Sunday, July 29, 2012

Fermented Medicinal Preparations

Ayurvedic View of Alcohol:
Ayurveda views alcohol as a solvent for extracting the active, alcohol-soluble ingredients of certain herbs, much like the tinctures of Western herbalism. Ayurveda also prepares herbal wines called asavas and arishtas which are regarded as particularly effective medicines to take in cases of inefficient or enfeebled digestion and as relaxants to counter physiological and mental-emotional stress and has long utilized the narcotic and analgesic effects of alcohol which was made freely available on the battlefields of ancient India when wounded warriors required prompt relief from excruciating pain. Ayurveda has long been aware that certain alcoholic beverages (like wine) can in moderate doses improve digestion, increase circulation, lend a warming energy in conditions of excessive coldness, dissipate and calm excessive vata and alleviate conditions of excess kapha as well as remove blockages in channels (Srotorodha) but when taken in greater dosages can have precisely the opposite effects.

Latest findings from the lab:  
 
Alcohol can triple original dose of medicine: 
Lab experiments have demonstrated how alcohol made several drugs up to three times more available to the body, effectively tripling the original dose.

1 comment:

san said...

Well, alcohol does dilate the blood vessels and improve circulation. But as you say, it should be taken only in moderation. Regular excessive use can result in acid reflux in older people, followed by liver damage.