Herbal Remedies For Asthma

Abstract

Asthma is a lower respiratory tract illness. Respiratory system is a biological system that consists of organs and structures which are helpful for gaseous exchange. Due to this gaseous exchange this respiratory system also faces many upper and lower respiratory disorders. Respiratory disorders are the pathological conditions that affect the organs and tissues of the respiratory system or organs or tissues that make gas exchange. These disorders generally affect the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli and muscles of the respiration. When these respiratory pathways get disturbed then it makes it difficult to breathe. These disorders range from mild to severe and are caused by viruses or bacteria. Some of the respiratory diseases are COPD, Bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, Asthma etc. But in this article we will discuss Asthma and herbal remedies for Asthma.

Introduction

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways of the lungs. It is a condition in which airways get narrow and swell up and make it difficult to breathe. In asthma there is an excessive production of mucus. This mucus plug can make breathing difficult. Asthma is an allergic condition and is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors and the environmental factors include allergens and other pollutant particles. This disease may lead to life threatening conditions.

Ayurvedic Aspect of Asthma

We can correlate Asthma with Tamaka shwasa. The features of asthma are very similar to tamaka shwasa. Acharya Charak clearly mentioned that if a person is taking excessive food items like curd, milk products, uncooked food, rough food, irregular meals and visiting smoky area, residing in cold place and using cold water and also suffers from constipation, diarrhea, fever, vomiting, chest injury, etc then the vayu mainly prana vayu gets vitiated and reaches to the neck and head region and disturb the kapha dosha and causes production of mucus. This production of mucus due to kapha dosha will lead to the obstruction of the airways and cause troublesome dyspnoea. Due to obstruction in breathing the person may feel chest discomfort, excessive coughing, dizziness, hoarseness of voice and difficulty in breathing. These all are the causes and symptoms of Tamaka shwasa.

Etiology/Causes

There is no clear explanation as to why some people get asthma and some don’t. This disease may be caused by the combination of factors such as genetic, environmental and other medical causes.

Triggering Factors for Asthma

Exposure to various irritants and substances that trigger the Asthma condition are

• Airborne Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander etc
• Respiratory Infections
• Cold Air
• Air Pollutant
• Strong Emotions and Stress
• GERD

Clinical Features/Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of asthma vary from patient to patient. The patient may present with the following complaints

• Breathlessness
• Chest Tightness
• Wheezing Sound
• Trouble Sleeping
• Coughing
• Production of sputum but often hard to bring up

Risk Factors

The following person is at risk of Asthma

• Smokers
• Overweight
• Family History
• Exposure of exhaust fumes and smoke
• Exposure to chemicals

Diagnosis

A doctor can diagnose this disease on the basis of symptoms and some examinations. A doctor will perform the following tests to make a diagnosis

• Spirometry
• Peak Flow
• Chest X-ray

Treatment

There is no permanent cure of asthma by the allopathic medicines. Allopathic science just manages this condition symptomatically but does not treat this condition from the root cause. They identified the triggering factors and asked to avoid these factors to overcome this disease. Bronchodilators are the treatment of choice for this disease.

Ayurvedic Management For Tamak Shwasa

Ayurvedic herbs show great results in treating this life threatening disease like asthma. They are effective enough to treat this chronic inflammatory disease. As per Ayurveda, this is a Vata kaphaj disease. According to our Acharya, this disease starts in the stomach and progresses to the lungs. So the aim of treatment is to eliminate the excess kapha from the lungs. For that purpose we have to bring back the excessive kapha from the lungs to the stomach and then eliminate the kapha dosha. For that purpose we have to adopt the following procedures like Shodhan chikitsa and shaman chikitsa:

Shodhan Chikitsa (Detoxification procedure): They include

• Snehapana (Ingestion of ghee/oils)
• Swedana (Sudation therapy)
• Vamana (Therapeutic emesis)
• Virechan (Induces purgation)

Shaman Chikitsa (Palliative management): These include

Rasa

• Shwas Kuthar Rrasa
• Kapha Ketu Ras
• Mahalakshmi Vilas Ras
• Swaskas Chintamani Ras
• Kapha Kuthar Ras
• Abhrak Bhasma

Vati

• Vijay Vati
• Vyoshadi Vati
• Lavangadi Vati

Churna

• Sitopaladi Churna
• Talisadi Churna
• Soma Churna
• Muktadhya Churna
• Trikatu Churna

Asava/Arishta/Kwath

• Kanakasava
• Somasava
• Dashmool Kwath
• Bharangyadi Kwath  

Avaleha

• Haridra Khand
• Chitrak Haritaki Avaleha
• Agastya Haritaki Avaleha
• Vasavaleha 

Some Single Herbs for Tamaka Shwasa are

• Kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum)
• Vasa (Adhatoda vasica)
• Shunthi (Zingiber officinalis)
• Bharangi (Clerodendrum serratum)
• Pushkarmoola (Inula racemosa)
• Karkataka shringi (Pistacia integerrima)
• Haridra (Curcuma longa)

In Ayurveda, our Acharyas elegantly described the importance of diet and lifestyle along with classical Ayurvedic medicines. A person who is suffering from diseases, our Acharya also mentioned the pathya (Do’s) and Apathya (Don’ts) to manage the diseases along with oral medications. 

Pathya Ahara (Favorable food):

A person who is suffering from Asthma then he/she must follow a diet like yava, kulatha, Raktashali, Karela, parawar, adrak, jangal mansa, hot water, goat’s milk, Trikatu, garlic, turmeric, honey, green gram, lemon, etc.

Pathya Vihar (Unfavorable lifestyle)

We must follow this lifestyle to manage asthma like doing pranayama like anuluma viloma, kapalbhati, bhastrika and yoga like sukhasana, dandasana, uttanasana etc. 

Apathya Ahara (Unfavourable food)

Buffalo milk, ghee, curd, spinach, ladyfinger, cold water, black gram, deep fried items, fish, sweets, stored food items, suppression of natural urges, excessive physical exertion, day sleep, exposure to smoke, dust and fumes and pollen.

Herbal Remedies for Asthma

Planet Ayurveda offers various herbal formulations for the management of Asthma. Planet Ayurveda is a herbal company that manufactures Ayurvedic medicines and is a leading Ayurvedic company worldwide. The products of this company are 100% pure and natural. This company offers the following Asthma herbal remedies:

1. Aller-G care 
2. Praanrakshak Churna
3. Tulsi Capsules

Products Description

1. Aller-G Care

This is a very effective herbal supplement for respiratory problems and allergy. This product is made from the standardized extracts of Haridra (Curcuma longa), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Shirish (Albizia lebbeck), and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). This herbal product removes the accumulated toxins and also relieves the entire physiologic system. This product has a wonderful combination of herbs that best act as anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory. Aller-G care is an effective herbal remedy for all types of allergies like asthma, sneezing, rhinitis, sinusitis, etc.

Dosage: 1 capsule twice a day after meals with plain water.

2. Praanrakshak Churna

This is a Planet Ayurveda herbal formulation in powder form. This is a unique formulation that is used in lungs and other respiratory problems. This product is made from the extracts of Shirish (Albizia lebbeck), Vasa (Adhatoda vasica), Anantmool (Hemidesmus indicus), Dalchini (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), etc. This product provides strength to the lungs and other respiratory parts. It can also serve as a good dietary supplement to support all kinds of respiratory problems.

Dosage: 1 tsp twice a day after meals with lukewarm water.

3. Tulsi Capsules

This is a single herbal formulation. It is prepared from the standardized extracts of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum). This is an effective herb that fights against respiratory illnesses. This herb has effective antibacterial properties. This herb also has anti-allergic properties. It alleviates the bacterial growth in the lungs and is beneficial in asthma, skin problems, chronic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, etc. Regular use of Tulsi Capsules helps the body to fight the infections in a very effective way.

Dosage: 1 capsule twice a day after meals with plain water.

4. Shwas Kuthar Ras

Shwash Kuthar Ras is a Herbo mineral classical formulation. This formulation is really effective in almost all the respiratory problems but has it’s best result in Asthma.

Dosage: 1 tablet twice daily with warm water after meals.

Conclusion

We can say that Ayurvedic herbs show very good results on asthma. This chronic inflammatory condition is well managed by Ayurvedic herbs along with proper diet and proper lifestyle. The above-mentioned herbal products of Planet Ayurveda are very effective and safe to use because they are chemical and preservative free. For more information kindly visit www.PlanetAyurveda.com