---

Medicines always leave the user with ‘please get away from me’ effect. Especially so, when they are full of chemicals like the one’s prescribed by allopathic doctors. However, the case is different when it’s come to ayurvedic treatment. Here, the medications given are mostly natural and free from side effects. Its preparations are done using recipes articulated by ayurvedic rishis of yore. One such medication is the Lehyam. Lehyams or electuaries also known as herbal jams may have bitter-tasting ingredients but since they are processed in sugar media they are usually like by all who uses it.

What it is?

 “Sarkaraadeenaam paakaat
krithah lihyate eti lehah.”

In the manufacturing process of lehyam, medicinal ingredients are processed with sugar media like jaggery, sugar or sugar candy and changed into a semi-solid palatable form.

Preparation

These are semisolid in nature and use jaggery or sugar in its mixture. It is prepared by boiling with the prescribed liquid till the correct constituency is obtained. Later, spices and Ghee are added and stirred well. Once cooled, honey is also added. This means preserving the water extract of medicines in sugar media.

There are four major components in the manufacturing of lehyam preparations. They are:

A liquid part: kashayam (water extraction), juice, etc.

• Sugar media (jaggery, sugar or sugar candy).
• Medicines in the form of ground paste or fine powder.
• Ghee, oil or honey as explained in the formula.

The main procedure starts with dissolving the sugar media in the liquid part (water extraction or juice, as explained) and concentrating further in low temperature until it attains ‘paka’ (stage at which this concentrated semi-liquid will form into  a thread when pressed between the thumb and index finger and released). It is then added with the fine powder, ghee and oil. Proper mixing is essential to get the semi-solid form. Honey is added once the mixture is cooled. It is stirred further to get the appropriate semi- solid form.

Usage

There are many lehyam preparations used to cure various ailments such as cough, asthma, degenerative diseases, arthritis and skin diseases. The normal prescribed dosage of lehyam for an adult is 10 g to 15 g. In rasayana chikitsa (rejuvenative therapy), however, the dosage may increase considerably.

Lehyam, avaleha, prasam and gulam are the very familiar forms of medicines processed with sugar media. Aswagandhaadi Lehyam, Chyavanaprasam and Sathavarigulam are examples of such preparations which are widely used in Ayurvedic medical practice.

In Ayurveda there are many lehyam formulations having  rejuvenative properties (rasayana guna). Agasthya Rasayanam, Brahma Rasayanam and Chyavanaprasam are some of the well-known Rasayana preparations.

People often mistake all lehyam preparations for rasayana and vice-versa. In fact, a rasayana drug can be administrated not only in lehyam form but also in other forms like ghee and pills. Even single drugs like Terminalia chebula (hareethaki), ginger and pippali (Piper longum) are used as rejuvenative drugs with proper rejuvenative procedure (rasayana vidhi).

---

Related Articles

Kerala Tourism holds road shows in Europe

Kerala receives award for ‘Best Honeymoon Destination’

Treating alcoholism

Sobha Hermitage Home Away from Home

Vaajeekarana for procreation

Alcohol The good and the bad