European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

A REVIEW ON AHARA (FOOD) IN PRAYOGA SAMUCHCHAYA

Dr. Amritha Aravind*, Dr. Sreekala Vijayan, Dr. Gazala Hussain, Dr. Ashwinkumar S. Bharati, Dr. Sagar K. Kora

ABSTRACT

Ahara (food), one among the trayopastambha (Three pillars) is that which sustains life. It is inevitable for the existence for any life form. As the samhitas (classical texts) mentions, that when food is taken with logic it nourishes whereas when taken carelessly can act as visha (posion) which is capable of even taking away the life. „Prayoga Samuchchaya‟ is an agada tantra (toxicology) literature which is still widely used in Kerala. Though the text primarily deals with visha chikitsa (treatment for poison), it also elaborates on the concept of ahara (food). This article is a review on the atiahara (over eating), viruddha ahara (incompatible food) and vishaja ahara (poisoned food).

Keywords: Ahara (food), ahara visha (food poisoning), viruddha ahara (incompatible food), vishaja ahara (poisoned food), Prayoga Samuchchaya.