Adaptability in Lepa Combinations : An Ayurvedic Perspective

Lepa are topical preparations which are applied on the skin for both curative purpose and as daily regimen. Ayurveda explains about the different types of therapies; antahparimarjana (internal cleansing), baahyaparimaarjana (external cleansing) and shastra pranidhaana (surgical procedures). Based on various conditions in both diseased and healthy person, various permutations and combinations of lepa can be done for significant therapeutic effect. The powder used can be coarse or fine in nature; liquid medium for triturating the powder can be either water or alcoholic or unctuous etc, in nature. Even though different types of lepa, lepa dravyas and drava dravyas have been suggested, it is up to the rationality and logic of physicians to make effective combinations of the same. Ayurveda has not named every diseased condition but has put forward diverse possibilities of dosha involvements in manifestation of the same. Hence, this article covers the possibilities of variations that can be made in different lepas in unnamed disease conditions also.