SNAKE BITE MANAGEMENT IN AYURVEDA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KERALIYA VISHA CHIKITSA

WHO recognizes snake bite as top priority neglected tropical disease. Snake bite envenomation is an important public health issue mostly affecting those who live in rural area, in developing countries. India is estimated to have highest number of snakebite mortality in the world according to WHO with a frequency of 83,000 bites per annum with 11,000 deaths. The most of the envenomation was by Russell's Viper followed by Kraits and Cobras. Snake bites are considered as a major health problem in North Kerala, among bites, Hump nosed pit viper cases are relatively more and the in effectiveness of the antivenom against its bite worsen the problem. Highest number of cases was reported from Kozhikode (1,125) followed by Kannur and Palakkad and least number of cases in Idukki. Agad Tantra deals with almost all possibilities of poisoning especially snake bite management. Kerala has developed its own snake bite management protocols by widely practicing visha vaidyas at that time and recorded in Keraliya visha chikitsa granthas. They had introduced special treatment modalities like ooth chikitsa, talam, Tukkudhara etc. This review details such special treatment modalities mentioned in Vishavaidya Jyotsnika and Prayoga Samuchaya with special reference to Darvikara visha chikitsa.