LEPA’S: TOPICAL APPLICATION OF AYURVEDA

Abstract

The goal of medicine is to prevent the disease, restore health and suffering. Understanding and appropriately treating pain is an important component of this goal. Pain is universally recognized as a signal of disease or injury and is a common reason for patients to seek the medical care. Analgesics given in the form of topical application is said to provide the therapeutic benefits by reaching the local tissue and with minimal side effects like irritation of the skin etc. Apart form relieving the pain, topical application is also useful in treating various skin lesions, ulcers. Ayurveda, a science of life and traditional system of medicine native to India is also a form of Alternative medicine. Ayurveda also called as Astanga Ayurveda contains eight branches such as kayachikitsa(internal medicine), shalya tantra (surgery), shalakya tantra (ENT), agada tantra (toxicology and forensic medicine), bhutavidya (treatment of psychic diseases), kaumarabhrutya(paediatrics), rasayana tantra (rejuvenation treatment) and vajikarana (aphrodiasics). Ayurveda, an ancient science has vast description of these topical applications in the name of lepa described both as the chikitsa of various disease conditions and for beauty.