Liver is the largest organ of the body. Ayurveda considers liver as the main organ for the ‘Pitha’ activities. Pitha in Ayurvedic parlance is one of the three functional units and is responsible for all kinds of digestions in the body including actions of enzymes and metabolism at tissue levels.
Liver is the factory of the elements responsible for the body building, hence importance is given to its maintenance. Infection and degeneration of cells are the two main diseases of the liver. Probably, these are the two areas where ayurveda has an exclusive approach.
Causes of liver disorders are mainly dietary. Like eating allergic food that are not suitable to one’s constitution. (asatmya). Eating heavy, cold and dry items regularly, Alcohol consumption is also a major cause for liver damage. Viral infections such as hepatitis A to E and G are other causes. Most of the Chemical drugs get de-toxicated in the liver and may cause liver damage on long run.
Food that promote liver function.
- All leafy vegetables cooked in steam are good for liver especially Ash guard (green pumpkin) in the form of soup with pepper powder and rock salt.
- Diluted butter milk cooked with few pieces of dried and crushed pomegranate fruit cover (hard) along with a pinch of turmeric and few leaves of Karipatha and pepper with a little of rock salt is a good drink for liver and tasty too !
- Grapes both dry and fresh in the form juice or as such is good.
- The leafy vegetable curry made out of Kakamachi (solanum nigrum) is very useful for liver. In southern states, this is a usual addition in the diet.
Kakamachi (solanum nigrum)
Some herbs which are commonly seen every where and that protect liver are the following. Daily intake of these herbs for a period of 41 days, will be useful to tone-up the liver.
- Tinospora cordifolia (TC) (Gudoochi – Amrithaballi) :
Take one handful of (around 60 gms) matured green stem of TC. Remove the outer thin skin. Cut into small pieces of 2 or 3 inch size. Crush them slightly and put it in 120 ml. of boiled hot water in the night and cover it. Next day morning squeeze the TC and remove it from the water and filter it. Add one table spoon of honey and drink in empty stomach. This can help to rejuvenate the liver and also make liver optimum functioning.
- Aegle marmelose (Bhel, Bilwam) and Eclipta alba, (Bhringaraja, Karishilam kanni)
Make a paste of the fresh leaves of Aegle marmelose (Bhel, Bilwam) and Eclipta alba, (Bhringaraja, Karishilam kanni), 5 gms each. Add a pinch of turmeric. Take in the morning empty stomach followed by a cup of diluted butter milk.
- Phyllanthus amarus (Bhoomyamalaki- Kizharnelli)
For viral infection of liver like Hepatitis A, etc., take for 14 days the following
Take 5 gms of Phyllanthus amarus (Bhoomyamalaki- Kizharnelli), preferably the reddish shaded one. Make a paste of it and mix with one glass fresh unboiled cow’s milk or diluted cream free butter milk and take it in the morning empty stomach and the same quantity in the evening around 06.00 pm. During this period avoid any oily substance, sour items and salt. This enhances the retro-viral activities in the liver and the person gets relieved from all the symptoms of jaundice by two weeks.
Authored by: Dr G G Gangadharan
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