Basti chikitsa is one amongst the ayurvedic panchakarma therapies which is used to expel the vitiated dosha’s out of the body through the intestinal route.

It is considered to be the best among the other panchakarma therapies because of it’s ability to pacify vata dosha which is the igniting factor for any disease process.

Various toxins entering our body by food ,air etc. get accumulated in our gastrointestinal tract. As time passes these toxins tend to increase and get spread in all channels of our body causing various diseases .

These accumulated toxins in the form of dosha’s if expelled out at right time can prevent the disease.

Joint pain Indigestion Acidity Constipation Back pain Persistent headache Scanty menses Chronic fever Generalized weakness Intestinal worms Heart disorders psychological disturbances Difficulty in micturition and other such Impotence and other such

Problems of Vata prakruti -: Inadequate sleepDry skinDryness of throatLack of concentration Hair fall Basti therapy is must for such Vata prakruti

persons who can have it as a preventive therapy for avoiding serious Vata disorders.

Basti can be given by two ways

a) External b) Internal

janu basti aasthapan kati basti niruha manya basti matra vrana basti uttar basti hridaya basti

In these basti’s warm medicated oils are pooled over specific parts of body by a special arrangement for local pain relief over these areas .

Janu , kati and manya basti can be used over knee, back and neck region for corresponding conditions of pain in these areas.

Vrana basti is used over wounds for relieving pain and for rapid healing.

Janu basti

Kati basti

Medicated oils pooled over knee joint for relieving pain

Oils over back for relieving backache

Manya basti

Hridaya basti

Medicated oils pooled over neck region

Oils over chest region to relieve chest pain in heart disorders

Asthapan or Niruha basti is the one in which medicated decoctions are inserted via a tube into anal canal.

These decoctions remain inside the colon for certain time period and are then expelled out along with the dosha’s.

In Anuvasan medicated oils are used for the same purpose.

In Matra basti less quantity of oil is used and it does not need to be accompanied by any strict dietary restriction or daily routine and can be administered, in all seasons. Route of administration is same as that of anuvasan and niruha.

These are the major types of basti among others.

1. Poorvakarma – theses are the preliminary steps done before undertaking the basti therapy -:

Dipan – it ignites the digestive fire which has weakened in the disease process

Pachan – it tries to digest the accumulated toxins

Snehan – it involves oil application externally and it’s consumption as well.

Swedan – it is steam induced sweating for toxin clearance.

Snehan and swedana provides lubrication and strength to the body for the upcoming detox therapy.Snehan helps in loosening of toxins from their sites which are then dislodged by swedana.These dislodged toxins are then easily expelled out of the body by the basti therapy.

Pradhan karma – this includes the actual process of administering basti

As per the requirement basti can be administered in 3 courses.

Type of basti course

Niruha basti Anuvasan basti Total

basti

Start Mid End

Start Mid End

Karma basti 12 12 30

Kala basti 6 6 16

Yog basti 3 3 8

_

_

_

_

_

_

1 5

3

1 1

1

3. Paschat karma – helps in regaining the normal functioning of body

This includes various rules to be followed after having Panchakarma.

dietic

behavioural

physical

psychological rules

Dashamoola kwath (Processed with roots of 10 vata pacifying herbs) is best for all painful and inflammatory conditions in the body occurring due to vitiation of vata.

Ashwagandha oil is recommended in cases where excess vata has reduced the body strength causing weakness. It is also indicated in conditions where vata has reduced the sperm count thereby causing sterility.

Yashtimadhu oil owing to the best healing properties, helps to treat piles, fissure and fistulae.

Tila oil is best for pacification of Vata and Kapha. It can be taken on daily basis in the form of matra basti and is recommended for patients having generalized weakness and for those having skin problems, hair fall etc.

Medications in basti