The antipyretic drugs are used for the purpose of reducing the body temperature
and then maintain it to normal. It is the category of medicine that prevents feverish conditions as well as lower downs the body temperature from raised stage to normal condition. The antipyretics commonly don’t effect in the healthy state means don’t disturb the temperature regulation in healthy state. According to modern sciences antipyretic medicines are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that generally act by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesize within the hypothalamus region that acts a temperature regulator in our body.
The fever is the state of the body where the body temperature reaches higher then the normal body temperature. This normal body temperature in
an individual is taken on as 98.4-degree feranhite or 37 degree Celsius. The thermometer
is used to measures this temperature orally, in
arm pit or in rectum. Fever is caused by many
factors.
It can occur independently or as symptom of any disease. Fever is generally due to the pathological impact of the microbes as well as the traumatic and several other reasons. The complex biochemical syntheses of the interleukin as well as the
other substances like prostaglandins are the responsible factors for the hyperpyrexia. These biochemical are released due to the pathological invasion and complex reaction of the pathogens that affects the central nervous system resulting in fever.
This temperature regulation process is governed by various systems. That involves the central nervous system and the circulatory system. In the state of fever the bodily symptoms are commonly the same as the rise in temperature, some times shivering, in acute stages the delirium as well as the unconsciousness is also there.
The fever is the also described as symptom another disease. In various diseases fever is present as symptom. Like typhoid, rheumatic disease and more. In ayurveda related old classics the fever is described in details and is termed as “Jwara”. It is divided into several types and subdivisions according to the dosha theory and other pathological principles of ayurveda. The basic principle of treating the pyrexia is to reduce the body temperature by certain procedure and drugs. The antipyretics described in ayurveda can be broadly classified into following types-
- Antipyretics and,
- Analgesic and diaphoretics.
According to ayurveda the basic line of treatment for fever involves the elimination of the root cause that is aggravates the
body temperature. The swedavrodha (stopped sweating) is the main cause that increases the body temperature. The process of
langhanam (fasting) and paachan (using appetizers and digestive stimulants) are also described as basic line of treatment of the patient suffering from fever. There are different medicines and drugs that are used as antipyretic. Apart from that there are several therapeutic measures that are used to lower down the body temperature of the body.
The action of antipyretic drugs occurs in following ways.
- They act by reducing the activity of the hypothalamus.
- They act by increasing the heat radiating speed of body.
- They increase the sweating activity.
- The procedures that are used to lower down the temperature.
- The antipyretics describes in the ayurveda classics are-
Jwaraghana gana (antipyretic category)
Following are some of the main drugs from the ayurveda references that are used as jwaraghana. They are –Sariva, Sharkarapataha, Manjishta, Draksha, Peelu, Parushaka, Abhya, Amla, Bhibhitaki, Patola, Shewats chandan, Rakta chandan, Moorva, Gaduchi, Patha, Katuki, Nimba, Dhaniya, Padmakha, Amaltas, Madan phala, Karanj, Kalmegha, Saptaparna, Kaarvellak, Vatsanabh, Dhatura, Atis, Droon pushpi, Sahdevi, Arka
and Karvir,
The mineral based drugs that are used as antipyretic are-
Pkitkari, Narsaar, Godanti, Neelanjana, Sankhiya, Hartaal, Manashila, Praval, Kaparda, Shankha, Qunine,
The all drugs mentioned above are used according to the patient’s specific need and the dosha involved or the kind of fever. Besides these there are several combination medicines that are used as antipyretic in ayurveda. The following medicines are used as antipyretic. Commonly following medicines are used in the different types of fever.
In navajwara (acute fever)- Tribhuvan Kiriti Rasa, Sanjivani Vati and Godanti Mishrana are given.
In Visamajwara (Malarial fever) - Saptaparna ghana Vati and Sudarshana
Choorna are given.
In Vat shlaishmika jwara (Viral fever) - Laksmi Vilas Rasa and Samsamani Vati are given.
In Jirna jwara (Chronic fever) - Pratap Lankeshvar Ras, Mahasudarsana
Choorna and Amritarishta are given.
In Sannipatika jwara (Typhoid fever) - Nardiya luxmi Vilas Rasa and Bhunimbadi Kwath are given.
Apart from these the medicines used as antipyretic as per the dosha classification are-
Mrituyanjaya rasa, trailokyasundar rasa, hinguleshvarrasa, panchavaktra rasa, amritashtaka kashaya rasa
and Panchatikta kashaya
The medicinal decoctions of Shaobhanjan, Aranda, Shewata Punarnava, Yava, and Kulatha are used as antipyretic. There are mineral combinations that are used as antipyretic medicines. They are-Kasturi Bhairava Rasa, Naracha-Rasa, Tarun-Jwarari Rasa, Prataap-Martanda Rasa, Chintamani Rasa, and Mritansanjavinai Rasa.
Ayurveda describes the various diet preparations of antipyretic medicines. The procedures involve the dripping and embrocating the cold temperament drugs as well as the fumigation. Ayurveda also describes fever that is caused due to mental conditions like fear
and shock.
It is also seen that the religious rituals are also described into the classical texts of ayurveda. However the tikta rasa pradhan (bitter taste medicines) are very much useful in the feverish conditions. The
Anupaan concept of ayurveda (vehicle concept for medicine) is very useful in treatment of fever. The Shadangpaaniya combination (see different forms of medicines) is found to be very useful in reducing the aftereffects of the quinine based antipyretics. The have the tendency to treat side effects of the antipyretic.
The following five medicines are having antipyretic effect. They are used in various forms like decoctions, powder, pills, diet preparations, and more. These are Guduchi (tinaspora cardifolia), Sunthi (zingiber officinalis), Vacha (Aarus calamus), Yashti-madhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Musta (Cyprus rotundus).
The medicinal procedures that are used for the antipyretic purpose are also used by the modern medicine system like the cold process. The basti preparations are found to be useful in the chronic fever condition.
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