Int J Ayu Pharm Chem
REVIEW ARTICLE
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Conceptual Study of Dushi Visha in Present Era w.s.r. to
Occupational Hazards and Agricultural Poisons
N. S. Gangasagre1, Nilesh Salve2*, Shital Mirajkar3, Subhashini Lahankar4 and Ravindra
Pandhare5
1-5
Department Agadtantra Dept, GAC Osmanabad, Maharashtra, India
Abstract
Ayurveda gives more importance to prevention of disease and maintenance of health. As given in
ayurvedic classic text, a poison is a substance which vitiate normal functioning of dosh, dhatu,
mala. Thousands of harmful toxins are present in atmosphere that are ingested by the human
beings on daily basis. As described in our Samhita Granthas, Dushivisha is an intake of toxic
drugs which is less potent and remains in dormant state within the body for year together without
causing any major harm to body.
As we see in today's era workers working in lead industry like enamel workers, glass blowers,
printing works has typical chronic lead poisoning symptoms such as constipation, tremors,
menstrual disarrangements etc due to chronic exposure to lead which accumulates in body and
produces its ill effect like Dushivisha. Arsenic, copper, mercury chronic occupational poisoning
also happened due to long exposure of poison working in respective industry. In agriculture, the
chronic exposure to OPP, OCP, weed killers like parquet, chlorophenoxyacetates, chlorates used
to prevent infection in plants, being sprayed by farmers on daily basis, leads to symptoms like
dysphasia, oropharyngial ulcers, coughing, pain in abdomen, etc. These symptoms resemble to
Dushivisha like symptoms.
From this article, we may correlate the symptoms of Dushivisha with the chronic occupational
poisoning and agricultural field exposure to weed killers, which may be helpful to understand the
concept of Dushivisha. It is very important for us to realize the health hazardous effects of
cumulative poison and its proper time to time prevention as well as its proper treatment.
Keywords
Dushivisha, Occupational Poisoning, Agricultural Poisons
Greentree Group
Received 01/03/17 Accepted 29/03/17 Published 10/05/17
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INTRODUCTION
duration also leads to ill health effect. In
The term Dushi Visha is a combination of
present era we can correlate these two health
two different types of words, Dushi and
hazards to concept of Dushivisha.
Visha. Dushi means denatured, attenuated,
Chronic illness is more alarming than acute
latent and vitiated. Visha means poison1.
illness. In acute infections, there are marked
Attenuated and denatured poisons function
symptoms, so as it is easy to diagnosis and
as latent toxin in the body. In Ayurveda,
treat. Whereas in chronic illness, the
while describing Visha, visha classified in
symptoms are vague and difficult to
various catagories such as Sthavar-jangham,
diagnose. In Industrial chronic poisoning the
Gara-Dushi
Acharya
symptoms are not well marked and can be
describe dushivisha as a slow poison which
misdiagnosed with other systemic illness.
accumulates in our body, due to its low
And it can be health hazardous due to wrong
potency it does not produce acute ill effect
diagnosis. So it is very important to learn
but produces chronic illness due to long
about chronic cumulative poisoning and its
term
While
ill effect. This chronic poisoning is can be
simplifying this concept of DushiVisha in
co related with concept of dushi visha. In
present era, we can compare the same effect
Ayurveda, detoxification therapy is well
of occupational chronic exposure to human
explained for the treatment of Dushivisha.
beings with poisons such as lead, arsenic,
To prove utility of detoxification process, it
mercury, copper etc. Workers in such
very important to co relate the lakshana of
industries, comes direct contact with poisons
dushi visha with cumulative poisoning. In
and that to for decades of duration which
this review article an attempt has been made
ultimately leads to chronic accumulation of
first to understand concept of Dushivisha, its
the poison in their body and that lead to
signs, symptoms and line of treatment of
chronic illness. Farmers working on field
Dushivisha
also has similar kind of chronic exposure to
occupational hazards as well as poisoning of
poisons such as OCP, OPP, paraquat,
various agricultural products.
Visha,
exposure
to
etc.
the
All
poison.
with
special
reference
to
chlorophenoxy acetate, chlorates which are
used as weed killer to prevent infection to
the crops. This kind of exposure for longer
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Salve et al.
2017 Greentree Group © IJAPC
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AIM
not get eliminated from body, but due to
The conceptual study of DushiVisha in
digestion or due to antidotes presence their
present era w.s.r. to occupational hazards
potency get decreased by the effect of
and agricultural poisons.
Aatap(sunlight)
OBJECTIVES
factors) this cumulative poison stays in
1)
body. This low potency poison is known as
To collect and analyze the literature
Vayu
(air)
(external
review of Dushi Visha.
Dushivish2.
2)
According to Astang Samgrah Samhita,
To collect and analyze occupational
hazards.
3)
poisonous substances which are very old,
To
collect
and
analyze
the
contaminated with other anti poisonous
agricultural poison and its effect on body
drugs, partially destroyed by forest fire,
4)
breeze, sunlight, not endowed fully with all
Visha
To compare the symptoms of Dushi
with
occupational
hazards
and
qualities of poison by nature itself- all these
agricultural poisons.
derive the name dushivisha. Because of its
Methodology
alpa veerya (low potency), it does not
To fulfill the aims and objectives of the
produce acute symptoms (though present
study this work has been carried out in the
inside the body). It gets Avarana (covering)
following phase wise manner.
with kapha and remains in the body for
1)
Conceptual study
many years. Due to Avarana of Kapha and
2)
Comparative study
alpa Veerya, this Dushivisha stays in body
3)
Discussion
in Avyakta Avastha (invisible state) for
4)
Conclusion and summary
longer time3.
Concept of DushiVishaInAyurveda-
Lakshana of Dushivisha-
According to Aacharya Sushruta, a poison

which is vitiated by area, time, food and
Nidra (sleep), Jrumbha, Gurutva, Harsha,
Divaswapa (afternoon sleep) and which
sandhi vishleshana, Angamarda (bodyache)
vitiate the Deha Dhatus are called as
these are the Purvaroopas of Dushivisha
[2].
Dushivisha
poisons)
A part of Sthavar (plant
Jangham
(animal
poison)
or
Purvaroopa of Dushivisha-
which can be correlated with anxiety,
drowsiness, body ache, weakness, joints
KrutrimVish (artificial poison) which does
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weakness etc. premonitory symptoms of
Hastapaadshotha
Oedema on extremities
dushivisha4.
Dakodara
Ascites

Chhardi
Emesis
Vishamjvara
Fever
Unmada
Insanity
principally vitiate Rakta (blood) which lead
Anaha
Distention
to Kitibh Koth Utpatti (skin disorder) in
Shukrakshaya
Oligospermia
body, like this DushiVisha vitiate one by one
SwaraVikruti
Change in voice
Roopa of Dushivisha-
According to Aacharya charaka, Dushivisha
Dosha and ultimately lead to Pran-nasha
Table 3 According to Dhatu that contaminated by
(death)5.
Table
1
Dushivisha Lakshana varies8]
According
to
Lakshana(signs) of Dushivisha
Aachrya
Sushruta
6
Rasa Dhatu
Aruchi, Ajirna
Atisaar
Diarrhoea
RaktaDhatu
Kushtha, Visarpa (Herpes)
TvakaVaivarnya
Depigmentation of skin
MansDhatu
Mansarbud (Tumour)
MukhaDaurgadhya
Foul smell from mouth
Med Dhatu
Med Granthi (Lipoma)
Virasta
Nausea
AsthiDhatu
AsthiDantadiVikara(Osteological
Trushna
Thirst
Murchha
Syncope
Vaman
Vomiting
SwarVaikrutya
Hoarseness of voice
Dushyodar
Ascitis
changes)
MajjaDhatu
TamoDarshana (Blurred vision,
black outs)
ShukraDhatu
Klaibya (Infertility)
Occupational hazardsOther Lakshana includes
Lead industry-9
If Dushivisha is in Amashaya (stomach) it
Lead is a typical cumulative poison. It is
will lead to have Kapha-VaataVikara, if it is
heavy steel gray metal. Metallic lead and all
in Pakvashaya (colon), it will lead to
its
VataPittaVikara7.
Industries such as Sindur making, batteries,
Table 2 Other Lakshana
paints, hair dyes, electric cable insulations,
salts
are
poisonous.Occupational
Annamada
Nausea
ceramics may lead tochronic exposure. The
Avipaka, Arochaka
Anorexia
lead poisoning symptoms are Facial pallor-
Mandala
skin blisters
Moha, Dhatukshaya
Weakness
Kotha
Leprosy
earliest sign, Anaemiapunctate basophilia
(RaktaDhatuDushti), Burtonian line- on
gums
(MukhaDaurgandhya),Colic
and
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2017 Greentree Group © IJAPC
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constipation
(Aanaha,
palsy
and
(Unmada),Sterility
Ammenorhoea
Anorexia
Dushyodar),Lead
of
(Klaibya,
(Aruchi,
Hepatic- Hepatomegaly, jaundice, cirrhosis
encephalopathy
of the liver
both
Hematologic- bone marrow suppression,
sexes,
Shukrakshay),
Ajirna),Vertigo,
anemia, leukemia
Mercury Industry –
drowsiness (Murchha). All these symptoms
If mercury is inhaled or swallowed as vapor,
of lead poisoning are similar to Lakshanas
or if applied to the skin or mucus membrane
of Dushivisha.
in
Arsenic Industry-
absorbed.Industries such as glass blowing
Arsenic is not absorbed from alimentary
mirror
canal, when volatilised by heat, arsenic
exposure to elemental mercury yields classic
unites with oxygen, and forms poisonous
symptoms like-
vapours of arsenic trioxide10. It is used
Gingivitisandsalivation- blue line of gums
industrially as an alloying agent, as well as
Tremors- hatters shakesand
in the processing of glass, pigments, textiles,
Neuropsychiatricchanges
paper,
Mercurilentis - is peculiar eye change due to
metal
adhesives,
wood
finely
divided
state
manufacturing
it
is
firms.Chronic
preservatives11. It may be due to accidental
exposure tovapor of mercury
ingestion of repeated small doses by those
Acrodynia– anorexia, insomnia, sweating,
who working in with the metal12.
skin rash, photophobia.
Symptoms commonly observed due to
All above are occupational hazards effect of
chronic exposure of Arsenic like-
industrial poisoning13.
CNS-polyneuritis, encephalopathy
Agricultural poisons
Skin- rain drop type of pigmentation on
More than thousand chemicals are currently
flexures, temples, eyelids
used as insecticides and pesticides14.
Nails-Aldrich-Mees lines
Organic phosphorouscompounds-
Eyes- watering of eyes, photophobia
Organo phosphorous compounds used as
GIT- nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps,
insecticides, pesticides on large scale in
diarrhoea, salivation
agriculture industry.Commonly used are,
CVS and Kidneys - chronic nephritis,
bugsoline(malathion), tick (diazion). They
cardiac failure
are absorbed by inhalation through the skin,
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2017 Greentree Group © IJAPC
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mucous membrane and GI tract. When
Chronic exposure may lead to following
sprayed in air, absorption in the plants
symptoms are Convulsion,Rhinorrhoea, sore
occurs through leaves and stems15.
throat, wheezing, and with skin contact-
Chronic
poisoning
usually
occurs
as
blisters, dermatitis, parasthesia.
occupational hazards in agriculturists.
DISCUSSION –
The main features are -
Toxicity is nothing but a substance that can
Muscle cramps, Weakness,Gait disorder,
harm or alter well being of an individual.
parasthesia, Drowsiness, confusion, anxiety,
Chronic toxicity refers to ability of a toxic
Peripheral neuropathy, flaccid paralysis, toes
substance to cause harmful effects over an
drop
extended period usually upon continuous
Organo chloride compound poisoning-
exposure.
Organo chloride compound used as weed
occupational or agricultural poisons, enter
killers, herbicides in farms by farmers.e.g.,
the body in the form of air, water, soil,
DDT, gamma hexachlorobenzenes( lindane),
vapour. And usually it does not get
endosulphan, endrin
completely eliminated from the body. This
organochlorines are absorbed through skin,
repeated accumulation of ingredients lead to
orally and via inhalation.These agents are
cumulative
highly lipid soluble16.
AacharyaCharaka,
Chronic exposure may lead to following
AachryaVaghbhata
symptoms are vomiting, nausea, salivation,
Dushivisha is of any type Sthavar (plant
diarrhea, Hoarseness
poisons)
of voice, mental
Chronic
exposure
toxicity.
Jangham
In
of
this
Ayurveda,
AachryaSushruta, and
are
(animal
opined
poison)
that
or
confusion, Loss of weight, weakness, ataxia,
KrutrimVish (artificial poison) which does
tremors, Oligospermia, Increased tendency
not get eliminated from body, but due to
for leukemia, anemia.
digestion or due to antidotes presence their
Pyrethrins and Pyrithroids-
potency get decreased. Bythe effect of
Pyrethrins and pyrithroids used as insect
Aatap(sunlight), Vayu (air) Jala like external
repellents,
factors
insecticides,
pesticides.
And
this cumulative poison stays in
Available as sprays, dusts, powders, mats,
body. This low potency poison are known as
coils. Most common used are pyrethrum,
Dushivisha.
permethrin, allethrin.
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CONCLUSION
From
above
study,
DushiVisha
the
Lakshana
described
of
in
BruhatrayiSamhita,are near about similar to
that of cumulative poisons find in today’s
occupational and agricultural industry. The
concept of DushiVisha which described in
ancient time that totally resemble in today’s
lifestyle also, and this shows how deeply our
Aacharyas studied about poisons and their
property, so as in today’s era also we can co
relate DushiVisha with our occupational
hazards. It is alarming for us, to have sound
knowledge of such silent poisoning, which
is hazardous to our health. It is important to
eliminate such DushiVisha exposure from
our lifestyle so that we can live a healthy
and poison free life.
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