JAUNDICE:

Cause: Enlargement of spleen and liver. When spleen and liver are out of order, bile is not properly secreted and the body becomes pale or yellowish. Both circulation and quality of blood are impaired. This condition is called jaundice. Ayurveda uses the generic name of pandu for this disease, but pandu is really the preliminary stage of jaundice. In its advanced stages pandu becomes jaundice, and when it is chronic, it is called kumbha kamela. Holimaka is another name of pandu.

Symptoms: Yellowish color of whole body and urine (actually a mixture of yellow and white ), stomach pain, constipation, loss of appetite, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, thirst, eruptions, bad taste in mouth, gloom, excessive saliva secretion, depression, sleeplessness, swelling of eyelids, feet, navel, cheeks, and penis.

Treatment : The specific medicines for jaundice are Panchamrita Lauha Mandur, Nabayas Lauha, Anandodaya Ras, Punarnaba Mandur, Pandu Panchanan Ras, etc., when the origin of the jaundice is not known, or when only excessive air is known to be present. Jaundice involving worms in the stomach calls for Birangadi Lauha or Krimighat Bati. If there is excessive mucus in the stool, Pijusballi Ras and baked raw marmelos fruit with the molasses of sugar cane should be taken. When there is blood with the stool, kurchi bark extract or extract of marigold leaves should be taken with honey. Along with either of these medicines, Panchamrita Lauha Mandur, or Punarnaba Ras should be used. In cases involving constipation, Abipattikar Churna should be administered.

Where there is great fever, use Sarbajwara Bati or Sadhana Pachan. For cough, severe cold, excessive phlegm, drowsiness, slow fever, bad taste, and heavy body, give Mahalakshmibilas. If the hands, feet, face or any other part of the body is swollen up with dropsy, use Sothadarari Lauha or Sothkalanal Ras.

Diet: Boiled rice (old stock ), lentils (mugh, arahar, or musuri), meat soup, trichosanthes dioica, green bananas, helencha plant, notay shak, punarnaba shak, eggplant, singi fish, curd, ghee, butter. The body should be well massaged when bathed, but when there is fever, dropsy, diarrhea-bathing is not permitted.