Abstract

A CRITICAL REVIEW OF USE OF KSHARA IN SURGICAL PRACTICES

*Vd. Aniruddh Anant Gavkar and Dr. Nandkishor V. Borse

ABSTRACT

Kshara kalpana is one of the important dosage form developed as sub type of Panchavidh kashay Kalpana. Kshara is alkaline in nature. It is first described in Sushrut samhita. There are various methods described in ayurvedic texts for the preparation of kshara. It has been proved to be effective medicine internally as well as externally. Internally it can be used by means of Vati (tablets), churna (powdered form) or as a liquid like Ksharodaka. While externally it is used as lepa or pratisarana. It‟s one of the modification of external use is Ksharasutra which is described by Acharya Chakradatta. It is being used widely by surgeons and appreciated its effectiveness. Kshara is considered superior to all the shastra karma (surgical measures) and anu-shastra karma (para-surgical measures), because Ksharas perform the work of shodhan, bhedan, lekhana, pachana, ropan, stambhana karma i.e. incision, puncture, and scarification etc. so as to relieve the derangements of Tridosha. They uniformly affect the diseased part or parts to which they are applied. There is wide range of description available about kshara kalpana in ayurvedic texts. Based on raw material used for kshara formation and mode of use, it has two main types pratisaraniya kshara and paniya kshara which are widely used in surgical practices as main parasurgical process.

Keywords: Kshara kalpana, paniya kshara, pratisarniya kshara, para-surgical process.