Leech Therapy in Ayurveda (Buergers Diseases)

The Leech Application in Ayurveda is a original research work of augmenting various original topics related to the types Leeches. Compounds of leech saliva, therapeutic uses with its specific indications. A thorough attempt was made to compile the original classical information by rearranging the vast and varied material keeping Ayurveda in the limelight and as well as made easy for easy understanding of the contents to the contemporary generations. The speciality of this book is mainly focused in the management in the Burgers disease.(thrombo angitis obliterans) with a comparison to Ayurvedic classics incorporating the Dropplers study as a objective study and estabilishing how a traditional leech application in the context of Ayurveda with scientific approach. The thematically arranged contents, illustrative events, original visuals documents, tabular presentations and well accepted scientific data would definitely convince the intelligentsia and diseases which are considered to be impossible by the western scientists. This book is an interesting attempt to bridge the gap between the two sciences, the ancient wisdom and modern using a rare disease as its model with the leech application.

Dr. Martha Bhaskar Rao M.D. (AY) is an Professor at the S.V. Ayurvedic College, Tirupathi, INDIA. He has had a brilliant academic career with a University 1” Rank and also a recipient of Gold Medal. He was awardee of ‘Young Scientist’ by the World Congress of Natural Medicine-S.V. University, Tirupathi, for his surgical skills and extensive service of Ksharasutra application in High anal fistulae. He was post graduated from the Govt. College of Indian Medicine Bangalore from the Govt. College of Indian Medicine Bangalore University, Bangalore He did his Ph.D at NIA-jaipur. He has more than 25 publications to his credit in religion and International journals. Being teacher of Ayurveda and Prolific writer in Telugu contribution articles on Ayurveda in local journals and papers. Dr. Rao has attended several important conferences and seminars both in India and abroad.

Susrutha Samhita is an authentic science to provide the scope of surgery in Ayurvedic system of medicine. The art of surgery of those days is still appreciable today, because of their spiritual, psychological and philosophical aspects can greatly improve the care and quality of surgical patients. Its logic of decision making, the diagnostic soundness and wealth of various treatment specialties makes this science a compendium of Ayurvedic surgery. It includes a specialized blood letting method i.e., Raktamokshana with special reference to leech application was adopted in the management of Thrombo Angitis Obliterations. The main concern of the surgeon in this regard is a tragic end of amputation. The basis of leech application is to correct the pathological and heamodynamic disturbances and as well as to restore the normal circulation in saving the limb.

The incidence of arterial disease has assumed alarming proportions all over the world. Considering the fact that the basic aetiological factors in acquired arterial disease are not yet fully understood and the precise biochemical abnormalities are yet to be fully elucidated. There is a need for further study to gain insight into this disease. Obscure medical treatment cannot be directed to correct or reverse the cause of the disease once it is established. Acute occlusions of the arterial tree are catastrophic in their appearance and progress, yet yield good results with early therapeutic measures. Chronic Obstructive lesions on the other hand are a bugbear for the clinician both in terms of diagnosis and treatment. The vast majority of such chronic occlusive lesions are the result of Atherosclerosis, Thrombo Angitis Obliterations, Diabetes Mellitus and certain other uncommon causes.

Thrombo Angitis Obliterations or Buerger’s Disease is a generalized occlusive vascular disease affecting predominantly young males of low socioeconomic status with special prediction to involve the lower extremities. The disease has worldwide distribution though it is more prevalent in Indonesia, India and the Orient. Buerger in his first paper published in 1908 brought out a new concept of pathogenesis, which concluded that the disease started as an acute inflammation of vessels. Which leads to formation of thrombi. Pathologically it is extremities with stages of exacerbation and remissions. The occlusion of vessel by thrombus contains focus of extremities with stages of exacerbation and remissions. The occlusion of vessel by thrombus contains focus of intense polymorph infiltratration. The whole thickness of vessel wall is involved by neutrophils and most of these vessels thromboses. These changes give way to chronic inflammation and thrombus is replaced ny granulation tissue. The lesion almost always begins in medium sized or small arteries but seldom-large vessels.

This study is based on the application of Leeches to the affected lesion of Thrombo Angitis Obliterations cases of which were identified and treated in T.T.D, s S.V. Ayurvedic College, Tirupathi-A.P and Post Graduate Department of Shalyatantra, NIA Jaipur-Rajasthan during the period of March 2007 to July 2008.

The present study was undertaken with the following objectives. To explore the possiblw=e pharmacodynamics and mechanism of Leech treatment in the management of Thrombo Angitis Obliterations.

To study the possible bio-chemical changes of disease and attempt will be made to endeavor to forestall the progress of the disease and prevent the tragic gangrenous finish with leech management.

To determine the various etiologic factors in Thrombo Angitis Obligerations (T.A.O).

To study the fundamental principles laid down by Sustra (800 B.C) in regarding with Raktavahasrotodusti of the Buerger’s (Thrombo Angitis Obliterations) disease.