Ayurvedic management of constipation (Vibandha/Anāha) Concepts, Work-up, and Medicines

Ayurvedic management of constipation (Vibandha/Anāha) Concepts, Work-up, and Medicines

Ayurvedic view (very brief)

  • Names: Vibandha, Anāha, Pūrvaja Gudāmbuja-roga contexts.

  • Doṣa/Dhātu/Agni: Predominantly Vāta vitiation with pakvāśaya (colon) involvement and manda agni. Pitta dryness/heat and Kapha stagnation may also contribute.

  • Red flags (refer immediately): bleeding, weight loss, fever, anemia, age >50 with new symptoms, severe pain, persistent vomiting, history of bowel obstruction, alarm family history.

Lifestyle/Pathya (always combine with medicines)

Warm water sips, ghee-smeared soft foods, soaked black raisins (drākṣā) at night, adequate fiber (isabgol/whole foods), unctuousness (sneha), unhurried bowel routine at dawn, light Abhyanga to abdomen, gentle squatting-type posture. Avoid excessive dry, cold, constipating foods and long withholding of natural urges (vega-dharana).

Single-Herb Dravyas (with classical notes)

Dose ranges are typical adult oral doses; personalize to the patient, start low, and avoid strong purgatives in pregnancy, frailty, or bowel obstruction.

1) Harītakī (Terminalia chebula) – mild laxative, Vāta-śāmaka

  • Forms/dose: Powder 3–6 g at bedtime with warm water or ghee; Eranda-bhṛṣṭa Harītakī (Harītakī fried in castor oil) 3–5 g hs.

  • Texts: Caraka lists Harītakī among bhedanīya/recaka dravyas; widely praised for vāta-dominant constipation.

  • Refs: Caraka Saṃhitā Sū. 4 (Dravyaguṇa); Cakradatta 2 (Abhayādi-yoga/Eranda-bhṛṣṭa Harītakī).

2) Drākṣā (Vitis vinifera) – gentle laxative, pitta-friendly

  • Dose: 20–30 soaked raisins at night; Drākṣā-avaleha/lehya 10–15 g.

  • Refs: Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya Sū. 6; Bhāvaprakāśa (Drākṣādi).

3) Aragvādha (Cassia fistula; pulp) – soft purgative, cooling

  • Dose: 5–10 g pulp (de-seeded) hs with warm water or milk.

  • Notes: Gentle and safe in pitta; useful in fissure/piles with hard stools.

  • Refs: Suśruta Sū. 38; Bhāvaprakāśa (Aragvādha varga).

4) Eranda taila (Castor oil) – classic recaka

  • Dose: 5–15 ml at bedtime with warm milk/ginger-water.

  • Caution: Avoid in pregnancy, severe dehydration, elderly frail, intestinal obstruction.

  • Refs: Caraka Sū. 13 (Sneha-pāna/Eranda); Cakradatta 2.

5) Trivṛt/Niśotha (Operculina/Ipomoea turpethum) – strong purgative

  • Dose: Powder 1–3 g with honey/ghee (mild), up to 3–6 g in supervised virecana.

  • Caution: Potent; use under supervision only.

  • Refs: Caraka Sū. 4; Aṣṭāṅga Hṛ. Sū. 15.

6) Svarṇapatrī (Senna) & Svarṇakṣirī group – stimulant laxatives

  • Dose: 0.5–2 g powder or decoction; often combined in Pañcasākara.

  • Note: More Unānī/Medieval-Ayurvedic usage; can cause cramping—short courses only.

  • Refs: Bhaiṣajya Ratnāvalī (Arśa-roga/Pañcasākara-yoga).

7) Yaṣṭimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra) – demulcent, supports soft stool

  • Dose: 3–5 g powder with warm milk/ghee or as kṣīrapāka.

  • Caution: Long high-dose use → fluid retention/hypokalemia.

  • Refs: Aṣṭāṅga Hṛ. Sū. 6; API monograph.

Compound Formulations (classical yogas)

A) Triphala cūrṇa (Harītakī + Āmalakī + Bibhitaka)

  • Indication: Chronic, vāta-pitta mixed constipation, dyspepsia.

  • Dose: 3–6 g hs with warm water/ghee; or 1–2 caps (500 mg) hs.

  • Notes: Gentle, toning, long-term friendly; supports agni and bowel tone.

  • Refs: Caraka Cikitsā 15 (Arśa), Śārṅgadhara Saṃhitā M. 6; AFI/API.

B) Abhayāriṣṭa (Harītakī-based arishta)

  • Indication: Constipation with piles/flatulence.

  • Dose: 15–25 ml with equal water twice daily after food.

  • Refs: Bhaiṣajya Ratnāvalī Arśa-roga; AFI.

C) Avipattikara cūrṇa

  • Indication: Pitta-predominant constipation with acidity/heartburn.

  • Dose: 3–6 g hs with warm water or before meals in gastritis.

  • Refs: Bhaiṣajya Ratnāvalī Amlapitta-roga; AFI.

D) Gandharvahastādi eranda / Nārāyaṇa-eranda taila

  • Indication: Vāta-kapha constipation, colicky gas, low back/hip vāta.

  • Dose: 10–15 ml hs with warm milk (or as prescribed).

  • Refs: Sahasrayoga (Taila-prakarana); Kerala practice manuals.

E) Pañcasākara cūrṇa (Saindhava + Śuṇṭhī + Harītakī + Fennel + Senna; variants)

  • Indication: Habitual constipation with bloating (vāta-kapha).

  • Dose: 2–4 g hs with warm water. Short-term use.

  • Refs: Bhaiṣajya Ratnāvalī (Arśa/Anāha sections), regional nighaṇṭus.

F) Trivṛt Avaleha/Lehya

  • Indication: Hard, long-standing constipation in kapha-sthana; used in preparatory virecana.

  • Dose: 5–10 g hs with warm water—supervision advised.

  • Refs: Aṣṭāṅga Hṛ. Kalpa Sthāna; Śārṅgadhara.

G) Hingvāṣṭaka cūrṇa (adjuvant)

  • Indication: Gas/colic with sluggish peristalsis; not a laxative by itself.

  • Dose: 1–2 g with ghee before meals.

  • Refs: Śārṅgadhara P. 6.

Choosing by Clinical Pattern (quick map)

  • Dry, hard stools; bloating; cold hands/feet; anxiety (VĀTA↑):
    Harītakī, Triphala, Abhayāriṣṭa; sesame/ghee; castor-oil low dose; warm kṣīra.

  • Burning, thirst, sour belch, anal fissure risk (PITTA↑):
    Drākṣā, Aragvādha pulp, Avipattikara, Triphala in ghee, coriander-fennel teas; avoid stimulants.

  • Heaviness, mucus, lethargy (KAPHA↑):
    Pañcasākara (short term), Gandharvahastādi-eranda, Trivṛt avaleha (supervised), dry ginger/cumin.

Panchakarma context (when supervised)

  • Snehana (internal ghee titration) + Svedana often soften stools.

  • Virecana (purgation) with Trivṛt/Eranda-taila chosen for pitta or kapha-āvaraṇa patterns.

  • Not for home/self-use; requires staging and follow-up diet (saṃsarjana krama).

Safety & Interactions (important)

  • Avoid strong purgatives (Trivṛt, high-dose castor oil, senna) in pregnancy, intestinal obstruction, active IBD flares, severe dehydration, elderly frailty.

  • Electrolytes: Chronic stimulant laxatives may cause hypokalemia (caution with digoxin/diuretics).

  • Licorice (Yaṣṭimadhu): Long-term/high dose → edema, hypertension, hypokalemia (monitor).

  • Castor oil: Can cause cramping; stop if severe pain, vomiting, or rectal bleeding.

  • Children: Prefer food, fluids, ghee, drākṣā; medicate only with pediatric guidance.

Sample “graduated” home regimen (non-pregnant adult, no red flags)

  1. 2–3 nights: Soaked raisins (20–30) + 1–2 tsp ghee at bedtime.

  2. If inadequate → Triphala cūrṇa 3 g hs with warm water/ghee for 1–2 weeks.

  3. If still hard/dry → Harītakī 3–5 g or Abhayāriṣṭa 20 ml after dinner.

  4. For episodic rescue (not daily): Castor oil 10 ml in warm milk at bedtime.

  5. Persistent/recurrent → consult for doṣa assessment, consider short Pañcasākara or supervised virecana.

Key Primary References (Classical/Official)

  1. Caraka Saṃhitā – Sūtrasthāna 4 (dravyas), 13 (sneha), Cikitsā 14–15 (grahaṇī/arśa; vibandha contexts).

  2. Suśruta Saṃhitā – Sūtrasthāna 38 (dravyaguṇa), Cikitsā 35 (virecana).

  3. Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya – Sūtrasthāna 6, 12, 15; Kalpa Sthāna (virecana yogas).

  4. Śārṅgadhara Saṃhitā – Madhyama 6; Pūrva 6 (cūrṇa, avaleha preparations).

  5. Bhaiṣajya Ratnāvalī – Arśa-roga/Anāha/Amlapitta chapters (Avipattikara, Pañcasākara, Abhayāriṣṭa).

  6. Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) & Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) – monographs for Triphala, Abhayāriṣṭa, Avipattikara, Eranda taila, Aragvādha, Trivṛt, Yaṣṭimadhu.

  7. Cakradatta – Virecana/Abhayādi and Eranda-bhṛṣṭa Harītakī preparations.

  8. Sahasrayoga (Kerala) – Gandharvahastādi-eranda taila and related yogas.

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