A critical review on kshara- dosha

Summary of article contents:

In the context of Shalya Tantra, Acharya Sushruta , popularly known as ‘The Father of Indian Surgery’ has devised a number of surgical instruments and appliances for the ailments requiring some sort of minor or major surgeries. More importantly, in the cases that require Chhedana (incising), Bhedana (excising) and Lekhana (scraping), the concept of Kshara (alkalis or alkaline preparations) given by Acharya Sushruta is of great importance than surgical instruments and appliances (both principal and secondary or substitutive); as they possess of the virtue of subduing the three deranged bodily humors namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha 1 These alkalis or alkaline preparations are termed as ‘ Kshara’ based on their property of corroding (the skin or the flesh of an affected part of the body), or on their peculiar quality in destroying the skin and flesh where such an effect is desired 2 Besides numerating eight commendable good qualities of an alkali viz.,being Na ati tikshna (neither too strong) Na ati mridu (nor too mild), Na ati shukla (white in colour), Shlakshna (smooth), Pichhila (slimy), Avishyandi (not spreading), S hiva (stable), Shighra (acting well and quickly) 3; Acharya Sushruta has also mentioned its Dosha (adverse effects) which consist in its being Ati mridu (too mild), Ati shweta (of excessive whiteness), Ati ushna (excessive heat producing), Ati tikshna (of excessive strength), Ati pichhila (of oversliminess), Ati sarpita (greatly spreading), Ati sandra (excessive thickness), Apakva (not well cooked) and Hinadravya (lacking in drugs) 4 Keywords: Kshara, alkali, Dosha INTRODUCTION Acharya Arundatta in his commentary on Ashtanga Hridaya states that Dosha is the one which makes a Dravya