Poisons

Introduction to Poison (Visha) in Ayurveda

The word "Visha" is derived from the root "Vis", which means to encompass, to get fully pervaded or to get occupied. Thus, the one which pervades the whole body immediately after digestion is called as "Poison."

Mythological Origin of Poison (Ayurveda)

Like the good and the bad, day and night, light and darkness, poison and nectar also have their origin from the same stem of creation. It is stated that a demon called Kaitabha, out of his ego, created many obstructions during the creation of the cosmos by its originator Lord Brahma. At that time, Lord Brahma got angry and changed into of a dreadful person who killed the demon. Then the anger continued to increase profusely and created sadness and depression among the gods. So the term Visha (poison) is called so for filling the gods with Vishada (depression/sadness). Soon after the completion of the Creation, the Creator Brahma cast the Visha into animals and plants for the benefit of the Creation.

According to Charaka

According to mythology, during the churning of the ocean by the gods and the demons for obtaining nectar,a ferocious looking person who was resplendent with aura, and who had four fangs, tawny hairs and fiery eyes emerged. The world became despaired (Vishana) at his sight so he was called as "Visha" (poison).

Lord Brahma deposited the poison in animals and vegetation; therefore, the poison which originated from oceans water is of two types. It resembles fire. Its action is manifested in eight stages; it has ten attributes and the ailments caused by its affliction can be treated by twenty-four principles of therapeutic measures.

Ayurvedic Classification of Poison

All Ayurvedic texts are of the same opinion that poison is of two types, namely, animal and vegetative.

Vegetative Type

Roots: Ayurveda says that it is nine in numbers, namely, Klitaka, Asmara, Gunja, Sugandha, Gargaraka,and karaghata, Vidyachikha, Vijaya and Jaya.
Leaf: Ayurveda opines that it is five in numbers, namely, Vishapatrika, lamba, Varadaru, Karambha and mahakarambha.
Fruits: This contains a total of twelve poisons. They are Kumudvati, Venuka, karambha, mahakarambha,Karkota, Renuka, Khadyitaka, carmari, Ibhagandha, Sarpaghati, nandana and Sarapaka.
Flower: This contains five poisons, namely, Vetra, Kadamba, Vallija, karambha and Mahakarambha.
Bark, Pith & Gum: They are seven in total, namely, Antrapachaka, Kartari, Sauriyaka, karaghata, Karambha, nandana, and natracaka.
Milk poison: This contains three poisons, namely, Kumudaghni, Snuhi and Jalakshiri
Metallic poison: This contains two poisons, namely, Pheneasma and Haratala
Bulbar poison: This contains 13 poisons, namely, Kalakuta, Vatsanabha, Sarsapa, Palaka, Kardamaka,Vartaka, Mustaka, Srungi visha, Prapoundarika, Moolaka, Halahala, Mahavisha, and Karkataka.

Sight, breath, teeth, nail, urine, stool, semen, saliva, menstrual blood, stings, belching air, anus, bones, bile,bristles and dead body of an animal have poisonous properties.

Classification of Poison according to Ayurveda

Ayurvedic Views on Modes of Administration of Poison

If the poison is to be administered, it should be easily administrable and not detectable easily. The methods are as follows:

Apart from the above, Ashtanga sangraha, has given descriptions about poisonous women in a unique way.

Ayurvedic concept of poisonous women: They were prepared by administering small doses of poison to them,right from the birth so that the women were ready to kill the enemies just by touch, respiration, kiss or with sexual intercourse.

Diagnosis of Poisonous Women:

Ayurvedic features & treatments according to mode of poisoning

Poisonous Food

Features of poisonous drinks and vegetables: In case of poisoning, all milk etc. drinks develop streaks,froth and bubbles; shadows in them are not visible and, if visible, they are double-visions, holed, smaller or abnormal.Poisoned vegetables, pulses, rice and meat etc. becomes moistened and stale-like immediately losing their normal taste and aroma. Other edibles also lose their aroma, colour and taste; fruits, if ripe,get rotten and, if unripe, get ripened.

Features of poisonous food vapour and their management

If the poisoned food is served, the vapours get spread upwards causes pain in the heart, abnormal movements of eyes and headache.

The treatment in such cases is snuff and collyrium of Kushta, Lamajjaka, Nalada and honey should be applied. Sireesha, Haridra and Chandana should be used as paste, particularly of Chandana, in the cardiac region, which gives relief.

Features of touch of Poisonous food and its management

If the poisonous food comes in contact with hand, it causes burning sensation in hand and falling of nails.In this case, paste of Syama, Indra, Gopa, Soma and Utpala is useful.

Features of poison on Indigestion and its management

If by carelessness or ignorance, one takes the poisonous food, the tongue becomes stony hard, loses the taste sensation, and has pricking pain, burning sensation and salivation.

The treatment for the poison (Stomach) is emesis and the second stage is purgation.

Poisonous features of massage oil and its management

If the massage oil is poisoned, it becomes slimy, thick, discoloured. When applied on the body, it causes eruption of boils, pain and discharge, suppuration of skin, sweating, fever and tearing of muscles.

The patient should be bathed with cold water and then paste of Chandana, Tagara, Kushta, Useera,Somavalli, Amruta, Sveta, Kamala, Kaliyaka and twak should be applied. The same should be used as drink along with the juice of Kaphitta and cows urine.

Poisonous features of cosmetics and its management

If the poisoned cosmetic is applied on the face, the face becomes blackish and exhibits the features of poisoned massage. It also gets covered with eruptions.

For this, drink of honey and ghee mixed together is of good effect. Application of paste of Chandana, ghee,Payasya, Madhuka, Phanji, bandhujihva and punarnava is also beneficial.

Poisonous features of Collyrium and its management

In case of poisoned collyrium, there is slimness due to lacrimation, burning sensation, pain, defects of vision or it may lead to blindness.

In this case, ghee should be used immediately as saturating filling in the eyes and the same mixed with long pepper should be taken internally. The following should be applied as Collyrium- juice of Meshashrungi,Varuna, Mustaka, and Gorochana mixed with Sea foam. The flowers of each Kaphitta, Meshashrungi,Bhallataka, Banduka and Ankota should also be used as Collyrium.

Ayurvedic views on complications of poisoning and their management

Vagbhatta mentions the following as the complications of poisoning, namely:

Management of Fever:

Management of Dyspnoea and Cough

Management of Vomiting

Decoction of root of Bilva added with the powders of black pepper or powder of root of Bilva, Amla,dates and honey consumed along with the milk is of good effect in vomiting arising from poison.

Management of Hiccough

In hiccough, the powder of Sankha, Kanaka, Katuka and Swarna ---Gairika, Dry ginger, Kana, Useera,and two Rajani should be licked with honey.

Diet

Ayurveda recommends the following as the diet for the poisoned person:

Unsuitable Foods and Activities

Even after relief from the poison, the person should avoid sesame, wine, horse gram, hunger, anger, fear,exertion, copulation and especially day sleep.

Impoverished / Weak Poisons (Dushi Visha)

Introduction

In the context of Ayurveda, the poison has been divided into three types, namely:

Though Ayurveda does not mentioned Weak poison (Dushi visha) as a separate entity, it has been defined as the poison (plant / animal / artificial) after its treatment, when it becomes less potent and when its effects are nullified radically; nevertheless, it still resides in the body, that particular less potent part of the above poisons is called as Weak poison / Dushi visha

Derivation

The word Dushi is derived from the root word Dusha meaning impure. The word Dushi means impure or possessing the property to vitiate.

Definition

A constant exposure to particular time, place, diet, habit etc. tends to vitiate the dhatu/dosha of the body and this poison is consequently known as dushi visha

Aetiology

A poison (plant/animal/artificial), when not completely eliminated from the body and attenuated by anti-poisonous materials or when it gets imbibed by the dosha of the body or by natural reasons, such less potent poison does not prove fatal for an individual and as it get enveloped by the Kapha, it resides in the body for many years.

Aggravating time

It gets aggravated in the body on a cloudy day and by exposure to cold and wind.

Features according to locations:

Impact of Dushi Visha on the body

Prognosis

Treatment

Treatment of the complications

The complications should be treated symptom-wise; if it is a fully manifested disease, it can be treated as a disease itself.

Ayurvedic Concepts of Artificial Poisons (Gara visha)

The word Gara is derived from the root word Gru with the suffix Ac which means to dilute or could be diluted,which generally indicates the liquid forms. The word Gara also means a form of poison. In Ayurveda, the Gara visha is considered as one of the forms of artificial poison which is formed by the combination of two or more than two poisonous or non-poisonous drugs and it ultimately affects the body by vitiating all the dhatus in the body. It can go to such extent that it alleviates the dhatus drastically which in turn could prove to be fatal.

Definition

Combination of parts of the body and excreta of different animals, incompatible drugs, ashes and poisonous substances of mild potency is called as Gara visha

Method of poisoning

This concept was described by Charaka; that women serve the food mixed with their sweat, menstrual blood or different types of excreta of the body to gain favour from their husband/under the influence of enemies they may administer the artificial poisons along with food.

Features of artificial poison (Gara visha lakshana)

By this poison, the person becomes pale, emaciated and suffers from poor digestion and palpitation of heart,flatulence, oedema in hands & feet, ascites, sprue, tuberculosis, tumour, wasting and fever.

In dreams, he mostly sees cats, jackals, fierce animals, mongoose, monkey, dried vegetables, rivers and trees.In dream, having lost his sense organs, he sees himself as fair complexioned, though actually he may be dark complexioned, or devoid of ears and nose.

Ayurvedic text Yoga Ratnakara explains this topic in detail and says that the consumption of Gara visha shows its impact on the body after fifteen days/one month of duration leading to manifestation of symptoms like laziness, heaviness, cough, dyspnoea, loss of strength, haemorrhage, oedema, and yellow discolouration of the eyes etc.

Prognosis

Vagbhatta has described further that the person suffering from these and the other difficult and dreadful secondary affection, the person of artificial poisoning dies very soon if he does not get immediate treatment.

Treatment of Gara visha

Ayurveda strongly recommends that before starting the treatment, the physician should examine the patient and should ask as to what, when and with whom he has eaten. After obtaining the thorough history he should start the treatment.

Ayurvedic View of Properties And Actions of Poison

Properties of Poison

The following qualities of poison are mentioned by Charaka: light, rough, quick acting, non-slimy, quickly-absorbed, sharp, depressant, minute and of indefinable taste.

Susrutha also mentioned all the above qualities mentioned by Charaka, but replaced "of indefinable taste" with "indigestible". Vagbhatta accepts the concept of Susrutha.

The ten properties can be explained in the following way:

Properties of Ojas (Life factor)

Ayurveda says that the Ojas are the life factors of the body, the absence/decrease of which may result in death or disease respectively.

The qualities of Ojas:

Heaviness, coldness, soft, smooth, viscous, sweet, stable, clear, slimy and unctuous

Difference between Ojas, poison and alcohol

Ayurvedic Concepts of Treatment of Poison

A poison case is usually an enigma in clinical medicine. Unlike the average clinical case, many overdosed patients are brought into hospital in an unconscious state. Even if a poisoned person is conscious and alert, he is usually not cooperative. Added to these problems is the absence of specific signs and symptoms in relation to many poisonous substances. In such circumstances, assessing the patients condition is very important, which has been described by Susrutha and Vagbhatta as follows:

Assessment of the Patients Condition

A wise physician should treat a case of poisoning with full regard to the nature of the land, body constitution, compatibility, season, poisonous impulse and intensity of the poison.

Treatment

The treatment of poison can be started in two ways, that is general and specific treatment.

In general, the rules and regulations can be followed but in all types of poisoning as well as in the conditions where the physician is doubtful about the type of poison, the physician should carry out the below mentioned general treatment principles

In all kinds of poisons and in all stages of poisoning, four therapies are recommended in Ayurveda, namely, mild purgation, application of medicated paste on the skin, food, and drug recipe.

If the poison exhibits the aggravated symptoms of Vata, then mild purgation with medicated ghee is advised.If the symptoms are of Kapha nature, then mild vomiting therapy is advised with application of paste of drugs,which has hot, dry, penetrating action, and use of foods and drinks having astringent, pungent and bitter tastes.

Poison which possesses the qualities of Pitta should be mitigated by mild purgatives. Bathing, application of cold drugs, intake of foods of astringent, bitter and sweet tastes added with ghee.

Poison localized in the seats of the doshas that should be treated first without contradicting the qualities of poison.

Ayurvedic Concepts of Reciting Mantra as Antidote

Ayurveda says that the mantras are full of energy with the nature of truth. These never fail to eliminate the poison from the system. Even these will act immediately in terrible poisoning. Ayurveda says that the poison will get eliminated very quickly by the mantras than the medicines.

Method of Recitation of Mantras

While learning the mantras one should abstain from women, meat, wine, honey. One should take little food,maintain the hygiene of the body and should sleep on the mattress which is made with grass.

For the accomplishment of the mantras, one should also worship the gods devotedly with offerings of perfumes,garlands, oblations, repeated chanting of the mantra and sacrificial oblations. The mantras do not fulfil their objectives if pronounced in a faulty way or deficient in accent and letters; in such conditions anti-poison drugs should be used.

Methods of binding in Ayurveda (Binding - Ligature)

This topic in Sanskrit is called as "Arishta" or which gives the indication of Death. Obviously when the intensity of the poison increases, it signifies death. As poison starts combining with the blood and gets spread all over the body, successively it invades the other organs of the body. Thus, to prevent the disasters which could be created by the poison, the physician has to opt for the bandage (Ligature procedure) to stop the death.

Ayurveda recommends the use of cloth, skin, soft fibre or any other soft materials for this purpose.

Procedure: The ligature should first of all be bound to four fingers apart above the seat of the bite in the event.

Precautions: Vagbhatta has specified that depending on the nature of the place, it is beneficial to tie it neither every tight nor very loose. Very tight binding may produce bad smell and sweating at the site. And very loose binding will be unable to prevent the spread of poison to other places.

Incision: Poison does not advance after incision of the bite, like a tree after cutting the root, which means spreading of the poison can be stopped.

Compression: Expelling the poison by squeezing the area of bite where the incision is not possible. This method helps in removing the poison from the body, just like destroying the seed before sprouting.

This procedure should not be done if the bite is present on vital parts and joints. If it is performed on the vital parts, it may lead to death; similarly on the joints, it leads to distortion of the body.

Sucking: The physician should suck the poison (along with the impure blood) filling his mouth earlier with mud, ash, medicinal recipes, cow-dung through the incision made below the bandage.

Cauterisation: The bitten part should be burnt by heated rods of gold, iron, or by a burning faggot. This fire converts everything into ash immediately in less than a second.

Sprinkling: Susrutha has mentioned the above said treatment after the blood-letting therapy in poisonous conditions. It is prepared by the decoction of the sandalwood and Ushira. Then the decoction should be sprinkled on the affected part to pacify the aggravated doshas.

Charaka has also accepted this concept and says that it will help in the condensation of the blood, thus helping to pacify the intensity of the poison as blood is the only medium for the spreading of poison in the body.

Bath: It means dipping or immersion of the affected part in a medicated decoction or oil.

Blood-letting Therapy

Importance: Blood-letting eliminates the poison from the body as blood is a major medium which blows up the poison just like air blows up the fire. Hence, Blood-letting therapy plays an important role in controlling the intensity of the poison.

Indications: Blood-letting should be speedily resorted to in cases where the poisoned area has become discoloured, rigid, swollen and painful and also if the poison has spread to distant areas.

Contraindications: Blood-letting is contraindicated in infants, old people and pregnant women.

Selection of the Vein: The expert physician should puncture veins around the site of the bite. In case the poison is spread, veins at the end of the extremities or in the forehead should be punctured.

Procedure: Blood-letting should be performed by scrapping, application of horn, leech or venesection.

Ayurvedic concepts of poisonous food

The poisonous food will have bad odour and if it is put into fire, makes a cracking sound.

Precautions: Depending on the features and condition of the patient, the flow of pure blood should be arrested. After the blood-letting therapy, the remaining amount of blood which exists in the body, if liquefied by the influence of heat of the poison, should be stopped immediately by the intensive cold procedures repeatedly, as it restricts the blood flow. If the blood does not clot due to the power of poison, it leads to fainting, toxicity, cardiac complications etc. These should be managed by cold therapies and fanning the patient till he gets horripilations.

Emesis

During the phase, the indigested poison should be eliminated by emesis, which means if the poison is in the stomach, the emesis is indicated. This treatment is also advised when the person affected with the poison marked by the predominance of Kapha, bitten in winter season, cold salivation, fainting and intoxication.

Vagbhatta advises the emesis if the bitten area is above the umbilicus.

Precautions: Avoiding use of sour liquids like gruel, soup of horse gram, oil, wine etc.

Purgation

In the second stage of poisoning, purgation is indicated. Which means when the poison is in the large intestines, purgation may give good results.

This is advised in conditions when the person is affected with pain, burning sensation in the abdomen,distension of the abdomen, retention of the urine, stool and flatus, painful urination. Vagbhatta says that in Pitta prominent person and if the bite is below the umbilicus, purgation is of good help.

Precautions: The person suffering from poisoning should be made to purge lying on the cot which has a hole in the middle (To pass the faeces). Vagbhatta frequent walking may leads to the vitiation of Vata.

Medication on the Incised Scalp

When the channels of Kapha get vitiated by the poison, it causes obstruction in the channels because of which the movement of Vata gets obstructed. As a result, the patient breaths as if he is going to die very soon. If he is free from the signs and symptoms of incurability, then the incisions should be made on the scalp resembling the paw of the crow and one handful paste of meat of goat, cow, buffalo, cock should be applied which may absorb the poison from the body.

Vagbhatta says that if the bite is on the lower parts of the body, the incision should be made at the head.If the bite is on the upper parts of the body the incision should be made at the legs.

Nasal Drops

The powder of medicines like Katabhi, Katuka, and Katphala etc. should be blown up into the persons nostrils to reduce the spreading of the poison.

Protection of the Heart

Poison, by its penetrating nature, weakens the heart, so in order to protect it, the affected person should be made to drink pure ghee, ghee mixed with honey or anti-poisonous medicines mixed with ghee.

Application of collyrium

Long pepper, black pepper, barley alkali, rock salt etc. macerated with fish bile and applied as collyrium.After the use of strong nasal drops and collyrium, ghee should be given in larger doses because the poison by its penetrating property destroys the eyes if they are dry and irritating.

Indications: Collyrium should be applied in the case of swelling of eyeball, somnolence, and discolouration of the eyes, blurred vision and discoloured appearance of all objects.

Nasal Medication

When poison is present in the head, nasal medication, with the juice of root of Bandhujiva, Bharangi, Tulsi etc or the powder of long pepper, Hingu, Apamarga etc. blown into nose, restores the consciousness.

Medicated Smoking

Medicated smoking helps to clear off all blocked channels due to which respiration process gets stabilized.The anti-toxic medicated smoke enters the body and nullifies the adverse effect of the poison.

In another context, Vagbhatta says that wherever sudation therapy is contraindicated, smoking therapy should be used there to bring the same effect.

Linctuses

This is a preparation of the medicine in the pastry form. Generally, in poisoned conditions, the dryness of the throat and the mouth is a common symptom and in this condition, to avoid the adverse effects of the poison, immediate medication should be administered which should also be easily digestible. The most preferred combination is honey and ghee.

Medicines (Other medicaments)

Use of different medicines and combinations thereof in different complications, which arise due to poisoning.

Rubbing of anti-poisonous powders

Vagbhatta recommends that, while doing the blood-letting therapy, if the vitiated blood/poison is not coming out even after incision, it should be impelled by the application of rubbing powders such as dry ginger, long pepper etc.

Counter-Poisons

When the effects of poison do not subside by chanting hymns and drug administration, after the lapse of the fifth stage and before the lapse of seventh stage, counter-poison has to be administered.

Procedure of administering the counter-poison: It should be administered after the sunrise and in winter/spring seasons. In summers, it is advised only in emergency conditions. It should not be administered during the rainy season, on cloudy days, not to those in anger, suffering from diseases of Pitta, impotent, King, Brahman, who is troubled very much from hunger, thirst, exertion, sun, light, long walk, chronic diseases, pregnant women,children, aged, those who are emaciated or suffering from diseases of vital organs.

Diet: Though the use of counter-poison becomes a daily habit, accustomed things forbidden should be avoided such as pungent and sour foods and drinks, oils, salts, day sleep, sun light, fire and dry foods.

Selection of Antidote: Vegetable and mineral poisons generally possess properties similar to Kapha and spread upwards, whereas animal poisons possess properties of Pitta and spreads downwards, thus the two kinds of poisons possessing the opposite qualities, when put together, destroy each other.

Hence, person who is bitten by snake etc. should be administered poisonous roots in the form of external and internal application. The person who has consumed vegetable poison should be got bitten by snake.

Vagbhatta says that there is nothing equal to poison of the other kind to neutralize the poison and to nullify its effect.

Dose of the counter-poison: For a patient of snake-bite, vegetable poison in the quantity of four, six and eight yava is the minimum, moderate and maximum doses.

Counter-poison acts like a nectar when applied/administered to wounds or persons who have been poisoned.Powerful counter-poisons administered to weak persons give rise to many complications/diseases or may lead to death.

Resuscitation

This is a very important procedure which plays a vital role in regaining the conscious state of an unconscious person. The procedure is as follows:

The patient thus restored to consciousness should be treated with emesis and purgatives. If the complete elimination of the poison is not done properly it may lead to loss of complexion, fever, cough, headache,swelling, blindness, cold and aversion to food.

External Applications

The intensity of the poison causes narcosis, fainting, affliction and palpitation of heart. These should be averted with cold applications, which pacify the poison like extinguishing the fire by sprinkling water.

Revivification

Revivification is one of the ancient classical therapies through which the life of an individual can be regained.But, nowadays, this therapy has vanished. This therapy could be considered as a broad spectrum or a universal antidote which can be used to nullify the toxic effects of almost all the types of toxins.

Features of Recovery Fom the Poisoning

After the treatment, the physician should examine whether the patient is free from the poison, the doshas have subsided, the tissues have become normal, the patient is desirous of food, is normal in respect of urine and faeces, has pleasing colour/complexion, good working of the sense organs and the mind.

Ayurveda says vitiation of doshas is the root cause of a disease. Know more about your health through FREE Dosha Analysis.