Friday, 10 June 2011

Avaleha are the classical ayurvedic rejuvenators...

Definition

Avaleha or Lehya is a semi-solid preparation of drugs, prepared with addition of jaggery, sugar or sugar-candy and boiled with prescribed drug juice or decoction. They are also known as Modaka , Guda, Khanda, Rasayana, Leha etc.

क्वाथादीनां पुन: पाकात् घनत्वं सा रसक्रिया
सो अवलेहश्च लेह: स्यात् तन्मत्रा स्यात् पलोन्मिता शा.सं.म.८/१

When kwatha (decoction ) etc are reboiled to thick or solid consistency it is known as Rasakriya. The same is known as leha , avaleha .

The dosage of this preparation is 1 pala (48g)

In modern science such preparations are known as confections / linctus /Elinctures

Method of preparation of Avaleha

These preparations generally have

(1) Kashaya or other liquids, (Drava dravya)

(2) jaggery, sugar or sugar-candy,(Madhura dravya)

(3) powders or pulps of certain drugs; and

(4) ghee or oil and honey

1) Drava Dravya:-

It includes both Sneha Dravya and Asneha Dravya.

Asneha Dravya :-

Generally aqueous solutions [Swarasa, Kwath, Hima, and Phanta] are

used as liquid material. But sometimes other liquid materials like water, milk,

cow’s urine are also used.5

These liquid materials act as supply depot of water molecules, which

works like solvent for the sweet substance added.

Sneha Dravya – e.g. Ghrita, Taila.

�� They are intended in the formulation for the following purposes.

�� Used for frying of pulp of Amalaki, Haritaki and Kushmanda like

drugs. e.g. Chavanprash Avaleha.6

�� In the absence of pulp material like Amalaki, they are added in the

Avaleha, Khanda, and Modaka after Asannapakva Avastha.

2) Madhura Dravya:-

Guda (Jaggery) and Sharkara (Sugar) are used as sweet substances.

Madhu is used mainly in the form of adjuvant. They serve