Role Of Ayurveda In The Management Of Genital Herpes!

Herpes is known as Visarpa in Ayurveda. It is an infectious disease caused by Nita group (Herpes group) of viruses. It is an extreme form of the viral disease, which, if left untreated, can lead to the death of a person.

Types of Herpesviruses

• Herpes simplex
• Herpes zoster
• Varicella zoster
• Cytomegalovirus

Mode of transmission

Herpes spreads through the following routes:  

1. Via blood (raktha)  
2. Via skin (twacha)
3. Through muscles (snayu)
4. Through vaccination (lasika)

According to ayurveda, these viruses can enter the body by following modes:

• Suppression of natural urges (emotions and physical symptoms)
• Due to wounds fractures
• Crush injuries
• Cutting of immature part

All these factors speedily give rise to a sort of swelling and inflammation. This swelling can extend all over the body.

Clinical features

• Vatika Visarpa Fever, inflammation, twitching, pins and needles, tearing pain, giddiness, pricking pain, malaise, cramps, tremors, fever, bone and joint pain and their dislocation, shivering, anorexia, and indigestion
• Paittika Visarpa Fever, malaise, red pustules, which are rapidly spreading and suppurating
• Kaphaja VisarpaNumbness, stiffness, heaviness, pain in the body, pustules with exudates, deep-seated ulcers over the pustules with a surrounded capillary network and covered with many skin scabs.
• Sannipatika Visarpa
• Granthi vispara

Glandular involvement along with all the symptoms of herpes

1. Agni Visarpa: Fever, vomiting, diarrhea, thirst, dizziness, splitting pain in regional glands, anorexia, pain all over the body, loss of consciousness, sleeplessness, dyspnoea, hiccough, mental confusion, and finally death
2. Kardama Visarpa: Red, yellow and pale yellow color eruptions with dull pain, edema, deep-seated suppuration, and eruptions that are free from exudations

Scope of Ayurveda

It is based on dosha dominance. Herpes from a single dosha involvement is curable. Involvement of double doshas can be alleviated by the habitual use of general therapeutic measures and involvement of triple doshas is incurable because it pervades all the tissue elements.

Management in ayurveda It includes:

1. Langhana therapy for improving immunity and to fight against the virus
2. Herbs are used due to their antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor activity, such as Musta, Bala, Guduchi, Yashti, Chandana, Usheera
3. Tikta dravya which pacifies the vitiation of rakta and pitta, which are the main causative factor for herpes
4. An induction of controlled vomiting for infection arising due to pitta dosha
5. Compounds with a bitter taste (tikta rasa pradana) administration to increase the flow of gastric juice and for the virus destruction
6. Administration of herbs (Sneha pana) for purgation
7. Rakta mokshana should be administered if the route of transmission is blood
8. Kasisadi ghruta for external application