REVIEW ON RASA CHIKITSA

INTRODUCTION:-
 In the modern ayurvedic practice,the rasashastra has been considered
more useful and effective when compared to the herbal preparations.

 It is said that the ‘rasashastra’ has immense therapeutic applications

some of which are prevention of ageing and reduction in age-related
diseases.
 IMPORTANCE OF RASOUSHADHIS:-

 अल्पमात्र उपयोगित्वात् अरुचे:अप्रसन्गत:।

क्षिप्रमारोग्यदायित्वाद् औषधेभ्यो अधिको रस:॥[Ra.Sa.San.1/4]
स्वल्प हि मात्रा विपुला गुणाश्च सद्यो हि तत् दीपनपाचनश्च

 Rasoushadhis are known for small dosage.

 Do not cause any nauseating sensation during consumption.
 Medicines provide quick results and are useful in majority of difficult
to cure disease conditions.
 Good appetizers and digestives.
 न रोगानां न दूष्यानाम् न च पुंसां परीक्षणम्।
न देशस्य न कालस्य कर्ये रस चिकित्सते॥

While using rasoushadhis,the physician may give minimal attention

towards the dosha involvement,disease condition,gender of the
patient,place,and the kaala of the treatment.

 उत्तमो रसवैद्यस्तु मध्यमो मूलिकादिभि:।

अधम: शस्त्रदाहाभ्यमित्थम् वैद्यास्त्रिधा मता:॥
Physicians who treat patients with ‘rasoushadhis’were considered
‘uthama’ Vaidya.
Those who treat ‘kashtoushadha’ are considered ‘madhyama’
Who follows ‘surgical procedures’ were considered as ‘adhama’ Vaidya.
 Elements of Rasa shastra indicated as Rasayana.
 There are a large number of potent medicines in rasa shastra which are
described as rasayana.
 Apart from a number of combinations in “Rasayanadhikara” there are a lot of
compounds described in various other chapters that work principally as
rasayana but are better indicated in that particular disease.
 They mostly contain various substances having rasayana property
e.g. ras sindoor, swarna bhasma, elements of maharasa group and different
ratnas etc.
 Mercury (Parada) is considered to be a very powerful medicine.
 When mercury is properly processed, it balances all three doshas, has a
soothing effect on the body and prevents diseases and old age
 It nourishes all the vital parts of the body and increases the strength of the eyes.
It is a vrishya (aphrodisiac), balya (tonic), snigdha,rasayana (rejuvenative), vrana
shodhana and ropana (wound cleaner and healer), and krimighna (antimicrobial)
and yogvahi.

 When it is compounded with specific herbs it heightens its medicinal properties.

 Mercury is said to give a firm physique, a stable mind, and to be the best destroyer
of disease.

 Apart from mercury there are a lot of minerals and metals with rasayana
properties. Just as herbs have their rasa, so do minerals.

 For example, swarna is madhura (sweet) and kashaya (astringent) in rasa, snigdha
(oily) and laghu (light) in guna, sheeta (cold) in virya, and madhura in vipaka. Its
actions are vishaghana, varnya, rasayana
 Brimhana, ruchikara, deepana, medhya, smriti
vardhana and aphrodisiac.
 It checks wasting of the body tissues, improves body
complexion and acts as an antimicrobial and
antipyretic.
 Concept of rasa-rasayana:-
 Generally,rasa word is used for parada.
 In rasashastra,rasadravya is not only or paarada but also
other rasadravyas
 At the same time,rasoushadha means,the oushadha not only
prepared with parada,but also with other rasadravyas.
 Acc. To charaka chiki.1st chapter-rasayana means

 स्वस्थस्योर्ज्यस्करम् यत्तु तद्यायुष्यम् तद्रसयनम् प्राय:।

Gives strength nd act as vrushya for healthy persons called

rasayana,some drugs which cures disease and give strength to
human being.
 अन्येतुब्रुवते यत् व्यधिमात्रहरम् न तद्रसायनम् किं तु शरीरसम्योगदार्ड्य दीर्घायु:
कर्तृत्व असाधारणधर्मयोगादुपचरितव्याधिहरम् रसायनमिहोच्यते इति॥ [chakradutta]

Has mentioned some drugs in “kshathaksheena”disease,those are grutha

and guda and some oushadha yogas which act in the disease as rasayana.
Eg:-Agasthya hareetaki and yogaraja in pandu.

 दीर्घमायु स्मृतिम् मेधाम् आरोग्यम् तरुणम् वय:।

देहेन्द्रीय बलम् कान्तिम् नरो विन्देत् रसायनम्॥(यो.र.रसायनाधिकरणम्)
Rasayana gives deerghayu,…………and give strength to deha and indriyas.
 रसायनम् च तत् जेयम् यत् जराव्यधि नाशनम्।[sha.sam.pu-5]
Eradicates jara and vyadhi.

 मृतानि लोहानि रसी भवन्ति निघ्नन्ति युक्तानि महमयाम्।

अभ्यास योगाद् दृढदेहसिद्धिम् कु र्वन्ति रुक् जन्म जराविनाशम्॥
By consuming the proper incinerated lohas,should absorb and circulate
all over the body and act as roga nashaka or they will assimilate in
parada and act as roga nashaka.
Origin of rasashastra:-

CHIKITSAVAD
DEHAVADA DHATHUVADA
A
 Relevance of Dehavada and Dhatuvada:-

 DEHAVADA:- “jeevanmukthi’’
Transformation of a body to healthy state by eradicating the diseases
and making the tissues of the body strong,immune to various diseases
and enable the person to lead a healthy longer life by the use of
formulations prepared from mercury and other metals and minerals.

 DHATUVADA:-

Transformation of lower metals like naga,vanga and tamra to higher

and precious metals like gold and silver.
CHIKITSAVADA:-
 Duringthe Boudhakala,rasashastra was in its peak
popularity.
 Inlate Boudhakala,priority of rasashastra has
changed from Dhatuvada to the chikitsavada.
 So,from the period rasashastra was being used to
strengthen the body and to cure various diseases.
1.Vyadi[9th C.E.]
 One of the rasasidha Acharya.
 Literature-rasasidha Shastra,dhatuvada Shastra
2.Acharya gorakshanath[12th C.E.]
 He made the khechari gutika and suvarna nirmanartha gutika kalpa.
3.Rasa vagbhata[13th C.E.]
 Book-Rasa Ratna Samuchaya,has many rasakalpa descriptions.
KRAAMANA SAMSKARA:-

 लोहवेध इति ख्यातो विस्तरेण सुरेश्वरि!।

यथा लोहे तथा देहे कर्तव्यः सुतक:सदा॥
समानम् कु रुते देवि।प्रविशन देहलोहयो:।
पूर्वम् लोह परिक्षेत्,ततो देहे प्रयोजयेत्॥[rasarnava]

The paramaprayojana of rasashastra is “jeevanmukthi”

Scope of Rasayana
The rasayana therapy has principle aims to promote rejuvenation, retard
ageing process, defend body from various diseases, regulate metabolism and
provide physical and mental strength. This object when analyzed clinically,
pharmacologically and biochemically is not indicating a single activity but a
number of mechanisms that may vary from compound to compound. The
possible mechanisms by which, action of rasayana can be represented in
modern aspects are;
1. Jara Nivartaka (Delay ageing process) and Deergha
Ayushkara (Provide longevity)
2. Vyadhi Nivartaka (Prevents diseases)
3. Prashasta Dhatu (Promotes health)
1.Jara Nivartaka (Delay Ageing Process) and Deergha Ayushkara (Provide
Longevity)
 Ageing is an inevitable physiological process.
 Ayurveda considers it as swabhava of life.
 Modern theories:-genetic theory of ageing,immunological theory,stress
theory,free radical theory.
 Ageing:-DNA damage occurs.
 Rasayana:-anti-oxidants-prevents enzymatic oxidative stress-induced
damage.
 Metal ions-catalyst for free radical reactions-bhasmas may behave
contrary to it.
A. SHILAJATHU:-
 Used in chronic debilitating disorders.
 Rasa:Kashaya-thiktha rasa
veerya:sheetha
karma:-tridoshahara,vrishya,balya,mutrala,lekhanayogavahi,rasayana
 It has many rich,bioactive molecules[nutrients,iron manganese,phenols etc.]
 Acts as powerful adaptogen in the wear and tear phenomenon of ageing process.

B.SWARNA BHASMA:-
 Have a significant antioxidant and restorative effects in global and focal models of
ischemia.
 Significant restoration of altered values of enzymes-to near normal levels by swarna
bhasma.
 Experimental animal model--- swarna bhasma shows significantly increased
superoxide dismutase and catalyse activity,two enzymes that reduce free radical
concentrations in the body.
2.Vyadhi nivartaka(prevents disease)
 Rasayana provides drug base therapy(vyadhihara)&remedial measures
as pathya,prasamana,&prakrithisthapana.
 Non-specific type of immunomodulation.
 Strengthen the immune system as a whole
 Increasing the quantity and quality of the components.
 Parada rasayanaprayoga:-

KSHETREEKARANA:-
 सन्जातपन्चकृ त्यस्य जैत्रै: यत् गदनाशनम्।
रसायनादौ तत्प्रान्जै: क्षेत्रीकरणमुच्यते॥
Before taking rasayana guna yuktha paarada oushadha yogas for rasayana
and vyadhinashaka purpose,----------perform panchakarma.

Making fit for panchakarma purpose,ater taking rasayana guna yuktha

parada yogas is known as kshetreekaranam.
Kshetreekarana prakriyas:-
 स्निग्धम् प्रातस्त्रिदिनम् घ्रुतसैन्धवपानेन स्विन्नम् वस्त्रादिपुट।
वन्हिना विरिक्तमिच्छाभेदिना वान्तम् वचादिरसेन॥
पलाशबीजविडन्ग गुड-मोदक भक्षणात् कीटपातनमपि।
कर्तव्यम् नीरुजम् सम्वत्सरमयनम् वा परिशीलितै:शृगाराभ्रलक्ष्मी॥
विलासाद्यभ्रक सत्वप्रधान प्रयोगैरिति।

 Snehanam-Upto 3 days,take---gritha+saindhava
 Swedanam-by hot pouch
 Virechanam-by taking ichabhedi rasa
 Vamana-by taking vacha kwatha
 Krimi nivarana-by taking modaka of(palasha beeja+vidanga+guda)-----
koshta krimi nivaarana.---take oushadha yogas like shrungarabhra Lakshmi
vilasa rasa etc.
Paarada sevana kala:-
 प्रत्युषे भक्षयेत् सूतम् पथ्यम् यामे तदादिमे।
द्वितीय यामे मति मान शनी याद् भोजनम् हितम्॥

At early morning----then take pathyahara----after 2nd prahara(3

hours)----take normal diet.
 Types of rasoushadhi:-
In rasoushadhis we will get few rasayanas eg:-
1.Khalwiya rasayana:-rasoushadhas prepared in khalwa yantra.
Eg:- tribhuvana keerthi rasa,soota shekhara rasa
2.Kupipakwa rasayana:-prepared by using kaachakupi (glass bottle).
3.Pottali rasayana:-prepared by using pottali(pouch)
 BIBILIOGRAPHY:-
 World journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences.