कटुकादि कषायं(ज्वरे)

कटुकं चित्रकं निम्बं हरिद्रातिविषेवचाम् |
कुष्ठमिन्द्रयवं मूर्वां पटोलं चापि साधितम् ||
पिबेन्मरीचसंयुक्तं सक्षौद्रं श्लैष्मिकज्वरे |

Ingredients and preparation:-
कटुरोहिणी,चित्रक,निम्ब,हरिद्र,अतिविष,वचा,कुष्ठ,इन्द्रयव,मूर्वा,पटोल
Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-श्लैष्मिक ज्वर

Anupana:- भृष्ट मरीच

Reference:- sahasrayogam

सिन्धुवारादि कषायं(ज्वरे)

सिनधुवारदलकवाथ: सोषण: कफजे ज्वरे |
जंघयोश्च बलेक्षीणकर्णोवाहिहिते पिबेत् ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
सिन्धुवार दल (निर्गुण्डी पत्र)  is taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-कफज्वर, क्षीण जंघ(जंघास्थि वेदना), कर्णोवाहिहिते(बाधिर्य)

Note:- जंघ-here the term refers to ankle joint

Reference:- sahsrayogam

रास्नादि कषायं(ज्वरे)

रास्नावृक्षादनीदारूसरलं स एलवालूकम् |
कषाय:शर्कराक्षौद्रयुक्तो वातज्वरापह: ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
रास्ना,वृक्षादनी,दारू(देवदारू),सरल,एलाबवालुक
Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-वात ज्वर

Anupana:- शर्करा,क्षौद्र

Reference:- sahasrayogam

दशमूल दुरालभादि कषायं

दशमूलदुरालभा गुडूचीवृषविश्वाब्दकिरातपर्पटानां |
वीनिहन्ति शृतं कषायतोयं कफवातोत्तरसन्निपातजूर्त्तिम् ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
दशमूल,दुरालभा,गुडूची,वृष,विश्व(नागर),अब्द(मुस्त),किरात(कण्टकारी),पर्पटक
Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-कफवातोत्तर सन्निपात ज्वर

Reference:- sahsrayogam

दशमूली कषायं

दशमूलीरस: पेय: कणायुकत कफानिले |
अविपाकेतिनिद्रायां पार्श्वरुक श्वासकासके ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
दशमूल(बिल्व,अग्निमन्थ,श्योनाक,काश्मर्य,पाटल,शालपर्णी,पृश्निपर्णी,बृहती,कण्टकारी,गोक्षुर)

Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-अतिनिद्र,पार्श्वरुक,श्वास,कास

Anupana:- कणा(पिप्पली)

Reference:- sahsrayogam

दशमूल वृषादि कषायं

दशमूल वृषा शुण्ठी क्वाथो जीरक संयुत: |
वातपित्तश्लेष्मजूर्त्तीं क्षिप्रमेवव्यपोहति ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
दशमूल,वृष(वासा),शुण्ठी

Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-वातपित्तश्लेष्म ज्वर

Anupana:- भृष्ट जीरक

Reference:- sahsrayogam

दारुनागरादि कषायं(मृत्युकल्पज्वरे)

दारु नागर भूनिम्ब धान्य वासा कलिंगकै:  |
गजाह्वा दशमूलाब्दैर्मृत्युकल्पं ज्वरं जयेत् ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
दारु(देवदारू),नागर,भुनिम्ब(कण्टकारी),धान्यक,वासा,कलिंगक(इन्द्रयव),गजाह्वा(गजपिप्पली),दशमूल,अब्द(मुस्त)
Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-मृत्युकल्प ज्वर(the one leads to death)

Note:-The term मृत्युकल्प refers to disease's stage!it can be considered as the last stage in which the दोषs invades into all धातुs and the person is in critical condition.

Reference:- sahasrayogam

पिप्पलीशारिबादि कषायं

पिप्पली शारिबा द्राक्षा शतपुष्पा हरेणुभि: |
कृत कषाय: सगुडो हनयात् श्वसनजं ज्वरम् ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
पिप्पली,शारिबा,द्राक्षा,शतपुष्पा,हरेणुक

Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-श्वसनज(वातज) ज्वर

Anupana:- गुड

Reference:- sahsrayogam

किरातपाठादि कषायं

किरातं नागरं मुस्तं गुडुचीं च कफाधिके |
पाठोदीच्य मृणालैस्तु सहपित्तधिके पिबेत् ||

Ingredients and preparation:-किरात,नागर,मुस्त,गुडूची- used inकफाधिक ज्वर

पाठा,उदीची(ह्रीबेर),मृणाल(कमल)-in पित्ताधिक ज्वर along with the above said drugs

Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:- कफाधिक ज्वर, पित्ताधिक ज्वर

Reference:- sahsrayogam

कण्टकार्यादि कषायं

कण्टकार्यमृता भार्ङगी नागरेन्द्रयवाषकम् |
भूनिम्बं चन्दनं मुस्तं पटोलं कटुकुरोहिणी ||
कषायं पाययेदेतत् पित्तश्ळेष्मज्वरापहम् |
दाहतृष्णारुची छर्दी कासहृतपार्श्वशूलनुत् ||

Ingredients and preparation:-
कण्टकारी,अमृता,भार्ङगी,नागर,इन्द्र(इन्द्रयव),यवाष(दुस्पर्श),भूनिमब(कण्टकारी),चन्दन,मुस्त,पटोल,कटुरोहिणी,
Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-पित्तश्लेष्म ज्वर ,दाह,तृष्णा.अरुची,कास,हृत् शूल,पार्श्व शूल

Reference:- sahasrayogam

भार्ङ्ग्यादि कषायं

There are two yogas mentioned here

1.
भार्ङ्ग्यब्दपर्पटक धान्य यवाष विश्व भूनिम्ब कुष्ठ कण सिंही अमृत कषाय: |
जीर्णज्वरं सततसन्ततका निहन्यात् अन्येद्युहं सह तृतीयक चतुर्थकाभ्या ||

2.
भार्ङ्गीं पुष्करमूलं च रास्नां विल्वं यवानिकां |
नागरं दशमूलं च पिप्पलीं चाप्सु साधयेत्||
सन्निपातज्वरे देयं हृतपार्श्वानाहशूलिनाम् |
कासश्वासाग्निमन्दत्वं तन्द्रीं च वोनिवर्तयेत् ||

Ingredients and preparation:-

1.
भार्ङ्गीं.अब्द(मुस्त),पर्पटक,धान्यक,यवष(दुस्पर्श)विश्व(शुण्ठी),भूनिम्ब(कण्टकारी),कुषठ,कण(पिप्पली),सिंही(बृहती),अमृत

2.
भार्ङ्गीं,पुष्करमूल,रास्ना,विलव.यवानिका,नागर,दशमूल,पिप्पली

Are taken and kashaya prepared as per the classical method

Indication:-
1.जीर्ण ज्वर,सतत-सन्तत ज्वर,तृतीयक-चतुर्थक ज्वर

2.सन्निपात ज्वर,हृतशूल,पार्श्व शूल,आनाह शूल,कास,श्वास,अग्निमान्द्य,तन्द्र

Action:-
1.विषमज्वरहर

2.ज्वरघ्न,शूलघ्न,हृद्य,कासघन,श्वासघ्न,बृंहण,अग्निदीप्तिकर

Note:-The second yoga is very useful in angina pectoris like conditions. This kashaya is known as "valiya bhaarangyaadi kashaaya".
The term " valiya" meant as the "bigger one" -in the terms of ingredients and its action compared to the former one.

Reference:- sahasrayogam

मुस्तादि गण कषायं

मुस्तापर्पटकोशीरदेवदारूमहौषधम्|
त्रिफलाधन्वयाषश्चनीलीकम्पिल्लकं त्रिवृत्||
किराततिक्तकं पाठा बला कटुकुरोहिणी|
मधुकं पिप्पलीमूलं मुस्ताद्ये गण उच्यते||
अष्टादङगमुदितं एतत् वा सन्निपातनुत् |
पित्तोत्तरे सन्निपाते हितं च उक्तं मनीषिभी: ||
मन्यास्तंभे उरोघाते उरपार्श्वशोरोग्रहे |

Ingredients and preparation:-
मुस्ता,पर्पटक,उशीर,देवदारू,शुण्ठी,त्रिफला(हरीतकी,विभीतकी,आमलकी),धन्वयाष(दुस्पर्श),नीली,कम्पिल्लक,त्रिवृत्,किराततिक्त(कण्टकारी),पाठा,बला,कटुकुरोहिणी,मधुक(यष्टीमधू),पिप्पली मूल

(Are called as मुस्तादि गण)

Are taken and kashaya prepared, as per the classical method

Indication:-अष्टमहागद,पित्तोत्तर सन्निपात ज्वर,मन्यास्तंभ,उर: ग्रह,पार्श्वग्रह,शिरोग्रह,उर: आघात

Action:- मर्म व्याधि नाशन, ज्वरघ्न

Note:-
मर्म कषाय-this कषाय  considered as
मर्म व्याधि नाशन.But very few are aware of its ज्वरघ्न actions. And this is given widely for मर्माघात

Reference:- sahsrayogam

Concept of mind in Ayurveda

Concept of mind in Ayurveda
Dr. Arjun Chand C.P
Asst. Professor, Ayurveda College, Coimbatore;
Chief Physician, Chandraprastham Ayurvedalayam.

Introduction

Concept of Mind is very broad in Ayurveda and information about mind are scattered in the classical texts. Acharya charaka while giving the definition of life, he says body, senses, mind and soul constitute body (Cha. Su 1/42). He adds that mind, body and soul are like limbs of a tripod and the life exists on it. Disease can be based on either body or mind, no disease can exist other than these two.

Identity of Manas

Minuteness and oneness (Anutwa and ekatwa) are said to be the properties of mind. So we cant identify the mind specifically as it is. Being a dravya (substance) it possesses guna and karma (properties and action). Existance of mind is assumed through the presence and absence of knowledge. Knowledge perception is either with or without sense organs (sendriya jnana or nirindriya jnana). All the perceptions through sense organs are converted in to knowledge through mind. Thought, analysis, reasoning, concentration, determination, pleasure etc are the knowledge perception without senses.

Whether mind is a sense organ

Ayurveda consider mind as ubhayendriya (both sense and motor organ). It does the functions of sense organs through perception and of motor organ through actions. Mind has given a superior position and called as Ateendriya. The reason is mind can control all the sense organs, motor organs and the mind itself.

Location of Mind
Location of mind is a highly controversial topic in medical science. Many explanations are available in the philosophical sciences. Ayurveda consider mainly two sites as the location of mind, one is heart and the other is brain. Brhat trayee (three major classical treatees of Ayurveda) consider heart as the location of mind. Advaita darshana, Maha bharata etc consider brain as the location of mind. Acharya bhela tried to overcome this controversy by giving an explanation that the mind which controls sense organs is brain and the one which is responsible for processing is located in heart.

Relation of Atma with Mind
Mind is achetana (without independent life force) and Kriyavan (possess action) while Atma is chetanavan (with independent life force) and said to be akriyavan (not possessing action) even though being the initiator of action. That means, mind and atma cannot exist independently, and support mutually for the action.

Trigunas of Mind

Trigunas (property triad) of mind are Satva, Rajas and Tamas. Among them rajas and tamas are considered as manodoshas (vitiator). The life itself is based on triguna. When these triguna attached to panchamahabhuta, the life begins. Based on triguna, sixteen major personality traits are also identified. In short, satva is kalyanamsha and prakashaka (prosperity and enlightment), rajas is roshamsha and ragatmaka (emotional and pleasure seeking), tamas is mohamsha (ignorance). All together with predominance of satva should be present for a successful life.

Clinical Application of Mind

Mind and body are considered as the ashrayatwa (base) of diseases. Either one or both will be involved in all the disease conditions. Mind is involved in nidana (etiology), samprapti (pathogenesis) and chikitsa (treatment) of disease. Vitiation of mind is a direct cause for vitiation of srotases (channels of tissues). Either shareerka (physical) or manasika (psychological) disease, mind should be considered during treatment. One among trividha chikitsa (three basic types of treatment), Satvavajaya chikitsa, is completely dedicated for mind.

Conclusion

Mind is as important as body in health and treatment. In causation of diseases, mind plays a key role than body. Applicability of Satvavajaya will not only be in chikitsa but also be in prevention.

Kwatha kalpana A Review

Drugs are used either as single medicine or as combination in various diseases considering the prakriti of the patient, condition of the disease. For this they are converted into different forms. This process of modification can be termed as kalpana and altered form of the dravya is called kalpa.

For convenience of study, kalpanas are broadly classified into oushadha kalpana and ahara kalpana. Oushada kalpana is mainly divided into five-Swarasa, Kalka, Kwatha, Sheetha and Phanta.

The potency of panchavidha kashaya’s are in increasing order from phanta to swarasa.Scarcity of raw materials in the fresh condition in each season and their varying distribution throughout the localities made them to think of other means. For preserving the fresh plant matter they dried and kept them for a long time without altering the efficacy of active principles. Expression of juice was found impracticable with some drugs and thus evolved the technology of extraction using water.

By these methods, they isolated the water soluble components in a successful way. Kwatha, Sheetha and phanta kashaya’s were rapidly absorbed and onset of action was found to be quick. These kashaya’s were prepared from single drugs or from a group of drugs.  In the later case qualities of one drug could modify, adapt or enhance the action of another to make it more favorable to the state of the patient.  Therefore kwatha kalpana has more importance in clinical practice.

The term kwatha is basically derived from the root word ‘kwathana’ which literally means process of boiling. Word kwatha is derived from the root word ‘kwath nishpake’.

Shritha, Sheetha, Kashaya, Niruha are the synonyms of Kwatha.

Kwatha is obtained by boiling the drugs in water, with the help of fire. Kwatha plays an important role in ayurvedic pharmaceutical technology because it is primary formulation for other kalpanas like Sneha kalpana, Sandhana kalpana, Avaleha, Rasakriya.

Precautions to be taken while preparing kwatha

a)      Drugs should be made into coarse powder.

b)       Drugs should be boiled in earthen vessel.

c)      Heating should be carried out only in mild fire.

d)     Vessel should be kept open throughout the process of boiling.

General dosage:

The Kwatha has to be taken after digestion of food in dwipala matra. 2 pala

As per AFI 1 Pala = 48 ml

The madhyama matra of kwatha is one pala. But the strength of the patient and the intensity of the disease condition are to be checked before deciding the dosage.

Different opinions regarding preparation of kwatha

Ancient texts describe different methods for preparation of kwatha by which water is reduced to certain quantity. According to Acharya Sarangdhara one pala of cleaned pounded drugs should be bolied in 16 times of water in an earthern vessel and then reduced to 1/8 by boiling under uniform heat. It is administered when it is warm. This kwatha should be administered in a dose of 2 pala after the complete digestion of food.

Depending on nature of drugs Acharya Sarangadhara explains following method of kwatha preparation in sneha kalpana adhyaya.

The quantity of water advised for mridu dravyas is 4 times that of the drug, 8 times for katina and madhyama drugs,16 times water is mentioned for athyantha katina drugs and is reduced to ¼ th.

            According to Vagbhata kwatha is prepared by boiling 1 pala of drug in 1/2 prastha water and reducing to 1/4^th .

According to Sushrutha Samhitha kwatha is prepared by taking bark, leaf, roots, of the drug or whole drug in a prescribed quantity and dried in shade cut into small pieces by chedana, bhedana, depending on the nature of the drug and added with eight times or sixteen times water and boiled in a wide mouth pot, and reduced to 1/4^th part by boiling.   Another method is to boil one tula of raw drugs (like bark, leaves, fruits, roots) in 2 dronas of water and reduced to ¼th.

In Ashtanga Sangraha kalpa sthana kwatha preparation is metioned. It is almost similar to Sushrutha Samhitha. In this water is to be added until the complete extraction occurs. i.e. raw drug become muktarasa. The pot for preparing kwatha can be made up of copper, iron or mud.

The traditional method is to boil one pala of drug in 16 times of water, reduce to ¼ and strain through a clean cloth, strained liquid is again boiled and reduced to ½. (Thus a total reduction to 1/8 concentration occurs and 2 palas of kwatha will be obtained.)

According to bhaishajya ratnavali, kwatha for bhavana can be prepared by boiling sufficient quantity of drugs in 8 times of water and reducing to 1/8

For preparation of vamana kwatha, 4 pala of drug is boiled in 64 pala of water and reduced to half.

According to vaidyaka paribhasha pradeepam, 1 anjali of water is boiled in 1 adaka of waterand reduced to 1/4^th (for preparation of yavagu)

Seven types of kwatha’s are mentioned in Hareetha Samhitha.

Table No.1 types of kwatha according to Hareetha Samhitha:

Type of kwatha		Water reduced to	Properties
1	Pachana	Water boiled and reduced to half	Ama dosha hara
2	Shodhana	Water boiled and reduced to1/12	Mala Shodaka
3	Kledana	Water boiled and reduced to ¼ th	Causes distress to heart.
4	Shamana	Water boiled and reduced to 1/8th	Reduces severity of doshas
5	Deepaneeya	Water boiled and reduced to 1/10	It stimulates digestion
6	Tharpana	Water just boiled	Nourishes dhathus
7	Vishoshi	Water boiled and reduced to 1/16	Causes thirst

Pachana kwatha should be given at night, shaman at the first part of the day, deepana kwatha at noon and other three (kledana, soshana and santharpana) at morning itself.

Table No.2 fourteen types of kwatha are described by Bhoja.

Sl. no	Name of kwatha	Quantity of water taken initially	Reduced to
1.	Sneha kashaya	4 times	1/4
2	Peya kashaya	8 times	1/8
3.	aschothana	On required	1/25
4.	asthapana	4 times	1/16
5.	Vrana prakshalana	8 times	1/12
6.	Vasthi kashaya	10 times	1/16
7.	Gandoosha kashaya	4 times	1/5
8.	Avagaha kashaya	10 times	1/4
9.	Paniya kashaya	4 times	1/4
10.	Snana salila kashaya	4 times	1/2
11.	Yavagu kashaya	4 times	1/2
12.	Vamana kashaya	4 times	1/2
13.	Parisheka kashaya	4 times	1/2
14.	Ushnodaka kashaya	4 times	1/2

When the prepared kwatha becomes black in colour (Krishna or nila), viscous (Ghana), reddish (raktha) and in a state of colloidal form (pichilam ) and when the soluble portion sediments (sithilam) and also when flavour changes to kunapa gandha or visra gandha, it can be said as substandard kwatha and is not fit for use.

When the kwatha is having the same Guna, Gandha and Varna of the dravya by which it is formulated then such kwatha is good, pure and said as amritopama.

Table No. 3 Quantity of water taken by different Acharyas

Reference Text	Drug	Water	Reduced to
Sharngadhara Samhita	1 Pala	16 times	1/8
Bhavaprakasha	1 Pala	16 times	1/8
Bhaishajya Ratnavali	½ Pala	16 times	1/8
Ashtanga Hrudaya	1 Pala	8 times	1/4
Sushruta Samhita	According to Yoga	8 to 16 times	1/4
Ashtanga Samgraha	1 pala	8 times	1/4
		16 times (indu)
Sha. Sa.	Mrudu	4 times	1/4
	Katina	8 times
	Atyanta Katina	16 times

Anupana/prakshepa

1.      The quantity of sugar and honey depending on different disease conditions.

Table No. 4: Quantity of anupana used in different doshas

	Vata vyadhi	Pitta vyadhi	Kaphaja vyadhi
sitha	1/4th	1/8th	1/16th
madhu	1/16th	1/8th	1/4th

2.      Jeeraka Guggulu, Kshara, Saindhava, Hingu, Trikatu   Should Be Added In Dose Of one sana.

3.      Ksheera, Ghritha, Thaila, Mutra and other dravyas should be added in a dose of one karsha.

Merits and demerits of Kwatha kalpana

Kwatha has got a versatile role among the various medicinal preparations in use. Kwatha plays an important role in ayurvedic pharmaceutical technology because it is the primary formulation for other kalpanas like Snehakalpanas, Sandhana Kalpana, and Rasakriya. Kashaya’s are one of the most commonly used kalpana in starting the treatment. It retains many of the water soluble portions present in raw materials.

Water is an ideal substance since body is constituted by more than 50 % of water. Water possesses the qualities like deepana, tarpana,   and is considered as amrithopamam. Due to all these reasons, kashaya’s have much more important role among kalpanas in ayurveda. A major part of therapeutic preparations mentioned in the ancient texts are in the form of kashaya’s which are in daily practice. Kashaya’s are widely used as bhavana dravya in many of drug purifications. Kashaya’s are indicated as anupana in many conditions. Kashaya’s are used for vrana prakshalana, niruha vasthi, and in netra kriyakarma’s.

Uses of kwatha with examples:

1) As a medicine

a) Maharasnadi kwatha in vatavyadhi

b) Pathya shadanga kwatha in siro roga

c) Phalathrikadi kwatha in kamala

2)  As a bhavana dravya

a) Jiraka kwatha for ashtakshari gutika

b) Arjuna twak kwatha for prabhakara vati

c) Babbula kwatha for lavangadi vati

3) As an anupana

a) Triphala kwatha for kankayana gutika

b) Jiraka kwatha for kasthuryadi gulika

c) Bhunimba kwatha for dhanvatara gutika

4) To prepare other drugs

a) Prasarini kwatha to prepare prasarini thaila

b) Arjuna tvak kwatha to prepare arjunarishta

c) Dashamula kwatha to prepare dashamularishta

5) As a sodhana dravya

a) Triphala kwatha for abhraka shodhana

b) Kulatha kwatha for vajra shodhana

c) Ela kwatha for karpura shilajathu

6) As marana dravya

a) Triphala kwatha for lohamarana

b) Kulatha kwatha for vajra marana

c) Kanchanara kwatha for swarna marana

Kwatha is an aqueous solution containing the properties of substance or substances that have been processed in it^..The purpose of herbal decoction is to extract the water-soluble constituents of herbs by boiling.  Quantum of heat and duration of heating are prime concern for preparation of decoction. Soaking raw materials result in softening, diffusion and osmosis of water into the raw materials helps softening raw material through osmosis. Due to the presence of hydroxyl group, the raw material swell, which results in the increased diffusion pressure inside the cells, there by ultimately bursting of the cell wall. Continuous heating and agitation during the preparation of decoction enhances the extraction process by weakening the bonds and there by separating the hydrophobic substances from hydrophilic substances. The water diffuses into the raw material, dissolves the water soluble constituents and discharges it to the liquid media due to collapse of the cell wall. Thus, transfer of water soluble principle into the solvent (Water) is achieved.

Demerits of kwatha kalpana:

Apart from all these merits, kashaya’s have some demerits also. Kashaya’s are prepared in aqueous media and this decreases the stability of the product. Since water has wide solvent action it dissolves wide range of substances. They may be medicinally inert and undesirable because they readily ferment or decompose. Water dissolves glycosides, albumin, pectin, colouring matters, sugar, tannin, mineral salts, and vegetable acids. In the case of hot water, starch is also dissolved. They are favorable for the growth of moulds and bacteria or bring about the decomposition of the product. The presence of sugars or other carbohydrates result in alcoholic fermentation with evolution of CO2 while the presence of protein matter leads to nitrogenous fermentation, with liberation of ammonia.

Moreover, water promotes hydrolysis of many substances and allows enzymatic action to take place. Exposure to atmosphere and light accelerate spontaneous oxidation of the preparation. In kashaya, oxidation results in unpleasant odour and taste and it becomes rancid. Moisture accelerates the oxidation of volatile oils producing changes in quality of the odour and increasing viscosity of kashaya. High humidity in tropical regions contribute to the easy decomposition of contents, contamination, mould growth , fungal growth .So for a good result freshly prepared kashaya should be used to get intended efficacy. Another demerit of kashaya is that a part of volatile contents present in the raw materials are lost in course of preparation of kwatha. Moreover alcohol and fat soluble contents cannot be extracted by these methods.

Preservation of kashaya

Generally kwatha are to be consumed on the same day as if kept for more than one day its natural smell, colour and taste are found altered because of decomposition. Hence in ancient times either decoction are made solid by further evaporating the liquid or moisture content or making other types of preparations like sharkara and asasva arishtas. It means ancient scholars used either sugar or self generated alcohol for the preservation of decoction in liquid form or removing their moisture content by evaporation.

 In modern science few chemical preservatives like benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, are used in pharmacies for preservation of various kashaya’s. But the result is a substantial reduction of original medicinal and nutritive value of drugs. There are many brands of preservatives used to enhance shelf life and quantity of addition in prepared medicine often surpasses the permissible limits. This would cause deleterious effects on patient instead of being beneficial to him.