Monograph on Pāțhā 2070 Introduction Ayurveda literally means knowledge of life. Ayurvedic medicines are based on the principle that every individual has a unique constitution that related to his vital energies translated into Ayurvedic nosology as dosha or humors. In ayurveda, medicinal plants have been used sufficiently for the cure and treatment of disease and maintenance of sound health. The origin of Ayurveda is called to be the origin of universe, some says it as shasvata. From the time of initiation of ayurveda the use of many medicinal plants has been encoded. Some of them have been extinct, but the profound Achāryas in ayurveda has also listed their substitution. Even animals use herbs to cure their ill health. One of the plants described in Ayurvedic grantha is, Pāțhā (Cissampelos pareira linn.) Latin Name: Cissampelos pareira linn. Sanskrit name: Pāțhā, Ambashtā, Baratiktā, Abiddakarni, Piluphalā. Hindi name:Pādh, Pādhi Bengal: Ākanādi Marāthi : Pādabel Gujrat:Benibel Tamil: Appātā Telgu: Pādā, Malayālam:Katuballi Morphological characters: A climber or prostate herb. Leaf : Alternate, circular, small, hairy, petiole 1-3’’ long Flower : Unisexual, yellowish white Fruit : Like pea after ripe reddish Seed : Small slightly curved Almost in all Ayurvedic text, either the properties or the preparation of Pāțhā with other drugs has been described, though only little description is given. In most of the text the plant has been described as Pāțhā, or in some place as Aambashtā. Pāțhā has a very long history of medicinal use in many herbal traditions. It is widely employed in modern herbal medicine as an Stanyasodhana drug. 53 Monograph on Pāțhā 2070 Pāțhā in samhita Charaka Samhita (1000 BC) dw'sdw'k0fL{k[lZgk0o{Dai7sL;dª\ufdf]r/;wftsLnf]w|lk|oª\u's6\kmnfgLlt bz]dflg ;GwfgLoflg ejlGt≤ (C.S.Su. 4/5) In chapter Shadvirechanasatashritiya, Pāțhā along with other 9 drugs has been listed as union promotive drugs. Kff7fdxf]}Èw;'/bf?d':td"jf{u'8"rLjT;skmnls/fltQmss6'/f]lxl0f;fl/jf Olt bz]dflg :tGozf]wgFlg ejlGt≤ (C.S.Su. 4/18) In the same chapter, Pāțhā along with other drugs has been listed as stanyasodhana drugs. ;fl/jfzs{/fkf7fdl~hi7fb|fÔfkLn'k?ÈsfeofdnslaeLtsfgLlt bz]dflg Hj/x/fl0f ejlGt ≤(C.S.Su. 4/39) Pāțhā along with other drugs has been listed as Antipyretic drugs. In the chapter, Santarpaniya, Pāțhā along with other 7 drugs in decoction form if used regularly according to date and time diseases caused by oversaturation like prameha etc. are alleviated certainly. (C.S.Su. 23/10, 12) Again Pāțhā along with other 18 drugs are powdered and added with oil, ghee, and honey each in quantity equal to the powder. All this is mixed with sixteen times of roasted grain flour and a saturating drink (mantha) is prepared and used in different diseases like prameha, disorder of flatus, leprosy, piles, jaundice, spleen enlargement, anaemia, swelling, dysuria, anorexia, heart diseases, phthisis, cough, dyspnoea, choking of throat, helminthiasis, disorder of grahaņi, leucoderma, overobesity are allievated, the digestive power is stimulated and memory and intellect develop. (C.S.Su. 23/19) In Chapter Jatisutriya i.e. principles of precreation, Decoction of Pāțhā along with other drugs is administered in disorders of breast milk (kshir dosha). (C.S.Sa. 8/56) सनागयं ऩऩपटकं पऩफे饍वा सदयु ारबभ ्। ककयाततत啍तकं भस्ु तं गडू च ं पवश्वबेषजभ ् पाठाभशु यं सोदी楍मं ऩफे饍धा जवयशान्तमे 煍वयन्घा दीऩनाश्र्वैषामा दोषऩाचना: |(C.S.Ci.2/188-199) Pāțhā along with kirātatikta, mustā, gudūcī, shunthī, uśira may be taken in the form of cold infusion or decoction as antipyretic appetiser, digestive for dosha and alleviate thirst, anorexia and distaste of mouth. 53 Monograph on Pāțhā 2070 ऩटोर:सारयवाभस्ु तं पाठा कटु कयोहहण । तनम्फ:ऩटोरत्रिपरा भ饍ृ व का भस्ु तवत्सकौ ।(C.S.Ci. 2/201) Pāțhā with patōla, sārivā, mustā, katurohinī can alleviate double quotidian, one of the five types of fever, namely – remittent, double quotidian, quotidian, tertian and quartan. वत्सकाय嵍वधौ पाठा車 षड्ग्रन्थां कटुयोहहण भ ्। भूवाप सततपवषां तनम्फं ऩटोरं धनवमासकभ ्।(C.S.Ci. 2/204) Pāțhā along with other drugs like vacā mustā, uśīra, madhuka, triphalā, balā etc. – this formulation should be taken in fever in the form of decoction or cold infusion. शटी ऩष्ु कयभूरं च ........................................गडु ू च नागयं पाठा ककयातं कटुयोहहण ।(C.S.Ci. 2/211) Pāțhā along with other drugs like shati, pushkarmūla etc. is used in sannipātaj jwor as well as Dyspnoea, heart diseases, cough etc. हह敍गु त्रिकटुकं पाठा車 हऩुषाभबमा.............. 饍वौ ऺायौ रवणे 饍वे च वव्मं चैकि चुणपमेत ्।(C.S.Ci. 5/79-80) Pāțhā, along with other drugs like hiogu, trikatu, harītakī, shatī, ajmodā, vacā, two alkalis (yavakshāra and swarjikshāra), two salts (saindhava and sauvarcala) and chavya – all together are powdered. This helps to relieve the pain in the sides, heart or pelvic region, hardness in bowels, pain in anus or vaginal track, disorders of grahanī, piles, spleen enlargement, anaemia, anorexia, and obstruction in chest, hiccup, cough, asthma and choking of throat हयीतकीक絍परभस्ु तरोध्रं पाठापवड敍गाजपनु धन्वनाश..............् हदम्वशाराजपुनदी्मकाश्र्व । दावĂ पवड敍गं …………………………………………………… सऩाठा पाठा च भूवाप च तथा श्वेदंष्रा । अश्वत्थपाठासनवेतसानां कट敍कटेमपत्ु ऩरभस्ु तकानाभ ्................कषामा भधुसप्रं म啍ु ता: ।.(C.S.Ci. 6/27-32) The three decoctions – Pāțhā, vidanga, arjuna and dhanvana (1), Pāțhā, dāruharidrā, agnimantha and triphalā (2) and Pāțhā, mūrvā and goksura (3) - mixed with honey, can be given to patient of prameha. Pāțhā with triphalā, ativisā, tagara, nakha, patra, marica, plāva, etc. and 19 others drugs– made into formulation named 'Madhvāsava'. If taken in the dose of 80 ml, it alleviates kaphaja and pittaja pramehas quickly. It is also efficacious in anaemia, piles, anorexia, grahanīroga, leucoderma and various types of leprosy. (C.S.Ci. 6/42) Oil prepared with pāțhā and other drugs like arka, seeds of mūlaka, rohinī, indrayava, seeds of bitter bottle-gourd, cakramarda, etc. is kustha-alleviating. This formulation may also be used as paste, anointing, rubbing and powdering. (C.S.Ci. 7/103-104) 53 Monograph on Pāțhā 2070 कु ष्ठं पाठा भस्ु तं तम्ु फ셁ु भूवपवगचा: सषड्ग्रन्था: । एडगजकु टजशशरत्र्मूषणफ쥍रातकऺवका: ।(C.S.Ci. 7/113) Pāțhā with other drugs is made paste with mustard or tila oil. A decoction of the paste with root and young leaves of karavīra and four times of cow's urine. This, when prepared should be kept in a vessel made of bitter bottlegourd. By this the physician may tear off the mandala, kustha along with the worms and itching by massage. स्त楍छदं प्रततपवषां शभऩाकं त啍तयोहहण ं पाठाम ्। भश्ु तभशु यं त्रिपरा ऩटोरपऩचभु दपऩयऩटकभ ्।(C.S.Ci. 7/144) Pāțhā along with other drugs like Mustā, Uśira,Triphalā, Pațola, Nimbi etc made into Māhātikta ghrita helpful in kusţha,predominant in raktapitta, bleeding piles, Erysipelas, Amlapitta,pāmā etc. In case of patient suffering from Diarrhoea with slimy stools, tastelessness in mouth, anorexia,due to agni impairment Pāțhā, bilva,yāvāni is taken with butter milk and durālabhā, sunthi, Pāțhā with wine. (C.S.Ci. 8/153) बागॉ पाठा車 त्रिकटु कं त्रिवतृ ां तनचुरातन च । श्रेमस भाढकीं भूवॉ दन्त ं बूतनम्फचचिकौ ।(C.S.Ci. 10/20) Pāțhā with other drugs like Bhārgī, Trikatu, Nichula, Gajapippalī, dantī, etc. made into Mahāpapcagavya ghrita and is like ambrosia. It is efficacious in diseases like Gūlma, Pāndu Roga, etc. ऩाश्वपफस्स्त셁ज चा쥍ऩपऩततास्न्गस्तां सयु ामतु ाभ ् । शबन्नपव絍क: सभसु ताततपवषाऩाठां सवत्सकाभ ् ।(C.S.Ci. 11/16) Pāțhā along with other drugs like Mustā, Ativisā and Kutaja, can be given to patient suffering from diarrhoea. Two types of Punarnavā, two types of balā, two types of Pāțhā, Dantī, Gudūchi, - is made into decoction. This decoction, with some other medicinal preparations, can be give to alleviate heart diseases, anaemia, severe swelling, splenomegaly, fever, anorexia, etc.(C.S.Ci. 12/34) कृ ष्णा सऩाठा गजपऩ्ऩरी ............................................सखु तोमऩ तभ ।(C.S.Ci. 12/41) Pāțhā along with other drugs like Pippalī, Gajapippalī, Chitraka, Pippalimūla, haridrā, etc. in powder form alleviates Tridosha and chronic swelling. कशर敍गाकास्श्र्विकभूरऩाठे मष्टमाह्वमं .................................... भूरकशन्ु ठकानाभ ।.(C.S.Ci. 12/44) 53 Monograph on Pāțhā 2070 Pāțhā along with other drugs like Devadāru, Bilva, Indrayava, Chitraka (roots), Hingu , ash of dried raddish made into pills- each of 5gm and given to patients of splenomegaly, leucoderma, Halīmaka, piles, anaemia, wasting, swelling, choleric disorder, Gūlma, poisoning, calculus, dyspnoea, cough etc. Pāțhā along with other drugs like Trikatu, Pippalimūla, Hingu, Chitraka, Sauvarcala, etc. can be given to patients suffering from swelling and pain in ano-rectum and poor digestion. Moreover it can be useful in piles, Grahanī, colic pain and hardness of bowels, diarrhoea, etc. (C.S.Ci. 14/62-68) त्रफ쥍वं ककपटकं ऩाठां पऩष्絍वा ऩेमां पवऩाचमेत ्। पराम्रां मभकै बपष्ृ टां तां द饍दा嵍हुदजाऩहाभ ्।(C.S.Ci. 14/90) Pāțhā, after medically processing with other drugs like Marīcha, Pippalī, etc. is made into powder form, which is very useful in alleviating diseases like piles. Pāțhā along with other drugs like Durālabhā, Bilva, etc. alleviates painful piles if taken before meals. Chavya, Trikatu, Pāțhā, Yavakshāra, Dhānyaka, Yavāni, etc. should be powdered together with four time’s good curd for carmination of stool and flatus. This ghee alleviates dysentery, anal prolapse, dysuria, anal discharge, pain in anorectum and groins.