🔘Kwatha Kalpana

 

Kwatha Kalpana:-(Decoction)

👉🏻 The term kwatha is basically derived from the root word 'kwatha'w, which literally means the process of boiling'.

👉🏻 Defination:-

- Kwatha is the liquid preparation obtained by boiling one part of 'selected dravya' in coarse powder form along with 16 parts of water.

- The mixture is reduced to 1/8th part and filtered. The filterate is called 'kwatha'.

• पानीयं षोडशगुणं क्षुण्णे द्रव्यपले क्षिपेत्। 

मृत्पात्रे क्वाथयेद् ग्राह्यमष्टमांशावशेषितम्॥

तज्जलं पाययेद् धीमान् कोष्णं मृद्वग्निसाधितम्।

                                (Sha. Ma. Kha.2/1-2)

- The terms; तज्जल = क्वथित जल indicater boiled and reduced water i.e. decoction; कोष्णं - ईषदुष्ण indicates the instan' use of the decoction; and मृद्वग्नि साधत मन्दपाक पाचित boiled over mild fire.

- Opinion of Caraka is that the liquid boiled over agni is srta or the kwatha.

• ववह्नौतु क्वथितं द्रव्यं शृतमाहुश्चिकित्सकाः।(Ca.Su.4/7)

Sruta, sita, kasāya, nirviha, kadha etc are the synonyms of kwatha.

👉🏻 Kwatha preparation-depending on the nature of the drugs:-

• Drugs of different nature and Water ratio

- Soft drugs - 4 times of water

-Medium and hard drugs :- 8times of water

-Very hard drugs  - 16 times of water.

- All reduced to1/4"; the term पय: in 2 line indicates जल.

• चतुर्गुणं मृदुद्रव्ये कठिनेऽष्टगुणं जलम् । तथा च मध्यमे द्रव्ये दद्यादष्टगुणं पयः। अत्यन्तकदिनेद्र व्ये नीरं षोडशिकं मतम् II

👉🏻 Drugs of different nature  and  Water ratio:-

- Mrdu aravya (soft drugs) - 4 times of water.

- Kathina dravya (hard drugs) - 8 times of water.

- Kathiņāt kațhina (very hard drugs) - 16 times of water.

- Mixture of all types of drugs - 8 times of water.

👉🏻 Kwatha kalpana- precautions:-

• Considered only course powder (yavakūta cūra) of the drugs fork kwathapreparation

• Chemically inert vessel should be used for boiling kwatha.Only on mild to moderate heat is maintained throughout the process ofb boiling

• The vessel should be kept open throughout the boiling process.

Note: The lid should not be placed on the vessel during the boiling process kwatha kalpana. If done so, the prepared kwatha becomes 'guru' for digestion.

• अपिधानमुखे पात्रे जलं दुर्जरतां व्रजेत् । तस्माद् आवरणं त्यक्त्वा स्वाथादींच विषाचयेत् ।।(Sa. Ma. Kha. 2/71).

Rationality:

- By placing lid over the vessel while boiling kwätha the 'Slesmamsaf fromthe mixture are not let out, as a result of which the end product turnsh heavyfor digestion and may not exert the desired action.

👉🏻 Kwatha- general dosage and shelf life:- 

• आहाररसपाके च सजाते द्विपलोन्मितम्। वृद्धवैद्योपदेशेन पिबेत् क्वाथं सुपाचितम्।।          (Sa. Ma Kha. 2/31).

- Two pala (96 ml) is the general dosage of kwātha. It is administered afterf foodfor better digestion. All types of kwātha are meant for instant use only.

- Jiraka, guggulu, kşara, lavana, Silajatu, hingu, trikatu; any of these adjuvant are added in one sāna (3 g) quantity to the kwatha (2 pala; 96 ml) during administration.

- Liquids like milk, ghee, jaggery, oil, cow's urine and any other liquids used; different kalka and curna; any of these adjuvant are added in 1 karsa (12 g) quantity to the kwatha (2 pala; 96 ml) during administration.

👉🏻 Kwatha- general uses:-

1. Kwatha is an important 'dosage form' indicated solely in many of the disease conditions.

2. It plays a major role in almost all the 'ophthalmic treatments.

3. It is used in preparation of many of the secondary preparations'.

4. It is a widely used 'bhāvanā dravya' in many of the drug purifications.

5. As anupāna, kwatha preparations are used in vogue.

6. As'nirūha basti' kwātha preparations are administered.

7. For 'vrana praksälana' kwātha preparations are considered appropriate.

👉🏻 Examples:-

1. Räsnādi kwātha

2. Rāsnāsaptaka kwātha

3. Punarnavāştaka kwātha

👉🏻 Praksepa dravyas and their quantity:-

1. To 2 pala (96 ml) of any decoction, the sugar (sitā) and honey (madhu) are added in the above given ratio considering the diseases and their dose predominance.