Kashaya Kalpana Pharmaceutical Processing In Ayurveda

According to one of the most authoritative treaties of Ayurveda, Charak Samhita, knowledge of Trisutra—'Hetu' (causative factor of disease), 'Linga' (signs and symptoms of disease), and 'Aushadha' (knowledge of therapeutics, treatments, and medicines)—forms the basic framework of Ayurveda.

The branch of Ayurveda that deals with identification, collection, preparation, processing, and application of Aushadhais is known as 'Bhisajya Kalpana. 'Bheshaja' is the substance that can alleviate the pain or mitigate the severity of the disease, and 'Kalpana' means planning.

In Ayurvedic therapeutics, drugs are used in crude form as well as processed in different kinds of formulations. To prepare the drug so that it not only becomes free of physical and chemical impurities but also becomes more effective, easy to administer, and agreeable for the patient to take, the concept of Kalpana is explained.

The Ayurvedic formulations are based mainly on Panchavidha Kashaya Kalpana - the Five Basic Principles of Preparation of Herbal Medicines. They are 'Swarasa' (expressed juices), 'Kalka' (paste), 'Kwatha' (decoction), 'Hima' (cold infusion), and 'Phanta' (hot infusion).

Besides these, there are other medicinal preparations as well, such as 'Sneha Kalpana' (fatty preparations like medicated oils and ghrita), 'Sandhana Kalpana' (fermented preparations like Asava and Arista), etc.

Panchavidha Kashaya Kalpana (The Five Basic Principles for Preparation of Herbal Medicines)

Swarasa (Expressed juices):

Juice extracted from herbs is called swarasa. Swarasa is made from freshly collected herbs. Useful parts of the plant, such as leaf, fruit, stem, or even the whole plant, can be used to prepare the swarasa.

The fresh herb is cleaned well and pounded, and the resultant paste is rolled into a bolus, squeezed through a cloth, and the expressed fresh juice is collected in a clean container. It should be used immediately. Fresh juice of herbs is easily absorbed by the body, and maximum effect is achieved in a comparatively short period.

Classics explain various methods for juice extraction from plants that may not have enough moisture to be extracted by mechanical pressure. Specific instructions are given for such plants, such as soaking overnight in water or powdering the herb and then adding water to extract juice or a specific procedure such as 'Putpaka.'

Putpaka is a process wherein the plant material is ground to prepare a fine paste and rolled into a bolus and then wrapped in the coverings of leaves, which are then covered in a thick layer of mud. The bolus is then kept in an open hearth where it is subjected to intensive heat till it becomes red hot. It is then removed from the hearth and allowed to cool.

The bolus is then taken out and then mechanically squeezed to produce the expressed juice. Juice of Vasa leaves (Adhatoda vasica) is extracted in this fashion. Dose of Swarasa for internal use is 20 – 40 ml. For example, fresh juice of Tulsi leaves (holy basil) can be prepared and administered internally along with honey in conditions of cold, cough, and nasal congestion.

Kalka or Churna (Paste or Powders):

A fresh drug or a dry drug is converted into a paste by rubbing it on a stone with a little quantity of water. Fresh or dry drugs are first cleaned with water. In the case of a dry drug, it is powdered first and filtered with a cloth for powder preparation and mixed with an appropriate quantity of water and then rubbed in a pestle and mortar and made into a paste. The common rule is to take one part herb and two parts water. In the case of fresh drugs, they are first chopped into fine pieces, pounded, and macerated in a mortar and pestle until the paste becomes fine.

Kalka can be used both internally and externally.

The dose for internal use is 5-10 gm. For example, a paste of neem can be prepared and administered in intestinal worm infestations.

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Kwatha (Decoction):

Kwatha is prepared by boiling 1 part of herb with 16 parts of water in an open vessel on mild fire till it reduces to one-eighth of the original quantity. The quantity of water may be four times, eight times, or sixteen times the quantity of the part of the plant selected.

This variation in the amount of water depends on the hardness of the material used. Like, it may be simply four times in soft herbs (herbs whose leaves and flowers are used) and eight times for medium hardness (includes soft barks of plants, roots of shrubs and plants, soft roots, tubers, and medium tubers), while sixteen times in case the plant material to be used for preparing the decoction is too hard (hard barks of trees, root bark of trees, and creepers).

Decoctions form a base of various Ayurvedic formulations like Asava, Arishta, oils, pills, awaleha (jam), etc. Decoction is used internally for drinking or for medicated enemas or externally for eye wash.

The dose for internal use is 40 ml. For example, a decoction of Dashmool (root of ten herbs) can be prepared and administered to regain strength, relieving pain, etc.

Hima (cold infusion):

Hima is the cold infusion of fragrant or cold-potency herbs that are intended to be used for Pitta problems. Fragrant herbs may lose their active principles by heating; hence, for such types of drugs, Himakalpa is mentioned, by which active ingredients can be collected in cold infusion form. 1 part of the drug is immersed in 3 parts of water for 4 – 6 hours and then filtered and administered.

The dose for internal use is 40 ml. For example, a cold infusion of coriander can be prepared and administered in conditions to reduce burning sensations and other Pitta disorders. Or Sarivadi Hima can also be used for Pitta Vikara.

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Phanta (hot infusion):

Phanta is the hot infusion of those herbs, which are intended to be used for Kapha and Vata problems. Water has to be boiled first, and then the respective quantity of drug in coarse powder form is immersed in it, and then the vessel is removed from the fire. When it cools down to room temperature, then it should be rubbed with hands and filtered with cloth and administered. Hot infusion is beneficial for Kapha and Vata problems.

A dose of Phanta is 40 ml. Herbal teas are examples of Phanta. e.g., ginger tea. Panchakola Phanta or Sudarshan Phanta is another example of Phanta, given in fever.