AYURVEDIC REMEDIES FOR SPRUE SYNDROME
SPRUE SYNDROME
This is a chronic disease characterised
by diarrhoea with frothy stools, indigestion, sore mouth, loss of weight and anaemia. The stool is accompanied by mucus. The patient usually passes a large quantity of stool in
the
early morning after he gets up from the bed.
In Ayurveda this condition is called grahani roga. Like dysentery, it is associated with a gripping pain in the stomach. The small intestine beginning from the duodenum up to the
colon is known in Ayurveda as grahani. Organisms do not play any significant role in the causation of this disease. It is caused by impairment of the functioning of the inner wall
of the small intestine. Sometimes the large intestine is also involved.
According to Ayurveda persons having paittika type of physical constitution and psychic temperament are more prone to get this disease. Anger worry, anxiety and other types of
emotional stresses and strains are primarily responsible for the causation of this disease. Irregularity in the intake of food also precipitates the attack of this disease.
Impairment of digestion and absorption of food articles results in malnutrition. The tissue elements in the body do not get proper nourishment. The patient becomes emaciated and
anaemic. Even the best of nourishing food does not help in this condition.
Ayurvedic Treatment for sprue syndrome: This is a very chronic condition and the patient has to be tackled very carefully. Rasa parpati is the drug of choice for
the treatment of this condition. The ingredients
of this medicine are mercury and sulphur. Both these ingredients have toxic effects upon the body. Therefore, they are processed through a special pharmaceutical method to make them
non-toxic and useful for the body.
This Parpati is administered to the patient in gradually increased doses. It is to be started with 125 gm. and increased by 65 gm. each day till 625 gms. At this stage the dose is
to be maintained for ten days and then gradually reduced by 65 gm. till it reaches 125 gm. again, after which the therapy is to be discontinued. This particular way of giving
medicine is called parpati kalpa.
During parpati kalpa the patient is strictly prohibited from taking salt or water. He is not permitted even to take bath or use water even for sanitary purposes. He is to be given
only milk or butter-milk. Sugar can be added to this. In the beginning the patient may feel a little uncomfortable in taking milk only. Subsequently he gets habituated to this.
He develops the power to digest large quantities of milk. It is seen that patients who were unable to digest or tolerate even 250 ml. of milk per day, managed to digest about ten
to fifteen liters of milk per day after this therapy. This serves as a rejuvenation therapy for the patient. Along with the improvement in the condition of the functioning of the
inner wall of the intestine, more and more food ingredients get digested and he picks up weight. Since this involves many diet restrictions it is always advisable to administer
this therapy under the supervision of an expert ayurvedic physician.
Jatiphala or nutmeg is the other medicine of choice in this condition. The kernel of the fruit, crushed into powder, may be given three or four times a day depending on the number
of motions. There is a recipe called Jatiphaladi churna in which nutmeg is added as an important ingredient.
One teaspoonful of this powder is given to the patient two to three times a day.
Diet to taken by sprue syndrome patients: Fried, oily and spicy food ingredients are strictly contra-indicated in this condition. The patient should be given
butter-milk in sufficient quantity. Keeping the patient
on buttermilk alone expedites recovery from this disease. Fried cuminseed in the form of powder and rock-salt can be added to this butter-milk according to the taste of the patient.
Butter-milk mixed with rice and a little salt form a very good food for the patient. Meat and fish are also not normally indicated for the patient. Meat and fish are also
contra- indicated. Among vegetables, the patient can take green banana, the flower of banana, drumstick, patola, karavellaka, tomato and white variety of pumpkin. Yellow variety of
pumpkin, colocasia, potato, lady's finger and leafy vegetable are not indicated in this condition. Pomegranate can be given to the patient in various forms.
Other regimens: Even though the patient suffers from diarrhoea, he may at times, get constipation also. In some cases diarrhoea and constipation follow one after the
other. The husk
of Isabagol may be given to the patient in a dose of one to two teaspoonfuls at bedtime, mixed with butter-milk. The sprue syndrome patient should be given sufficient
rest. He is advised to sleep
for one hour during the day. Efforts should be made so that the patient gets good sleep at night. Light exercise or morning walk is very useful in this condition. Over exertion,
mental worry, anxiety, anger etc., should be avoided.
