Liver Cirrhosis – Ayurveda Panchakarma Management

According to ayurveda, cirrhosis is caused by highly damaged Vata. This is a disease that affects one of the most important organs of our body – the liver. The liver performs various vital functions such as production of bile, elimination of wastes from the body, production of urea, filtration of harmful substances from the blood, making of proteins, and so on. Symptoms of this disease include weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, abdominal pain, fluid retention in the abdomen and legs, etc.

Treatment of this disease through ayurveda might take time but it aims to destroy the root cause of the disease and increases the ability of the body to heal naturally. Once the cause of the disease is diagnosed, one can undergo a certain treatment or therapy or a combination of them. One such treatment is the Panchakarma treatment.

The basic aim of the Panchakarma treatment is to flush out the toxins from the body. This treatment not only improves physical health but also vitalises the mind. As the name suggests, Panchakarma means five types of therapeutic treatments that cleanses the body. The phases of the Panchakarma treatment are broadly classified as pre-purification, main purification and post purification. These phases are composed of various therapies such as oil massage, herbal massage, fermented liquid massage, medical enemas, nasal administration of oil, etc.

The pre-purification phase of the Panchakarma treatment aims to slacken the toxins from the body. It also opens up the circulation channels and prepares the body to release the toxins. The pre-purification method that is adopted for the treatment of liver cirrhosis is called ‘Snehapanam’. Apart from cleansing the body of its toxins, it also enhances memory. Snehapanam involves consumption of a concoction made from medicated ghee and sesame oil for a certain number of days.  Few other ingredients used for making the concoction include Aragwadha (Cassia Fistula), Bhringaraja ( Eclipta alba), Patola (Trichosanthes lobata)guggul (Commiphora Wightii), chopchini (Smilax China), ginger (Zingiber Officinale), neem (Azadirachta Indica), onion (Allium Cepa) and so on.

The intention of the main purification phase is to get rid of the toxins that were slackened during the pre-purification phase. The therapies for the main purification for cirrhosis are called ‘Nasyam’ and ‘Virechanam’. In the Nasyam therapy, herbal oil is poured drop by drop into the nostrils. Inhaling the oil opens up the head channels. The base ingredient of the herbal oil is sesame oil to which herbs such as bael (Aegle Marmelos), sida plants, etc. are mixed. Virechanam refers to the oral intake of herbal medicines. The toxins are then released through excreta. This therapy energises the entire body and improves appetite.

The Panchakarma treatment should be undertaken only by expert Ayurvedic practitioners. The treatment differs for each person according to the disease and the constitution of the body.

Ayurvedic Liver Medicine    Herbal Treatment Cirrhosis