Ayurvedic aspect of lead and its chronic toxicity

Abstract

Chronic Lead toxicity is found in form of occupational or environmental exposure with leading encounter during manufacturing, transportation and utilisation of Lead and its compounds. Though information about the Lead toxicity is not found in Brihatrayi like Charak, Shushrut, but it is found in text book of Ras Tarangini, Ayurved Prakash, Vrahat Ras Raj Sundar etc. in detail. As the Lead toxicant accumulate on cellular level after chronic and persistent exposure like Cumulative Poison (Dushee Visha) and its toxic effect after existence of some aggregative factors. It vitiates all the dosha, but Vata and Pita is vitiated more predominantly. It affects all the system (strotas), but Central nervous system (Majava strotas), Haematology (Ras-Raktavaha Strotas) and Gastro intestinal tract (Annavaha strotas and Purishvaha Strotas) are more affected. There is no such treatment of chronic lead toxicity found in Ayurvedic Original Text, but Enema (Basti) therapy after Bio-purification and then symptomatic management may give complete relief.