BASTI AS ARDHACHIKITSA

Presented By:
Dr Biraj Jung Khadka
2nd year PG Scholar,
PG Dept. of Panchakarma,
SSCASR, Bangalore.
 CONTENTS
 INTRODUCTION

 BASTI AS ARDHA CHIKITSA

 SHAMANA AND SHODHANA GUNA OF VASTI

 MODE OF ACTION OF BASTI

 NEURAL STIMULATION MECHANISM OF BASTI

 EXCRETORY MECHANISM OF BASTI

 ABSORPTION MECHANISM OF BASTI

 CONCLUSION

2
 ETYMOLOGY
 According to Vachaspatyam, the word ‘Vasti’ has its
origin from the root ‘vas’ gives rise to the word
‘Vasti’.
 ‘वस् निवासे’| - This means to stay, to reside and to dwell.
 ‘वस् आच्छादने’| - It means to cover.
 ‘वस् वासने सुरभिकरणे’| - Gives fragrance
 ‘वस्ति नाभिर् अधोभाग स्थाने’| - Reservoir of urine situated in
sub umbilical area.

3
 DEFINITION

 बस्तिना दीयते इति बस्तिः (अ. ह. सु. १९)

 बस्तिभिः दीयते यस्मात् तस्मात् बस्तिरिति स्मृतः ||

(शा. उ. ख. ५)
 Basti is so called because it is administered with
‘Vasti’ (Urinary Bladder of animals)

4
नाभिप्रदेशं कटिपार्श्वकु क्षिं गत्वा शकृ द्दोषचयं विलोड्य ||
संस्नेह्य कायं सपुरीषदोष: सम्यक् सुखेनैति च यः स बस्तिः | -(च.सि.१/४०)

 The therapy which while moving in the Nabhi, Kati,

Parshva & Kukshi Pradesha does the churning of
shakrut & doshas located there & then evacuate them
in proper manner & provides nourishment to the body.

5
 BASTI DESIGNATED AS ARDHA
CHIKITSA
 In all ayurvedic texts, the importance of basti is
highlighted as much as to call it as Ardha Chikitsa or
even the Sampurna chikitsa by some scholars.
 It has not only curative aspects but also preventive and
promotive aspects.
 Hence it is a query in the mind as to how it is possible,
because basti is just one among the panchakarma. So,
the importance of basti is highlighted under various
headings:

6
 BASTI IS THE BEST FOR TREATING THE
DISORDERS CAUSED BY VATA.
शाखागताः कोष्ठगताश्च रोगा मर्मोर्ध्वसर्वावयवाङ्गजाश्च|
ये सन्ति तेषां न हि कश्चिदन्यो वायोः परं जन्मनि हेतुरस्ति||३८||
विण्मूत्रपित्तादिमलाशयानां  विक्षेपसङ्घातकरः स यस्मात्|
तस्यातिवृद्धस्य शमाय नान्यद्बस्तिं विना भेषजमस्ति किञ्चित्||३९||
तस्माच्चिकित्सार्धमिति ब्रुवन्ति सर्वां चिकित्सामपि बस्तिमेके |४०|
(च.सि.१/३८-४०)

7
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 The root cause of disease is Vata dosha which causes disease in
Shakha, Koshtas, Marma pradesha, Urdhwanga, Sarva avayava
 Vata is responsible for dislodgement or combination of Mala,
Mutra, Pitta, etc
 Basti is the prime line of treatment for Vata dosha.

 None of the treatment modalities are as effective as basti

chikitsa for mitigation of vata dosha.
 Hence it is considered as ardha chikitsa and some even say it is
poorna chikitsa.

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 BASTI IS USEFUL IN TREATING THE
DISEASES CAUSED BY ALL THE DOSHAS.
बस्तिर्वाते च पित्ते च कफे  रक्ते  च शस्यते |
संसर्गे सन्निपाते च बस्तिरेव हितः सदा ||६||
(सु.चि.३५/६)
 Basti is useful in the diseases caused by vata, pitta,
kapha as well as rakta.
 Basti is the prime treatment for vata, but is also useful
for the diseases caused by pitta, kapha as well as rakta
and their combinations.

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स्वाद्वम्ललवणैः शस्तः स्नेहबस्तिः समीरणे||२४||
रक्ते रक्ते न, पित्ते तु कषायस्वादुतिक्तकैः|
सार्यमाणे कफे बस्तिः कषायकटुतिक्तकैः||२५||
(च.सि.८/२४-२५)
 Vata – Guduchyadi vasti
 Pitta – Panchamoolan vasti, Ksheera vasti
 Kapha – Dashamooladi vasti
 Rakta – Panchavalkala vasti, panchatikta vasti.

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 VARIED OR MULTIFACETED ACTION OF
BASTI
तत्र स्नेहादीनां कर्मणां बस्तिकर्म प्रधानतममाहुराचार्याः |
कस्मात्? अनेककर्मकरत्वाद्बस्तेः; इह खलु बस्तिर्नानाविधद्रव्य
संयोगाद्दोषाणां संशोधनसंशमनसङ्ग्रहणानि करोति, क्षीणशुक्रं  
वाजीकरोति, कृ शं बृंहयति, स्थूलं कर्शयति, चक्षुः प्रीणयति, 
वलीपलितमपहन्ति, वयः स्थापयति ||३|| शरीरोपचयं वर्णं बलमारोग्यमायुषः |
कु रुते परिवृद्धिं च बस्तिः सम्यगुपासितः ||४||
(सु.चि.३५/३-४)

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 The varied or multifaceted action of basti can be ascribed to
the permutation and combination of the drugs used for
preparing basti dravya.
 Basti is capable of exhibiting many actions like
doshasamshodhana, doshashamana, doshasangrahana,
vajikarana, brimhana, karshana, vayahsthapana, etc.
 There is a limit in the number of drugs which are useful for
vamana, virechana or nasya but in basti, there is no limitation
for the drugs.
 All the dravyas belonging to madhuraskanda, amlaskandha,
lavanaskandha, katuskandha, tiktaskandha, kashayaskandha,
asthapana gana, anuvasanopaga gana dravyas, etc can be
utilized.
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 BASTI, SUPREME LINE OF
TREATMENT OVER OTHER
SODHANA PROCEDURES:
 Nasya is capable of doing brumhana, langhana, snehana,
stambhana and rookshana.
 Its action is limited to urdhva jatrugata rogas and has very
limited role in management of systemic diseases.
 The drugs used in vamana are impalatable and may produce
abdominal discomforts. It cannot be performed in durbala,
vruddha, ksheena and sukumara.
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सत्यपि दोषहरत्वे कटुतीक्ष्णोष्णादि भेषजादानात्|
दुःखोद्गारोत्क्ले शाहृद्यत्वकोष्ठरुजा विरेके स्युः||६||
अविरेच्यौ शिशुवृद्धौ तावप्राप्तप्रहीनधातुबलौ|
आस्थापनमेव तयोः सर्वार्थकृ दुत्तमं कर्म||७||
बलवर्णहर्षमार्दवगात्रस्नेहान्नृणां ददात्याशु|८|
(च.सि.१०/६-८)

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 Virechana causes the elimination of the doshas but it is
inferior to vasti because it involves the intake of the
drugs which is impalatable and may produce dukha
udghara, utklesa, ahrdya, kostharuja, etc. So most
patients show intolerance and unwillingness.
 Virechana is contra indicated in bala and vruddha
because of immaturity and diminution of tissues.
 Unlike Vamana and Virechana, Basti can be administered
in all the age groups (including childhood and old age) &
can be administered in all the stages & variety of
diseases and capable of curing all the diseases.
15
ACTION OVER VARIETY OF
PEOPLE:
शिशूनामशिशूनाम् च बस्तिकर्मामॄतम् यथा
भिषजामर्थयशसी शिशोरायु: प्रजा पितु: (क.सि.१)
 Various other sodhana therapies are contraindicated in
various age groups, but basti is an exception.
 In fact there is no age limit as such. It is just like nectar
for shishu and other than shishu.

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 WIDER COVERAGE OF BODY:
आके शाग्रनखाग्रेभ्यो बस्तिबम्हयते नरान्
(क.सि.९/३८)
 Basti causes anabolism from tip of hair to tip of nails.

 Based on the adhistana, classification of vasti is done which

covers the whole body.
 Internally includes pakvasaya gata, mutrasaya gata,
garbhasaya gata, vrana basti, etc.

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BASTI ON PROMOTION OF HEALTH
AND PREVENTION OF DISEASE:
 To maintain the Healthy state of a person, the regimen like
Rutucharya and Dinacharya has to be followed.
 The various climatic changes taking place in various Rutus,
changes equilibrium among Tridoshas.
 Varsha Rutu is said to be Vata Prokopa kala, thus to prevent the
complications arising due to Vata Prakopa and promote health,
Basti therapy is indicated.

18
 Benefits of Basti are:-
•Vaya Sthapanam Basthi in
•Agni Vardhana Varsha ?
•Ruchikara
•Manah-Buddhi Prasadanam
•Indriya Prasadanam
• Laghuta in Ashaya
•Prakruti Sthapanam

Hence to promote health and Prevention

of diseases Basti is done in Varsha Rutu.

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 ACTION OF BASTI IN
VAJIKARANA:
 The therapy of basti is beneficial to patients with less
sexual calibre as it enhances sexual powers.
 Basti has the capacity to prevent abortions. Particularly
basti prepared with vajikarana drugs like ksira,
mamsarasa, ghrita, etc in the form of yapanabasti is
indicated. So one can say it has a special role in
manipulating the powers of sukra.

20
 BASTI AND ITS RELATION TO
SAPTA DHATUS:
दत्तस्तु प्रथमो बस्तिः स्नेहयेद्बस्तिवङ्क्षणौ ||71||
सम्यग्दत्तो द्वितीयस्तु मूर्धस्थमनिलं जयेत् ||
जनयेद्बलवर्णौ च तृतीयस्तु प्रयोजितः ||72||
रसं चतुर्थो रक्तं तु पञ्चमः स्नेहयेत्तथा ||
षष्ठस्तु स्नेहयेन्मांसं मेदः सप्तम एव च ||73||
अष्टमो नवमश्चास्थि मज्जानं च यथाक्रमम् ||
एवं शुक्रगतान् दोषान् द्विगुणः साधु साधयेत् ||74||
अष्टादशाष्टादशकान् बस्तीनां यो निषेवते ||
यथोक्ते न विधानेन परिहारक्रमेण च ||75||
स कु ञ्जरबलोऽश्वस्य जवैस्तुल्योऽमरप्रभः ||
वीतपाप्मा श्रुतधरः सहस्रायुर्नरो भवेत् ||76|| 21

(सु.चि.३७/७१-७३)
 The first basti produces snigdhata in urinary bladder and in
vankasanapradesa.
 The second one wins over sirogata vata.

 Third basti gives varna and bala to the body.

 Fourth produces snigdhata in rasadhatu, fifth to rakta, sixth to

mamsa, seventh bestows nourishment to medas, eighth to asthi
and ninth to majja.
 After pariharakala another set of nine bastis are given for
nourishment of sukradhatu in diseases of klaibya. This also acts as
rasayana.
 Thus after taking 18 bastis, the patient becomes strong like an
elephant or attains gati as fast as horse.

22
 BASTI AND ITS ACTION ON
MANAS:
हृदिन्द्रियशिरःकोष्ठे संशुद्धे वमनादिभिः|
मनःप्रसादमाप्नोति स्मृतिं सञ्ज्ञां च विन्दति||२८||
(च.चि.९/२८)
Purification of the whole body with the help of panchakarma is
indirectly proved to be effective on manas (mind) and its
functions. After samyaksodhana, mind stability is restored and
memory power is improved.

23
 SHAMANA AND SHODHANA GUNA OF VASTI
 Basti dravya due to its prabhava, spreads from sole of the foot
uptill murdha or head.
 It not only removes the doshas present in pakvashaya but
throughout the body.
 Quoted a simile like sun being stagnent, it absorbs the moisture
from whole of the earth.
 Similarly basti being stagnent in pakvashaya does sarva sharira
stitha dosha nirharana/ it expels the dosha from all over the body.

Su.Chi.35/27
Ch.Si. 7/64 24
यद्वत् कु सुम्भसम्मिश्रात्तोयाद्रागं हरेत् पटः|
तद्वद्द्रवीकृ ताद्देहान्निरूहो निर्हरेन्मलान्||६५||
(च.सि.७/६५)

 As the cloth absorbs the dye from the water mixed with
kusumba plant, in the same way basti eliminates the malas
from the body which have undergone liquefaction due to
snehana and swedana.

25
पक्वाशयाद्बस्तिवीर्यं खैर्देहमनुसर्पति |
वृक्षमूले निषिक्तानामपां वीर्यमिव द्रुमम् ||२५||
(सु.चि.३५/२५)

 The virya of basti administered enters into the pakwashaya

reaches the whole body through the strotas, as the water poured
to the root spreads to the whole plant.
 Parashara had highlighted the importance of Guda, by saying
that Guda is mula for all the siras in the body; hence the
nourishment of the guda by administration of Basti causes
nourishment of entire Shareera.
26
सर्वाङ्गगतमेकाङ्गस्थितं वाऽपि समीरणम् ||२०||
रुणद्धि के वलो बस्तिर्वायुवेगमिवाचलः |२१|
(सु.चि.४/२०)

o Just as big mountains create a barrier to the fast moving speed

of wind, the vatadosa is subdued by basti.

27
 PROBABLE MODE OF ACTION OF
BASTI:
 Basti acts through its Virya. Active principles of the drug
are generally considered as ‘Virya.’
 Nipata(contact) and Adhivasa (inherent residing) are the
two chief mode by which Virya can affect the body.

28
 ACTION OF BASTIVIRYA BY
NIPATA:
आपादतलमूर्धस्थान् दोषान् पक्वाशये स्थितः|
वीर्येण बस्तिरादत्ते खस्थोऽर्को भूरसानिव||६४||
(च.सि.७/६४)
 Basti administered in the Pakvashaya affects the
whole body by its Virya similarly as the sun in the sky
affects the Bhurasa (water) though it is far away.
 Basti affects the body as soon as these active
principles come in contact with the Pakvashaya
proving the action of Bastivirya by Nipata.
29
 ACTION OF BASTIVIRYA BY
ADHIVASA:
यत्तत्रौषधवीर्यं हि तदपानेन वायुना |
पर्याप्तमचिरादेव समानः प्रतिपद्यते ||
समानादुत्तरं चैवं व्यानाद्याः पवनाः क्रमात् |
ते तृप्ताः प्रकृ तिं याताः शरीरानुग्रहे स्थिताः ||
प्रसह्य पित्तश्लेश्मानौ यथास्थानं निवेश्य च |
संतर्पयन्ति परितः स्वान् स्वान् भूतगुणान्स्तनौ ||
व्यानस्तिर्यगपानोऽधः प्रानश्चोर्ध्वम् प्रकर्षति |
यथास्वमेव नाडीभिर्हारिणीभिरिवोदकं ||
एवं वातैः सिरभिश्च वपुर्बस्ति: सुयोजितः |
व्यप्नुवत्प्रसभं हन्ति सकृ च्छ्रानपि यक्ष्मणः || (अ.सं.क.५/२४)
30
 Apana Vatha
Samana Vatha
Vyanadi Vatha
Vyana Vatha-Tiryakagati
Apana Vatha-Adhogati
Prana Vata-Urdhwagati

 Pitta-Shleshma-Swasthana
 Nourishment-Mahabhoota Ghataka’s
of Sharira 31
 Sarvanga Vyapta Basti Veerya-Cures
Kruchrasadhya Vyadhi also.
 BY NEURAL STIMULATION MECHANISM/
INFLUENCE THROUGH ENTERIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM (ENS)

 The enteric nervous system or intrinsic nervous system is one

of the main divisions of the Autonomic nervous system and
consists of a mesh like system of neurons that governs the
function of the gastrointestinal tract.
 There are so many similarities between CNS -ENS regarding
cellular structure, neuropeptide secretion and specific functions
and recent studies have shown that there is great influence of
CNS and ENS on each other.
 More than 500 million neurons present in the ENS (Enteric
Nervous System) so it’s called “second brain”.
32
33
 Basti may act over the receptors of the ENS to stimulate the
CNS causing secretion of required hormones or other
chemicals. Hence the effect of Basti may also be associated
with “Touch & Go Theory” causing activation of ENS
receptors.
 It is recognised that the enteric nervous system has a unique
ability to mediate reflex activity independently of input from
the brain or spinal cord.
 ENS includes sensory receptors, primary afferent neurones,
interneurons and motor neurones.
 The events that are controlled, at least in part, by the ENS are
multiple and include motor activity, secretion, absorption,
defense reactions, blood flow and interaction with other organs
such as the gall bladder or pancreas.
34
 The enteric nervous system is embedded in the lining of the
GIT system; beginning in the oesophagus and extending down
to the anus.
 Morphological, electrophysiological, and pharmacological
studies have revealed a substantial diversity of neurones within
the ENS.
 It produces a wide range of hormones and around 40
neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, glutamate,
norepinephrine, nitric oxide etc) of the same classes as those
found in the brain.
 The Gastrointestinal tract contains approximately 90 % of the
bodys serotonin. Deficiencies or decrease in the levels of
serotonin is directly responsible for symptoms of depression,
aggressive behavior, anxiety & increased sensitivity to pain.
35
 EXCRETORY MECHANISM
 Niruha basti is a hyperosmotic solution which causes
movement of solvent from cells of colon to the lumen.
 Kalka used in basti has got irritant property along with
other ingredients which may induce colonic distension.
 The distension stimulates pressure which produces
evacuatory reflex.
 The sigmoidal, rectal and anal region of large intestine
are considerably better supplied with parasympathetic
fibres than other part of intestine.
 They are mainly stimulatory in action and function
especially in defecation reflexes. 36
 ABSORPTION MECHANISM
 Drugs can be absorbed well from intestine than from
stomach because of large surface area.
 Increased vascularity can increase absorption.

 Absorption of drugs from gut occurs by passive diffusion.

 Passive diffusion is a movement of ions and other atomic or

molecular substances across cell membrane without need of
energy input unlike active transport.
 Drugs which are lipid soluble are mostly transferred by
passive diffusion.
 According to the pharmacokinetics it is also proved that
rectal drugs administration might exceed the oral value due
37
to partial avoidance of hepatic first pass metabolism.
38
 CONCLUSION
 समीक्ष्य दोषौषधदेशकालसात्म्याग्निसत्त्वादिवयोबलानि|
बस्तिः प्रयुक्तो नियतं गुणाय स्यात् सर्वकर्माणि च सिद्धिमन्ति||६||
(च.सि.३/६)
 तस्माद्दोषौषधादीनि परीक्ष्य दश तत्त्वतः |
कु र्याच्चिकित्सितं प्राज्ञो न योगैरेव के वलम् ||
(च.चि.३०/३२६)

39
 ENS works in synergism with the CNS. Stimulation
with Basti (either by chemo or mechano receptors) may
lead to activation of concerned part of CNS which
precipitates result accordingly.
 For a number of drugs the extent of rectal absorption
has been reported to exceed oral values, which may
reflect partial avoidance of hepatic first-pass
metabolism after rectal delivery.
 Basti according to disease, person, kala and with proper
medicine can treat any disease and will make a person
healthy.
 It is considered as Ardha Chikitsa among all the
therapeutic measures & some physicians consider it as 40
Poorna Chikitsa.
 REFERENCES
 Charaka Samhita
 Sushruta Samhita
 Ashtanga Sangraha
 Kashyapa Samhita
 Sharangadhara Samhita
 Ashtanga Hridaya

41
42