IF

IF-BY RUDYARD KIPLING.

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all man doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting

Or being lied don’t deal it in lies

Or being hated , don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise,

If you can dream and not make dreams your master;

If you can think and not make thoughts your aim

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trip for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build em up with worn out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch and toss

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the will which stays to thee: ‘Hol on’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue

Or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you , but none too much

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With 60 seconds’worth of distance’ then,

Yours is the earth and everything that’s in it,

And which is more- youll be a Man, my son

Books to read for

TRANSDERMAL ACTION OF ABHYANGAM AND PIZHICHIL.

Cross-section of all skin layers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

THE PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION OF ABHYANGAM AND PIZHICHIL (biology behind per-cutaneous absorption)

”the physico chemical properties of a drug in a topical dosage form affect that drugs trans-dermal delivery (percutaneous absorption) and topical bio-availability. The molecules of the formulation , after penetrating through stratum corneum and thence into viable epidermis and dermis , produces its characteristic pharmacological response through receptors even before blood or lymph circulations remove it, in which case it may set in a cascade of systemic effects. Though the horny layer is very impermeable to most chemicals contributing the rate limiting step in trans dermal absorption because of its high diffusional resistance, providing a small fractional area of 0.1% only as permeable appendageal shunt route, it is not an efficient heat insulator – the penetration rate of material through human skin can change ten fold for a large temperature variation, as the diffusion coefficient varies according to temperature changes. Besides the appendageal shunt route , the drug molecule may penetrate through the hair follicles and sebaceous glands or through the hydration (water opens up the compact part of horny layer ), pH etc., not forgetting the roles of drug concentration , molecular size and shape , diffusion coefficient , partition coefficient etc. The methods of enhancing bio availability of trans dermal drug applications recently followed , like ultrasound and electrical driving of charged molecules (iontophoresis) is replaced in Ayurveda by the increased temperature that induces sudation, hydration through enhanced sweating and by massage for effecting a manual type of iontophoresis. Even external use of sneha alone slightly increases body temperature, which in turn favours production of sweat by sweat glands. Though this sweat is not excreated at the moment because of partial closure of sweat pores by the film of fat , subsequent application of heat releases the barricade of fat to effect full sneha used in conjunction with sveda in Ayurveda- it provides both hydration and temperature increase .

Thus Ayurveda has its own concept of a rich tradition of transdermal therapeutical system, it is convinient, effective, eliminates variables that influence gut absorption, it enters systemic circulation directly, by passing the first-pass effect of enzymes in the gut and the liver; it provides a controlled , constant drug administration, displaying a single pharmacological effect, it is patient compliant as it eliminates the effect taste or gastric irritations.Little wonder that when the world is still in experimental stages by introducing topically acting counterirritants, nsaids, steroids and transdermal clinical patches of oestradiol, clonidine, nitroglycerine, testosterone etc, Ayurveda has addressed transdermal use of medicenes in versatile conditions from neurological affections to rheumatological conditions and also for skin ailments in various modes and methods aroud 2500 years ago, snehana done externally through skin is only one example- (ARTICLE TAKEN FROM ASTANGA HRDAYA SUTRASTHANA COMMENTRY II BY DR.T.SREEKUMAR)”

MAY 17, 2014

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