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.