LANGHANA PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN JWARA

INTRODUCTION

Jwara is a rasadhatu pradoshaja vikara affecting the abhyanthara roga marga which includes the kosta or the ama and pakvashaya together. Rasadhatu pradoshaja vikara is usually treated by langhana and the same in various forms is used in the treatment of jwara also. Careful analysis of signs and symptoms of covid-19 reveals that this disease affects the aabhyanthara roga marga with fever and respiratory symptoms as the main manifestations. So the management concept of jwara can be adopted in the management of covid-19 too.

DEFINITION

The procedure which creates lightness in the body and mind is called as ‘langhana’. 

The word ‘langhana’ represents therapeutic fasting, hunger or intentional starving.

PANCHMAHABHUTA COMPOSITION– Agni, Vayu and Akasha Mahabhuta

KEYWORDS: Langhana, apatarpana, autophagy.

TYPES OF LANGHANA

“Chatushprakara sanshuddhi pipasa marutatapau 

Pachanani uapavasascha vyayamsceti langhanam ’’

1. Vamana-emesis therapy
2. Virechana-purgative therapy
3. Niruha basti- enema
4. Nasya-nasal medication
5. Pipasa-controlling thirst
6. Maruta-exposure to wind
7. Atapa-exposure to sun
8. Pachana-  drugs which helps in digestion
9. Upavasa-fasting
10. Vyayama-physical exercise

1. Vamana

• Vamana/emesis is defined as “the procedure which brings the vitiated dosha from urdhwabhaga of the body.
• Elimination of dosha from the mouth is called as urdhwabhaga.
• Emesis therapy, a shodhanaroopi langhana brings the lightness in the body by eliminating the dosha.

2. Virechana

• The procedure which eliminates the dosha from adhobhaga of the body is called as virechana.
• In virechana pitta, kapha and vata dosha gets eliminated respectivaly and brings lightness in the body.
• Kapha and pitta doshas are drava dhatus hence they can tolarate langhana , in the form of shodhana like vamana and virechana.

 3.Basti

• Administration of medicine through anus (Guda) is called as Basti chikitsa.
• Basti expelling the morbid doshas from the body.
• By basti emaciates the people who are obese or over weight.

4. Nasya 

• Nasya is a synonym for Shirovirechana .
• Mainly nasya is indicated in kaphapradhana shirorogas such as  shirashoola (Headache), Shirogourava and peenasa (Rhinitis) etc.
• In this procedure morbid doshas are eliminated through the nose by administration of shirovirechana drugs.

5. Pipasa 

• Controlling the urge to drink water is called as pipasa. 
• This should not be done to such an extent as to cause bad effects like,Mukha shosha, kanthashosha, raktashosha, hridayavyatha. 
• Pipasa improves agni and dries up the kleda and abhishyandhi conditions in the body. 
• It is advised to correct the atyambupana defect which weakenes the agni and causes ama.
• Pipasa reduces the aggaravated dosha and produces lightness in the body.

6. Maruta

• Exposure to wind has been considered as shamanaroopilanghana.
• Maruta which is a synonym of vata dosha inside the body definitely plays a significant role in balancing agni (Digestive fire) and does pachanakarma in physiological condition. 
• But here in this particular context maruta is the vayu outside the body.
• Maruta (exposure to the wind) causes lightness but if it is cold wind, it is not so effective.

7. Atapa 

• Atapa is also one type of shamana langhana and one among the 10 niragni sweda. 
• It decreases kaphadosha and brings lightness (laghuta) in the body.
• Sunrays used in treating various disorders like hridroga, vrikkroga, yakratroga etc.
• It can be used in many metabolic and digestive disorders caused by ama.

8. Pachana

• The procedure which does amapachana but does not do agni deepana  is called as pachana.
• “Ama pachana means doing rookshana karma in sama dosha, dhatu, mala”.
• Chitraka is a very good pachana drug. 
• In samadosha conditions, by the proper intake of pachana dravyas body becomes light.
• It has been indicated in  visochika, alasaka, hridroga (Heart diseases),  jwara (fever), vibandha (constipation), gourava (Heavyness), udgara, hrallasa, arochaka (Anorexia) etc.
• Pachana is indicated in diseases which caused by vitiation of kapha and pittadosha. 

9. Upavasa

• upavasa means taking atylpa ahara or no ahara even when there is hunger. 
• Upavasa  increases digestive fire and causes digestion of Ama-dosha (metabolic toxins).
• Upavasa is a great choice for treating the diseases like jwara, visoochika, alasaka, medoroga etc.
• It is indicated as a treatment until it produces lightness and good effects in the body.

10.Vyayam

• Vyayama is a type of niragni sweda.
• Vyayam/exercise should be done only upto ardhshakti of a person.
• Sweda and vyayama both create ushna (Heat) in the body and in turn causes agnideepti and ama pachana.
• Vyayam brings about laghavata, medokshaya and agnideepti, these qualities which are antagonistic to ama helps in the digestion of the same and will never give way for the formation of it again.
•  Asanashukha or avyayama causes ama and produces santarpanajanyavikaras such as prameha kota, kandoo etc. diseases and vyayama is considered as one of the line of treatment of such vikaras.

INDICATIONS

• In those people, having excess oiliness, but still having vata diorders.
• Who used to consume excess fatty diet.
• Excess body discharges
• Those who had undergone nourishing therapies. 
• In state of accumulation of undigested/toxic biological waste (ama)  
• In state of nutritive fluid (rasa dhatu) associated with ama  
• As a part of post therapeutic regimen after therapeutic emesis (vamana) and therapeutic purgation (virechana) where digestive power is weak.
• In diseases like jwara, stiffness of thighs (urustambha), herpes (visarpa), abscess (vidradhi), splenic diseases(pleeha), obesity (sthaulya), diseases of head, throat and eyes [A.S.Sutra Sthana  skin disorders (kushtha), urinary disorders (prameha).  

CONTRAINDICATION

Langhana is contraindicated in following conditions-

• Vata aggravated conditions (Vaatrogi).
• Trushanapeedit
• Langhana chikitsa in contraindicated in bala, vriddha, garbhini and durbala patients.
• Conditions of fear (Bhaya), anger (Krodha), grief and physical exertion (Margparikramana) 
• Jwara with excess dominance of pitta dosha  
• Jwara due to exogenous causes (agantujaj wara) and jeerna jwara (chronic stage) 

FEATURES OF ADEQUATE LANGHANA

• Proper excretion of urine and feces. 
• Feeling of lightness in the body
• Feeling of clarity in heart, throat and mouth.
• Disappearance of drowsiness and fatigue
• Appearance of perspiration
• Reappearance of taste, hunger and thirst
• Feeling of wellbeing  
• Intolerance to hunger and thirst  
• Clarity of sense organs

FEATURES OF EXCESSIVE LANGHANA

In excessive langhana therapy following clinical features are observed-

•  Joint pain
• Body ache
• Coughing
• Dryness of the mouth
• totally loss of hunger
• Anorexia (Aruchi)
• Excessive Thirst (Trishna)
• Diminished hearing and vision
• Confusion of mind (Delirium)
• Frequent belching
• Fainting (Murchha)
• Frequent upward movement of vata
• Loss of body weight
• Loss of Digestive fire and strength 
• Excess emaciation
• Loss of sleep (Insomnia)
• Depletion and non-elimination of feces and urine  
• Occurrence of secondary disease like dyspnea 

BENEFITS

• Langhana leads to pacification of dosha
• Improves strength of digestive power (agni)
• Lightness in body promotes healthy state
• Increase hunger and thirst
• Promotes desire for food, physical health and good strength.

HIGHLIGHTS

• It is indicated in the abnormal accumulation of dosha (pitta/kapha/rakta), any waste product, state of dosha associated with ama, and indigestion.
• Langhana therapy can be advised with or without any medication.
• Langhana therapy is highly effective and reverses the pathology caused by excess eating.
• The most popular forms of langhana therapy are fasting (upavasa) and exercise (vyayama).