Avleha and taila

Avleha and taila

Content

•       Definition of avleha and taila

•       Method of preparation of avleha and
taila

•       Characteristics of avleha and taila

Objective

At the
end of this lecture, student will be able to

•       Define avleha and taila

•       Explain the method of preparation of
avleha and taila

Avleha

Leha or avleha is a semi solid preparation of drugs
which is prepared by boiling the prescribed swarasa, drug or decoction with
sugar/jaggery

Composition:

Ø    Kasaya or other liquids

Ø   Jaggery/ sugar

Ø   Powder/pulp of prescribed drugs

Ø   Ghee or oil and honey                                             

Method of preparation:

Ø   Either jaggery or sugar is dissolved in the
liquid

Ø  Strained
to remove the foreign particles

Ø  Resultant
solution is boiled over a moderate flame till the paka becomes thready

Ø  It
can be confirmed when the paka is pressed between fingers or sinks in water
without getting dissolved easily

Ø  Subsequently
fine powder of drugs are added in small quantities and stirred continuously to
get a homogenous mixture

Ø  Finally
ghee/oil if mentioned is added and mixed well while the preparation is still
hot

Ø  Honey
may be added when the preparation is cool and mixed well if mentioned

Characters:

Ø  Preparation
should neither be hard nor viscous, it should have desirable consistency

Ø  It
should undergo neither decomposition nor fermentation

Ø  It  should be free from fungal growth

Ø  It
should retain its colour and odour

Storage:

Ø  Should
be stored in airtight glass containers

Ø  Retain
its potency indefinitely

Examples:

Taila

Taila is the preparation in which the prescribed
kasayas (Decoction) and kalkas (Pulp of drugs) are boiled in oil according to
the formula

This process helps in absorption of therapeutic principles

Composition:

Ø    Drava dravyas – Liquid or liquids –
Kasaya/swarasa

Ø    Kalka – a pulp or fine paste of drugs

Ø    Sneha dravya – Oil (Taila)                        

General proportion of ingredients:

Ø    General proportion of Kalka, snehadravya
and drava dravyas is 1 : 4 : 16

Ø    When no drava dravyas is prescribed then
water can be used

Ø    If the drava dravya is swarasa, then it
should be 1/8 of sneha

Ø     When the number of drava dravyas prescribed
is more than 4, then proportion of each drava dravya and sneha is 1 : 1

Ø    When the number of drava dravyas prescribed
is 4 or less than 4, then proportion of each drava dravya and sneha is 4 : 1

Ø    Kasaya may be used as kalka if not prescribed
in the formula

Method of preparation:

Ø  Kalka
and drava dravyas are mixed together and then boiled with taila

Ø  Constant
stirring is required to prevent the adherence of kalka to the bottom of the
vessel

Ø  In
case of more number of drava dravyas, added in succession

Ø   Next drava dravya is added when earlier added
is completely evaporated

Ø  On
complete evaporation of all drava dravyas, mixture present in kalka begin to
evaporate

Ø  At
this stage vigorous stirring is required otherwise kalka will stick to the
bottom of the vessel

Ø  Kalka
should be tested from time to time to know the condition and stage of the paka

Ø  Three
types of pakas are described

Ø  Mrudu
paka, madyama paka and khara paka

Ø  Mrudu
paka – Kalka is waxy and rolls like a lac when rolled between fingers,
suitable for nasya

Ø  Madhyama
paka – Kalka is harder and burns with no cracking sound , suitable for pana
and vasti

Ø  Khara
paka – Final stage of paka, convenient for abhyanga

Ø  Procedure
is stopped when desired paka is attained as per the requirements

Characters:

Ø  Should
be of desired consistency

Ø   Should not be sticky

Storage:

Ø  Should
be stored in airtight /well stoppered containers

Examples:

Summary

Ø  Avleha
– semi solid, prescribed kasayas/swarasa boiled with sugar/jaggery

Ø  Kasaya,
swarasa, pulp, oil, honey

Ø  Thready
paka, fingers/sinks easily

Ø  Should
be neither hard nor viscous

Ø  Taila
– Prescribed kasaya or kalka boiled with taila

Ø  Proportion
of ingredients

Ø  Continuous
stirring to avoid adherence of paka

Ø  Mrudu
paka, madhyama paka and khara paka