Ayurvedic Herbalism: Herbal Usage


♦ Home Part I: Ayurveda ♦ Introduction & History ♦ Indian Cosmology ♦ The Human Body ♦ Health & Sickness Part II: Ayurvedic Herbalism ♦ Humans & Plants ♦ Food Energies ♦ Plant Classification ♦ Herbal Preparations ♦ Herbal Usage ♦ Common Herbs Part III: Future of Ayurveda ♦ Limits to Ayurveda ♦ Ayurveda-Western Medicine Comparison ♦ Ayurveda as CAM ♦ Conclusion		Herbal Usage In Ayurveda, herbs can have significantly different effects depending on how they were ingested, how they were applied externally, and when they were consumed. They can also have enhanced effects if the user does meditation and chanting before consuming the herbs. Different Media of Ingestion Direct ingestion is most desirable if the medicinal properties are intended to affect the deeper, internal organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and intestines and the organ systems such as the respiratory, circulatory, and lymphatic systems. Herbs can be ingested via various kinds of media. Media include water, honey, ghee, oil, and milk among many others. Different media have different effects. These are just some of the common media of ingestion (1): Honey Honey enhances the power of the herbs, especially if it is a hot, pungent Pitta herb. It brings the herbs to the blood and muscles. Honey is effective at helping herbs reduce Kapha. Ghee Ghee does not enhance or reduce the herbs. It instead helps to carry herbs further into the deeper organs and tissues. Ghee is also powerful at helping herbs reduce Pitta. Milk Milk reduces the power of hot, pungent herbs but adds nutrients to sweet, salty foods. It also generally reduces the herb’s side effects. It also brings herbs to the blood. Oil Oil enhances the power of the herbs, especially if the herbs are sweet, heavy Kapha herbs. Oil carries herbs to the bone marrow and skin. It is effective at helping herbs reduce Vata. Hot Water Hot water helps herbs reduce Vata and Kapha. It is always used to help herbs reduce fever. Cold Water Cold water helps herbs reduce Pitta. But it is never used to help herbs reduce fever because cold water reduces heat in the digestive system causing it to disperse to the surface of the body, thus increasing fever. External Applications Many herbs are more valuable as external applications because they treat symptoms on or near the surface of the body. Herbs used externally are often in the forms of pastes, poultices, and oils. Almost all symptoms on or near the surface of the body are either Vata symptoms such as dizziness, muscular and joint problems, and coughs or Kapha symptoms such as wounds, cuts, bad skin, burns and sores. For Vata symptoms, sweet, salty Kapha herbs are used to nourish the aggravated Vata organs, restore mass, and heal worn-down organs. For Kapha symptoms, bitter, astringent Vata herbs are used to dry and contract the skin so that wounds, cuts, burns and sores can close up and start healing. Cool Vata herbs reduce inflammation. These are the three basic methods of external application (2): Enema (rectal insertion) Enemas are large amounts of fluid injected into the rectum using a special tube. Herbs infused in an enema can be used to treat illnesses of the colon. Vata herbs can be used in an enema to treat gas, and constipation. Pitta herbs can be used to reduce congestion, mucus, and waste products from the colon. Kapha foods can used to heal internal inflammation and repair damaged tissue. Facial/Nasal Application Herbs are applied to the face to directly cure symptoms of the nervous and respiratory systems. Herbs infused in oil can be applied to the ears, nose, or forehead; herbs in powder form can be snuffed; herbs in vapor form can be inhaled; and herbs in cigar form can be smoked. All of these actions are used to arouse the brain, revive consciousness for a fainted person, open up the sinuses, eliminate coughs, and clear up congestion. Skin Application Herbs are most frequently applied to the skin via oil massages. Herbal treatments applied to the skin have the advantage of being able to target specific areas, tissues, and organs. Oils can be applied to the lungs and nerves to arouse the respiratory and nervous system. Herbs can also be heated and applied to the skin to induce heating of the body and elimination of toxins through sweating and stimulation of the organs. Times of Consumption Herbs should be taken at specific times to maximize their effects. Herbs intended to work on the intestines and rectal area of the body should be consumed before eating a meal. These herbs include laxatives, diuretic, and emmenagogues. Herbs intended to work on the stomach, small intestines, and middle area of the body should be consumed with the meal. These herbs include stimulants, carminatives, and tonics. Herbs intended to work on the lungs, heart, brain and upper area of the body should be taken after eating a meal. These herbs include diaphoretics, expectorants, and nervines (3). Compounds Ayurveda rarely ever uses individual herbs by themselves. Herbs are almost always mixed with other herbs in a compound. This reflects the holistic, non-specific nature of Ayurvedic medicine in general. First, a main herb is chosen. This main herb will best contain the medicinal property needed to heal a person or cure a specific illness. Second, other herbs of similar medicinal properties should be added to enhance each other and the main herb. It is an Ayurvedic theory that a combination of similar herbs is more powerful than a single herb in the same amount. Third, other herbs that share do side tasks should be added as assistants to the primary and secondary herbs. For example, an herb used to treat a flu should have assistant herbs that reduce coughing and mucus. Finally, herbs of opposite medicinal properties should be added in a smaller amount to balance the effects of the primary herbs so as to prevent serious side-effects (4). Because an herbal treatment has so many different herbs (some working with and some working against the main herb), it is often more slow-working and less immediately effective than allopathic medicine. But they often have more lasting effects with fewer side-effects. They also promote the strengthening of the whole person more so than allopathic medicine. Mantra and Meditation While herbs are used to increase physical health, mantras and meditations are used simultaneously with herbs to promote psychological and spiritual health. Mantras are special syllables, such as OM, that reflect the vibrations of the universe. They are chanted to raise the consciousness and help it vibrate on the same level as the universe. As stated in “Humans and Plants”, humans are inevitably linked to plants. Humans are the “plants of consciousness” for they transform life into consciousness through perception. Humans express their perception through chanting mantras (5). Thus, mantras are the link that connects plants and humans together in the cycle of life. Ayurveda focuses on the health of the whole person. Eating herbs solely for its physical nutrients will not make the person wholly healthy. Chanting mantras in a state of mediation after consuming herbs is needed to help the person psychically open up to the herbs beyond their physical level. This will ultimately help the person maximize their benefits from consuming the herbs. References: 1. Frawley, David and Lad, Vasant. The Yoga of Herbs. Lotus Press: Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. 2001. Pg. 85-86. 2. Ibid. Pg. 86-88. 3. Ibid. Pg. 88-89. 4. Ibid. Pg. 90-91. 5. Ibid. Pg. 94-95.

This website was created by Daniel Lim as a research project for:
HCOL 195-C: Ethnobotany- An Ecological Economics Perspective, Fall 2006
Professor Marta Ceroni
University of Vermont