Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Abhakta is likely one of the ‘aushadha sevana kala’ i.e. time for taking drugs.
Abhakta = A + Bhakta
A = no, Bhakta = meals
So, in Abhakta, the medication is run when the particular person / affected person has not taken meals. This additionally signifies that the particular person has an empty abdomen when she or he is taking the medication.
Abhakta can be known as by different names –
Ananna = Na + Anna = no meals = drugs taken when she or he has not consumed meals
Niranna = with out meals – drugs ought to be taken with out having taken the meals
All these phrases imply the identical.
Understanding Abhakta Annakala
When is the medication administered in ‘Abhakta’?
As already talked about, the medication in Abhakta is run to an individual who has not consumed any meals or when the abdomen is empty / devoid of any meals.
Wherein a part of the day the medication is run?
Often, this drugs is supposed to be given early within the morning. At the moment, the particular person has simply woken up from sleep. He ought to be allowed to keep away from his urine and faeces in order to really feel lightness within the intestine, as felt after full evacuation of bowel.
She or he ought to be instructed to not take any meals and maintain the abdomen empty.
The opposite preferable time is at / throughout dawn.
Why ought to drugs be given presently? Dosha relation
At the moment i.e. early within the morning or throughout early morning, the dosha actions will likely be very much less within the abdomen and intestine. The medication is not going to be influenced by the dosha or doshas.
When the abdomen is empty, the abdomen will likely be free from kapha dosha or its affect.
This time could be thought of as ‘breakfast time’ these days. So, if not early within the morning or at dawn, drugs could be administered at an alternate time i.e. breakfast time. Even right here, the abdomen will likely be empty as per rule.
Indications and advantages of Abhakta
Medicinal efficacy – When the medication is run on empty abdomen, its therapeutic impact will likely be excessive and good.
Absorption – The absorption and motion of the medication administered on an empty abdomen will likely be optimum.
Shodhana – The medicines that are directed in direction of inducing therapeutic emesis – vamana and therapeutic purgation – virechana ought to be administered presently. When performed, they’ll set within the motion shortly and induce vomiting or purgation effortlessly.
Weight Discount – If the affected person is on the lookout for weight discount, the medicines administered presently will assist in reaching the objectives. Due to this fact, Abhakta drugs is the most effective one for administration of obese and weight problems situations. So, it may be thought of in medovaha sroto dushti i.e. contamination of fats forming and conveying channels within the physique and ailments attributable to the identical.
Medicines for morbid kapha and pitta and ailments attributable to them – Medicines given on empty abdomen will assist in combating morbid pitta and kapha. It is usually the most effective to deal with and take below management the ailments attributable to aggravated pitta, kapha or each doshas.
Kapha and Pitta are drava doshas i.e. they’re partly liquid in nature. Placing it the opposite approach, dravatva or presence of liquidity is likely one of the qualities of each pitta and kapha. Langhana i.e. fasting or therapeutic hunger, as we all know, when performed in a managed approach, will take away the extreme fluidity of pitta and kapha, that are antagonistic to the metabolism and metabolic hearth – the agni.
Right here, the empty abdomen will present the same surroundings and added by the impact of anti-pitta or anti-kapha medicines administered presently, the therapeutic impact in combating morbid kapha and pitta will likely be optimum. Identical issues work in favour of treating kapha and pitta problems.
Superb for Vyana Vata dysfunctions – Medicines given early within the morning on empty abdomen are finest in treating vyana vayu dysfunctions and in addition problems precipitated as a result of vitiation of vyana vata. Vyana vata is the subtype of vata which is concerned in distribution of issues, together with vitamin and oxygen and circulation within the physique. It’s always shifting throughout the physique. Medicines administered in Abhakta time will assist in balancing vyana vata and curing the ailments attributable to dysfunctions of vyana vata.
Individuals who’ve good energy are match / eligible to take drugs within the abhakta time. This consists of good bodily and psychological energy. Individuals who have much less energy and fewer tolerance is not going to tolerate medicines given on an empty abdomen.
Contraindications for giving medicines in Abhakta Kala
Excessive efficiency medicines – Medicines having larger potencies shall be given on empty abdomen to those that are robust however not the sufferers who’re weak. It must also not be given to youngsters, aged individuals, girls or debilitated individuals.
These having tiredness and weak spot – Medicines given on empty stomachs presently could cause tiredness and weak spot. Due to this fact, the dose and tolerance ought to be monitored repeatedly. Additionally, drugs presently shouldn’t be given to those that have already got tiredness and weak spot.
The opposite situations whereby abhakta aushadha is contraindicated are –
– People who find themselves thirsty
– People who find themselves hungry
– Individuals who have consumed chilly water
– Folks affected by indigestion
We have to observe that although this type of drugs is given on an empty abdomen, care ought to be taken to see that the particular person shouldn’t be feeling hungry or thirsty whereas administering drugs. So, the rule is – this drugs ought to be given to an individual who’s on an empty abdomen however is neither hungry nor thirsty.
Chilly water meddles with the motion of the medication by not solely diluting the medication but in addition the agni. It’s going to additionally improve kapha and vata.
When drugs is given to these affected by indigestion, throughout this time, the medication will likely be overcome by ama. The medication is not going to be absorbed correctly and put into circulation because of the weak spot of agni.
Some ailments which could be cured by medicines administered in Abhakta state
Abhakta medicinal timing could be thought of within the under talked about situations –
– Circulatory ailments like hypertension / hypotension precipitated as a result of imbalances of vyana vata
– Pores and skin ailments – as a result of deficiency of vitamin and oxygenation as a result of vyana vata imbalances
– Kapha problems – diabetes, swelling / oedema in physique components, heaviness of the physique and so forth.
– Pitta problems – inflammatory ailments, gastritis, colitis, arthritis and so forth.
– Weight problems and obese points
– Illnesses of fats associated channels and errors of fats metabolism, Hypothyroidism
– Shodhana Sneha – the amount of medicated ghee / oil utilized in metered doses, till the physique will get saturated with the medication and indicators of correct oleation / lubrication are discovered, for making ready the particular person for shodhana – cleaning of the physique is given to the affected person on empty abdomen when she or he has not consumed any meals but.
References
– Ashtanga Sangraha Sutra Sthana, Chapter 23 (23/14, 23)
– Sushruta Samhita Uttara Sthana, Chapter 64 (64/67)
– Charaka Samhita Chiktsa Sthana, Chapter 30 (30/299)
– Sharangadhara Samhita Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 2 (2/2,4)