When stools become watery, and frequency of the movements increases, it is diarrhoea. In Ayurveda it is known as Atisara.
Low digestive fire, improper food, wrong eating habits, indigestion, drinking too much cold water, eating too many unripe fruits and vegetables, and infestation of worms are the main causes.
Similarly wrong food combinations, eating food rapidly without proper chewing, eating food before the prior food is properly digested, impure food, and toxins in food or water can lead to diarrhoea.
According to Ayurveda, it is disease related to the water system and vitiation of all doshas. Vitiated Vata brings water from the cells to the intestine, lowers the agni, and produces diarrhoea. Various types have been described, due to vitiation of each dosha, all doshas together and emotional disturbances like fear, grief, and vitiation of the blood.
In Vata type, there is cramping and lots of gas in abdomen. During bowel movements, lots of water is passed without many faeces. Diarrhoea and constipation can alternate.
In Pitta type the stools are yellowish in colour with lot of bad smell and can be mixed with blood . There may or may not be fever, thirst, and burning sensation in the abdomen.
Kapha type is usually very watery with whitish colour and can contain little mucous.
Ama stage – During this stage, there are toxins in gastro intestinal tract. Hence stools are of foul smelling and usually, fever is present.
First, fasting should be done. Herbs that control the frequency of motions should not be given unless there is a real emergency. Patient should deink lots of warm water treated with ginger, piper longum, and piper nigrum (also called trikatu). He should take warm vegetable soup with rock salt.
During ama stage , ama should be detoxified by alkalies derived from plant sources. Once ama is detoxified, mild purgative with castor oil, will help to drive out ama from intestines.
In acute attack , use astringent herbs. The best herbs are holarrhena antidysenterica, eagle marmelos, gum of bombax malabericum, licorice, Berberis aristata, symplocus racemosus, and jumbu-Eugenia jambolana. These astringents can be given in dose of 1 teaspoon twice a day for 15 days.
Vata type – Anti-vata diet is advised. Along with astringents proper use of carminatives if needed should be given like cardamom, asafetida, and fennel. 1 tea spoon mixture of these in equal parts should be given twice a day with warm water. Drinking buttermilk is also ideal. Pomegranate fruit helps to stop the frequency of motions. The rind of this fruit is also useful.
Kutajarishta (BR) 15 ml. 3 times a day for 15 days should be given.
Pitta type – All fried, spicy foods should be avoided. anti-Pitta diet is advised. Along with bitter herbs like golden seal, barberry, which can be used initially, aegle marmelos and holerrhena anti-dysenterica should be given.
Bilwadi churna (SYS) 1 TEA-SPOON 3 TIMES A DAY FOR 15 DAYS IS IDEAL.
Kapha type – All dairies should be avoided and anti-Kapha diet advised. Herbs to increase the digestive fire like cayenne, ginger, piper longum should be used in the beginning. Later on berberis aristata, blackberry, cranes bill, white oak bark and yellow dock should be used.
Gangadhara churna (BR) containing cyperus, dry ginger, bark of kutaja 1 gm. Twice a day for 15 days is very effective. Tab. Jatiphaladi bati (BR) 250 mgm; twoce a day for 15 days gives, good results .
Chronic diarrhoea – When diarrhoea lasts for more than two weeks without responding to any treatment, it can be labeled as chronic diarrhoea. In this condition the digestive fire is very week and there is debility due to improper nourishment of the body. Therefore after giving herbs like trikatu and cayenne to strengthen the digestive fire, other astringent herbs should be used.
Herbs of choice are resins of Butea frondosa, Helicteres isora, Shorea robusta, Pavonia odorata, Mimosa pudica, Cuminum cyminum, and Bassia longilolia. Mixture of any two of these herbs in dose of 1 gm. Twice a day for 15 days is ideal. When these herbs are not available nutmeg, plantain, red raspberry, white pond lily, lotus seeds, and gentian can be used.
Bilwadi or kutajadi avaleha 1 teaspoon 2 times day for 1 month or give babbolarishta (BR) 15 ml. 3 times, day for 1 month.
Patrangasava (BBR) 15 ml. Twoce a day for 1 month is useful in this condition and also prevents recurrence.
Avoid all Kapha and ama increasing foods like cheese, fried, oily foods, heavy foods. Like meat and sweets. Rice, mung, buttermilk, cooked vegetables and warm water is advised.
