeutic efficacy.
Internal medication can be prescribed along with Panhakarma treatments for the total management of diseases and other wellness prescriptions. The internal medication can be in seven dosage forms; namely, Gulika(Tablets), Choorna(Powder), Kashaya (Herbal extract), Arista and Asava (Fermented products), Thaila(Medicated oil), Grita(Medicated ghee) and Leha (Chewing). Elaborate numbers of herbal combinations are in practice which are claimed to be classical and proprietary. More than 250 different medicinal herbs are used for manufacturing the ayurvedic formulations in the seven dosage forms.
Kerala Traditional Ayurveda Treatments
Kerala Traditional Ayurvedic Treatments are most popular across the globe by virtue of its authenticity and the 100% herbal based medicinal formulations. Various therapies like Traditional Ayurvedic massage, Sirodhara, Ela Kizhi, Njavara Kizhi etc: were developed in kerala.Thease treatments are the unique, authentic and scientific pre therapeutic procedures to perform simultaneous oleation and sudation effects.
The medicated oils and other rational medicinal formulations used in these therapies were also been developed traditionally.
Course of Panchakrma Treatments
Ayurveda always prescribe a course of Panchakrma Treatments with a minimum of 7 days duration and a maximum of 28 days for the wellness and for the treatment of diseases, it may vary in accordance with the chronic nature of the diseases. The duration of 7 days and its multiplies – 7, 14, 21 and 28 are truly the divisions of time in line with the lunar cycle. The influence of the lunar cycle in the bio-rhythm of the human body has also been taken in to consideration while fixing the duration of the course of Ayurveda Panchkarma Treatments. Similarly the time of administration of the therapeutic treatments in a day is also very important.All Ayurvedic treatments start with putting the hand with medicine inside, over the head of the person who is receiving the treatment with a silent prayer from Rig veda;
Ayam mae hasto bhagava -ayam mae bhagavattarah
ayam mae visvabhesa-
joyam sivabhimarsanah
Oh God, My hand is God himself
My hand is better of yours
My hand is the sum of all medicines
My hand is the sum of all the good (Healing)
ElaKizhi (PatraPotaliSwedan) /
Medicinal leaves/ herbs bundles
It is a type of swedana (sudation )treatment in which the whole body or any specific part by the application of medicinal leaves puddings (medicinal leaves are cut into small pieces and processed in the medicated oils) externally in the form of boluses tied up in muslin bag, dipping it in warm medicated oils. This is done for 45 minutes daily for a period of 07 to 14 days. Fine powder of medicinal herbs is also used. This treatment is effective in chronic back pain and rheumatic complaints, Arthritis, paralysis, pain and swelling in the joints and emaciation of limbs. It stimulates and strengthens the nervous and muscular systems, increases the circulation and metabolic rate, reduces stiffness and pain, improves the skin tone.
