Vaitarana Basti – Ingredients, Benefits

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Vaitarana Vasti is one of the most praised vasti used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and vata disorders.

Etymology of vaitarana

According to Padma Purana, Vaitarana means vai – truly + tarana – saving. Vaitarana is called so because the enema is said to truly save one from many diseases.
Ref – Chakradatta – Niruhadhikara, verse 32
Review article – Vaitarana Vasti – A specific treatment modality for Amavata (Rheumatoid Arthritis)

Ingredients –

Preparation

Method of preparation and administration

Vaitarana Vasti is a form of Niruha Vasti i.e. decoction enema. In any decoction enema, rock salt, honey, oil / ghee, paste of medicines, decoction and add on liquids are added in that order. They are made into a homogenous liquid and administered as enema.
Read – Honey Qualities, Usage, Remedies, Ayurvedic Benefits

In Vaitarana Vasti such procedure is not mentioned. But the preparation shall be done in a similar way.

• First rock salt is powdered properly.
• Instead of honey, syrup of jaggery in mentioned proportion is added to the rock salt. They are pounded and mixed.
• Sesame oil is added and mixed.
• The paste of tamarind is now added to the resultant mixture and ground properly.
• Finally, instead of decoction, urine of cow is added and mixed thoroughly until they become homogenous.
  Read – Saindhava Lavana Rock Salt Benefits, Ayurveda Usage, Side Effects

Another method

• The jaggery is ground with equal quantity of cow urine so as to make a homogenous paste.
• Later the rock salt is added to the paste.
• Sesame oil is added in needed proportions to the above said mixture of ingredients and ground till they become homogenous.
• To this, the tamarind paste is added.
• Finally the cow urine in mentioned quantity is gradually added to the above said mixture. They are mixed thoroughly until they properly blend.
• The resultant liquid i.e. medicated decoction is filtered.
• The filtrate is kept in hot water and made lukewarm. The temperature should be tolerable enough to be administered as enema.
• After checking the temperature of the decoction, it is administered as enema.
• This enema should be given after the consumption of food.
  Read – Basti treatment procedure, Benefits- Astangahrudayam Sutrasthana 19

Time of administration

As a rule it should be given on empty stomach, when the patient is not too hungry. According to Vrindha Madhava and Vangasena treatises, against the principle of Niruha Vasti, Vaitarana Vasti may be given after food also. It can be administered to all kinds of patients. According to Vrindha Madhava it may also be given in the evening time. So, there is flexibility in the time of administration of this enema. This is a strong enema and cannot be tolerated by all patients. If the patient is strong it should be given before food. In diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, the patients might not tolerate the strength and intensity of the enema. In these patients it should be electively given after food.
Read –

Benefits

Vaitarana Vasti effectively cures –

• Shula – colic
• Anaha – flatulence / distension of abdomen
• Vata roga – diseases caused by vitiated vata

Evaluation of clinical efficacy of Vaitarana Basti and Rasnadi Gutika in the management of Gridhrasi w.s.r sciatica

Apart from these classical references, it is highly effective in the treatment of –

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• low back pain
• sciatica
  Read – Sciatica – Ayurvedic Understanding And Successful Treatment Options

Vaitarana Vasti is widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by many Ayurveda physicians.
Clinical evaluation of efficacy of Alambushadi Ghana Vati and Vaitarana Vasti in the management of Amavata with special reference to rheumatoid arthritis

Vaitarana Basti – clinical experience

My clinical experience with Vaitarana Vasti –

I have used Vaitarana Vasti electively in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. When I have administered this enema after administering therapeutic purgation or instant purgation given one day before the enema, I have found good results. I have also fortified my treatments with light digestible diet and disease modifying medicines. After administering a course of this enema, I could reduce the number and quantity of medicines which the patient takes to get relieved from pain. The patient can be put on minimum medications during the follow up period along with ideal medicines. In chronic and stubborn cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis, I make sure that I repeat the treatment twice or thrice a year. After a year or two, the severity of symptoms and frequency of pain attacks will come down.
Research paper – A clinical study of Vaitarana Vasti and Vatari Guggulu in Aamvata (rheumatoid arthritis)

A clinical study on the effect of ksheera vaitarana vasti in the management of gridhrasi w.s.r. to sciatica

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