Potential Of Pathyapathyam Prescribed During Therapy of Siddha Drugs Which Are Mentioned in Jaffna Siddha Text "Segarasasegaram"

Abstract

Aahara, owdatha and Viyaayama are very important regime in Siddha medical line of treatments. Pathyapathyam means dietary and behavioral prescription and restrictions which are beneficial to maintain health. Pathyapathyam is a special branch in Siddha, stresses the importance of Pathyapathyam during the special therapy of herbo mineral drugs. These drugs are very strong. So it will be irritating the mucous membranes. Normally Pathyapathyam maintains for one Mandalam (45 or 48 days). In Segarasasegaram mentioned Pathyapathyam not only to the herbo mineral drugs, but also mentioned for herbal drugs. So far, no research has been undertaken about "Potential of Pathyapathyam with Siddha drugs which are mentioned in Jaffna Siddha text Segarasasegaram"; therefore the researchers selected this study. This was a literature study. All relevant information for this study was gathered from Segarasasegaram. Segarasasegaram mentioned about sixteen diseases and their treatment methods. There are 510 drugs were mentioned, 491(78.81%) internal drugs and 132(21.19 %) external drugs are mentioned. Among the 155(30.39%) drugs consists Pathyapathyam mentioned in Segarasasegaram, out of these 61.29 %(95) herbo mineral drugs and 38.70 %(60) had Pathyapathyam. In Segarasasegaram, twenty nine herbal pathyam, twenty animal pathyam, seven herbal apathyam and ten animal apathya diets were mentioned. According to the vipaka 77.27 % ( 17) plants had Pungent and 22.72% (5) plants had sweet vipaka were mentioned. Finally majority of herbo mineral drugs consist Pathyapathyam than herbal drug and majority of herbal pathya diets had pungent vipaka.