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Factors Responsible For Liver Failure How Does Ayurveda Deals With It

Abstract

Problems like liver failure has immerse to a great height nowadays. The main reason if it is modernization. People at a very young age of their life start drinking alcohol it could be due to peer pressure or due to any other reason. But this is not the only one factor contributing to liver failure there are so many. Such as in developing countries infections like hepatitis, viruses are the main reason of chronic liver disease & hepatobillary (liver + gall bladder) carcinoma that ultimately leads to hepatic failure.

Ayurveda is the ancient most science that focuses on examining the disease first then going toward the management part. This is beautifully explained in the below mentioned verse.

It states that a physician should try to diagnose the disease first then proceed towards the application of medicine. He should always need to have a detailed knowledge of the ailment.

In this article let put some rays on the factors responsible for liver failure & how ayurveda deals with it does.

Cirrhosis of the Liver

Introduction

Firstly let’s discuss about the liver: Liver- It is an organ situated at the right hypochondrium quadrant of abdomen. It plays major role in maintaining metabolism of the body & in detoxifying the blood. It weighs about 1-1.8 kg in humans.

According to ayurveda we call it “Yakrit” (liver) the main place of ‘Agni’ (digestive fire). It releases various useful enzymes and hormones in the circulation.

How does it originate in humans?

This verse explains that – yakrit (liver) & paliha (pancreas) develops from the blood during the embryonic stage of life.

This yakrit (liver) & paliha (pancreas) are the main seat of Raktavah Srotas (blood containing channels) in the body.

Functions Of Liver

It produce albumin (a protein found in blood serum)
Helps in synthesis of angiotensinogen (hormone) important for raising the blood pressure.
Gall bladder a small pouch that’s present below the liver, produces Bile (contain cholesterol & bile acids) that helps in breakdown of fat.

Definition Of Liver Failure

It means inability of the liver to perform its functions properly there is formation of necrosis (death) in hepatocytes (liver cells).

This is of two types

Acute liver failure: There is rapid development of hepatic failure in this due to any underlying pathology or hepatotoxic drugs (e.g. NSAIDS non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, anti depressants)
Chronic liver failure: When a person suffering from liver disease from a longer duration of time such as due to cirrhosis, cholestatic jaundice.
In regards to our classical text: In rakatavah srotas dushti, vitiation of pitta dosha is usually seen that leads to rakat (blood) toxification.

Causes

As per ayurveda the main reason of raktavah srotas dushti are as follows:

Consume vidhai anna (acidity causing food)
Over intake of snigdh (soft), ushan (hot), drav (liquid) diet.
Excessive exposure to sunlight and fire.

Other causes

Halimak vyadhi (chronic obstructive jaundice) – in this there is formation of greenish yellow discoloration in the skin.
Kumbh kamla (chronic jaundice with edema) – presence of edema along with the dark yellow coloured urine & stool.
Panaki (chronic jaundice complicated with diarrhea).

In modern science

Acute viral hepatitis is the most common cause worldwide.
Drug toxicity example paracetamol toxicity.
Mushroom (Amanita phalloides) poisoning during pregnancy.
Excessive consumption of alcohol.
Iron and copper overload.
Due to underlying autoimmune diseases.
Certain carcinoma.
Over intake of fat rich diet leads to fatty liver disease.
Cholecystitis (inflammation of gall bladder).
Cholelithiasis (gall stones).
Non alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Herditary
Obstructive jaundice.

Clinical Features: It means the complaints, patient present in front of physician. They are as follows:-

General body weakness.
Nausea & vomiting.
Clubbing of fingers (abnormal shape of nail bed)
Bruising (bluish discoloration of skin) over the body.
Jaundice (presence of yellow coloration of skin & sclera of eye).
Dilated abdominal veins.
Edema (fluid accumulation)
Profuse sweating.
Low blood pressure.
Ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity).
Fatigue.
Bodyache
Anorexia (loss of hunger)
Drowsiness (lethargic)
Indigestion
Polydipsia (excessive thirst)

DIAGNOSIS

It means how we can identify the disease. There are various methods:

Physical examination of the patient: by analyzing the physical signs seen in patient body.
History taking: A proper history taking play a role of asset in diagnosing the disease.
Laboratory findings: it includes:
1. Complete blood count.
2. Liver function test – It includes serum bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT etc.
3. Toxicology screening of urine.
4. Prothrombin time becomes prolonged as liver plays a major role in the synthesis of coagulation factors that got hampered in this.
5. Percutaneous Liver biopsy
Past history: Generally there is presence of family history.

According to ayurveda we diagnose the disease

Trividh pariksha (Set of 3 examination)

Darshan (diagnosis is made by visual examination of the symptoms)
Sparshan (physician use tactile examination to evaluate whether skin is cold/hot)
Prashan (physician ask direct question form the patient)

Asthavidh pariksha (Set of 8 examination procedure)

Nadi pariksha – by palpating the pulse rate of the patient.
Mutra pariksha – by examining the urine of the patient.
Mal pariksha – by stool examination.
Jivha pariksha – by examining the tongue whether coated or not.
Shabad pariksha – by observing the natural sounds within the body like intestinal sound (peristalsis)
Sparsh pariksha – by observing the patient skin texture whether it is cool, wet or dry.in psoriasis it is usually dry, rough in texture.
Drik pariksha – when physician inspect patient symptoms through his/her eyes. In liver disease patient yellowish discoloration of skin (jaundice) is the prime finding.
Akriti pariksha – observing the patient body posture whether lean or obese.

Management

Condition like liver failure is usually a non recoverable ailment. If we diagnose it in its early phase then the recovery rate is good. But once it reaches the chronic phase then only management is the final solution we cannot completely cure this.
In modern science they recommend you to go for a liver transplant procedure, every individual cannot afford this as it an expensive procedure & you need to find the right donor for this.

But with ayurveda we can manage its growth with certain herbal drugs such as Bhumiamlaki, kalmegh, daru haridra. Etc.

Line of treatment according to ayurveda: as it is pita elevated “tridoshaj vyadhi”

A. Sanshodhan Chikitsa (Detoxification procedure) –

Virechan (Purgation) is the best technique to release out the pita dosha from the body by anal route.
Raktamokshan (Bloodletting) It is considered as “ardh chikitsa” (As a whole treatment) by acharya shushruta because it helps in purifying the blood by removing harmful toxins from it.

B. SAMSHMAN CHIKITSA (By medication) – in this we control the disease by subsiding dosha with in the body itself

Drink gomutra(Cowurine) – 15 to 20 ml early in the morning
Triphala sawaras early in the morning.
Cowmilk with cowurine (15 to 20 ml) drink it empty stomach after waking up.

Planet Ayurveda offers various formulations that aid in managing the further advancement of this:

Liver Care Pack

Product Description

1. Liver Detox Formula

Ingredients: Katuki (Picrorrhiza kurrao), Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata), Kasni (Cichorium intybus) etc.
Above mentioned herbs are natural supplement works as hepatoprotective agents (Good for liver), help in lowering the blood pressure, so prove as best medication in liver disease.
Dosage: 2 capsules twice daily after meals.

2. Indian Echinacea

Ingredients: kalmegha/bhunimab (Andrographis paniculata)
It is mentioned as the best herb to enhance the liver function in the body. It has properties like pita sarak (releases pita dosha from the body), krimighan (kill worms)
Help in maintaining the immune system and supporting overall health it will provide strength to the patient body in hepatic failure.
Dosage: 2 capsules twice daily after meals.

3. Yakritplihantak Churna

Ingredients: Is a herbal powder formulation containing herbs like Phyllanthus niruri, Eclipta Alba, Picorrhiza kurro, Andrographis panniculata etc.
All these herbs works as natural analgesics (pain killer), appetizer (enhance hunger) & hypotensive (lower blood pressure) thus help in managing further growth of hepatic failure.
Dosage: You can boil the powder 1 teaspoonful in 400 ml water, keep it boiling until it remains 50 ml. Strain it and drink the water. Leave the residue. Do it twice daily. Make fresh every time.

4. Phyllanthus Niruri

Ingredient: Bhumi amla (Phyllanthus niruri)
It posses sheeta virya (cold potency) best suited for lowering the vitiated pitta dosha, also is a hepatoprotective & hypotensive herb, thus help in maintenance of Liver function so effective in liver failure.
DOSAGE: 2 capsules twice daily after meals.

In our ancient text it is also mentioned that:

If a physician have a good knowledge of curable and non curable disease after that when he precede the treatment in time, he will surely succeeds. But if he try to treat incurable disease even after knowing that it is a non treatable ailment, he will certainly suffers from the loss of arth (wealth), vidya (his/her study), yash (reputation) in the society.
The main conclusion of above verse is- it is very important for a doctor to tell his patient that your disease is a non curable one, we cannot treat it completely but we can stop its advancement with herbal medication.

Conclusion

Now we can conclude that liver failure is a condition where disease progress to the advanced stage the only treatment modality for it is liver transplant as per modern science but with ayurveda we can manage its progression by using proper herbal medicine, dietary changes & lifestyle changes.

Planet ayurveda the leading herbal manufacturing unit offers you best herbs and diet charts made under the supervision of ayurveda experts. Products are 100% organic & preservative free. So there is no need to worry when we have planet ayurveda with us. You can contact us through our website www.planetayurveda.com

Top 7 Pain Relieving Remedies in Ayurveda Without Aspirin

Painkillers or analgesics are one of most widely categories of medicines. Analgesics are used at every instance, either it is traumatic or other complications. These are used for a variety of health conditions such as joints pain, migraine, arthritis, stomach pain, toothache etc.

As per modern classification, there are two categories of analgesics:

Narcotics
Non-narcotics

The basic principle of these painkillers is that they break the message transmitted from the affected part to the brain through neurons. Analgesics either break the pain signals arriving from the body parts to the brain or interrupt the brain to receive the message by neurons transmitting the pain signals. The side effects of these analgesics are obvious such as nausea, diarrhoea, pruritus (itching sensation), tenderness, jaundice and severe pain in the right upper quarter of the abdomen.

It has been proved in the research that the treatment with a product containing diclofenac sodium as topical applicants is linked with liver dysfunction, resulting in severe hepatic reactions, liver transplantation or even death.

Management of Pain according to Ayurveda

Ayurvedic approach to pain is holistic and looks to place the root cause of the disease, in contrast to simply dealing with the symptoms only.
The classical Ayurvedic text specifies about the species of plants that are used for muscularity relaxants and for other pain management.
Ayurveda uses single drug or multiple drug mixtures of herbs as well as mineral compounds for relieving pain.

Ayurveda Categorises The Painkillers into 3 Groups

Local Analgesics
Central Analgesics
Body-ache medications

Local Analgesic : These analgesics are topically applied to a particular part of the body and include paste preparations such as Belladonna.

Central Analgesics : These analgesics are more powerful than local analgesics and sometimes are combined with strict dietetic restrictions such as Dhatura.

Body-ache Medications : These analgesics are used in Ayurvedic practice to fight against stress and fatigue. There are more than 100 plants in Ayurveda that are recognised to have pain relieving properties such as Patala and Balam.

Various Herbs and Plants Described in Ayurveda as Natural Painkillers are

Garlic for Earache:

Garlic has been traditionally used in rural India for earache.
Garlic contains certain active ingredients such as sulphur, selenium and germanium which have positive physiological effects on pain.

How to use: Pour 2 drops of warm garlic oil into the affected ear for 7-10 days until it is completely cured.

Honey for Mouth Ulcers:

As a part of lifestyle, Ayurveda suggests honey gargle for mouth sores.
It is recommended for better voice, improved speech and to prevent all types of infections and inflammation.
It is very effective in decreasing painfulness and heals the tissues as well.

Vinegar for Acid Reflux and Heartburn:

In a research, it was concluded that there are good results of vinegar in heart burn and acid reflux particularly the Apple cider vinegar.

How to use: Take 30 ml vinegar mixed with water after a heavy meal to make digestion and metabolism smoother.

Clove for Toothache Relief:

Cloves have been used by Indians since thousands of years. It contains eugenol which works as anaesthetic and has anti-bacterial effects.
It has also been reported that the consumption of 2 gm clove powder improves the cholesterol level and maintains pH in the gastro-intestinal tract that in turn avoids all kinds of oral infections.

How to use: Apply clove oil to the affected tooth or chew 1-2 cloves.

Ginger Root for Muscle Pain:

Ginger has positive effects on reducing swelling and stiffness as well. The main element of ginger is Gingerols that is effective in treating muscular pain.

How to use: Include 5 gm fresh ginger or 2 gm dried ginger as a part of your diet to prevent muscular and joint pains.

Treatment of Diabetic Pain with Turmeric:

Ayurveda suggests the use of turmeric as a part of diet to avoid the problems of diabetes as well as pain associated with it. It is considered as one of the most effective natural pain relievers known to exist and also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. It contains curcumin as an active ingredient which is responsible for its properties.
Turmeric decreases the pain and irritation experienced by patients suffering from arthritis, fibromyalgia, IBS, arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Buttermilk for Pre-Menopause:

Ayurveda suggests buttermilk for pre and post-menopausal syndromes as well as for menstrual pain. It is also effective in curing vaginal infections as well as itching. It is also effective in curing yeast infection. It is quite favourable in treating gynaecological conditions.

How to use: Take a plain glass of buttermilk with cumin seeds. You can buttermilk twice or thrice a day. The calcium content in buttermilk dispassionate the physical and psychological irritability associated with PMS.

Cherries:

Cherries are packed with certain anti-oxidants known as anthocyanins which are responsible for giving them red colour and for relieving pain.
Research has indicated that anthocyanins, an active element in cherries is ten times more beneficial in lowering pain than common painkillers such as Ibuprofen without causing any side effects.

Epsom Salt Bath for Leg Pain:

Epsom salt that is rich in magnesium, is an excellent pain reliever. This remedy is also helpful for patients suffering from arthritis as it soothes leg pain. Salt also possesses anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which makes it effective in relieving pain. Regular soaking of infected parts in warm salt water acts better than topical painkillers and antibiotics.

Massage/Snehana:

In the world of Ayurveda, oil massage or sneham is considered as a very rewarding therapy for treating pain and other ailments. It pacifies Vata, mobilises the toxins, maximises circulation and therefore relaxes the overall body.

Cumin:

Cumin is an aromatic spice and mild pain reliever.

How to use: For stomach pain, make a mixture of 1/3 tablespoon of cumin powder, a pinch of asofaetida and a pinch of rock salt. Mix and chew it thoroughly followed with a drink of warm water