European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

“ELUCIDATING DESCRIPTION OF PNEUMOTHORAX (PRIMARY AS WELL AS TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATED SECONDARY) IN AYURVEDA AND HIGHLIGHTING ITS NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT THROUGH HERBS”

*Kajaria Divya

ABSTRACT

Background: Pneumothorax is an abnormal collection of air in pleural cavity. Its Incidence is considerably increasing in past decades due to contributing factors like smoking. Although it is not a fatal disease and it rarely causes death but the rate of recurrence are high (~35%). Pneumothorax attracts consideration because it causes atelectasis and may affect one or both lungs. Presently used conventional interventions like chest-tube drainage, needle aspiration, chest tubes and pleurodesis for management of pneumothorax have limited role and unable to revert the pathogenesis. All these invasive treatment modalities have sparse evidence to prove their effectiveness and safety. Therefore it is required to search some non-invasive, safe and effective management. Herbs are always prove to be best alternative for providing safe, effective and cost effective management and therefore we hunt classical Ayurvedic text which are the treasure of herbs to find out solution. Description of Primary & Secondary Pneumothorax in classical Ayurvedic text is really incredible. In Ayurvedic classical text Charaka Samhita, 11th chapter named “Kshat-Kshina chikitsa” gives the detailed description of primary as well Pneumothorax associated with tuberculosis. This chapter is reinstated by Acharya Drdhabala as the original Agnivesa‟s work redacted by Charaka is not being available. Aims and objectives: This paper is designed for critical and constructive analysis of the Ayurvedic literature to identify the potential research areas for development of safe, non-invasive and non-surgical management of pneumothorax and search the relation between immunity, tuberculosis and pneumothorax. Material and methods: This is a narrative review article which comprises the extended explanation of Kshata- Kshina available in Ayurvedic texts and its comparison with contemporary complement medicine. The article reviews the literature and tries to concisely reproduce the concept of pneumothorax in original classical terms. Result and Conclusion: Reviewing literature reveals that asthenic patients who are involved in exhaustive physical work are more prone for developing pneumothorax and if the proper management is not given timely it can cause permanent lung damage and complicates as tuberculosis (an immune-compromised state superadded with infection). Immunity plays a determining role in deciding progression of the disease. Herbs having adhesive and hemostatic properties are beneficial in acute management of primary peumothorax.

Keywords: tuberculosis, pulmonary- renal syndrome, autoimmunity.