Ayurvedic Treatment of Liver Cirrhosis – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Herbal Remedies
Cirrhosis is a condition of severe scarring of the liver which decreases liver functions.it mainly occurs at terminal stages of chronic liver disease. It is progressive disease which grows over a year. If it continues to grow it leads to scar tissue to build up and finally stops liver function.
The liver function is to detoxify harmful substances in body, cleaning your blood and making vital nutrients. There are several causes’ of liver cirrhosis one of which are hepatitis and chronic alcoholism.
The liver has many Essential Body Functions. These include:
- It produces bile, which helps in absorbing dietary fats, cholesterol, and vitamins A, D, E AND K
- For later use, it stores sugar and vitamins in the body.
- It helps in purifying blood by removing harmful toxins such as alcohol and bacteria from the body.
- It creates blood clotting proteins.
Decompensated liver cirrhosis is a term used when there is development of specific complications resulting from the changes brought on by cirrhosis. It is life-threatening.
Cirrhosis leads to dangerous condition when there is as Dense scarring which slows the normal flow of blood through the liver. Blood returns to heart alternately. This includes vein along the stomach and esophagus. This causes varices due to additional pressure, blood vessels, which cause them to enlarge and sometimes rupturing too occurs. This is especially a problem for the blood vessels in the esophagus.
- Long term viral hepatitis C
- Hepatitis B: Hepatitis B leads to cirrhosis by causing liver inflammation.
- Hepatitis D: Already has hepatitis B cause hepatitis D.
- Inflammation caused by autoimmune disease: Autoimmune hepatitis may have a genetic cause. Mostly females are affected.
- Biliary cirrhosis in which bile duct damages to drain bile.
- It occurs if there is a deficiency of iron and copper. Two examples are hemochromatosis and Wilson’s disease.
- Medications: Medications like acetaminophen, some kind of antibiotics, and some antidepressant drugs, can lead to cirrhosis.
There is no sign and symptoms until liver is severely damaged. When signs and symptoms do occur, they are like:
- Bleeding easily
- Bruising easily
- Itchy skin
- Yellow discoloration in the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Fluid accumulation in your abdomen (ascites)
- Loss of appetite
- Swelling in your legs
- Weight loss
- Patient is confused, drowsy and has slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)
- Spiderlike blood vessels on your skin
- Redness in the palms of the hands
- Testicular atrophy in men
- Breast enlargement in men
More serious symptoms include:
- Confusion and difficulty thinking clearly
- Abdominal swelling (ascites)
- Swelling of the legs (edema)
- Gynecomastia (when males start to develop breast tissue)
A diagnosis of cirrhosis begins complete history and physical examination of the body. A complete medical history will reveal for how long a person is consuming alcohol or exposure to hepatitis C, family history results in autoimmune diseases, or other risk factors. Physical exam shows:
- Pale skin
- Yellow eyes (jaundice)
- Reddened palms
- Hand tremors
- An enlarged liver or spleen
- Small testicles
- Excess breast tissue (in men)
- Decreased alertness
Some of the tests used for detection of cirrhosis are:
- Complete blood count (to reveal anemia)
- Coagulation blood tests (to see how quickly blood clots)
- Albumin (to test for a protein produced in the liver)
- Liver function tests
- Alpha fetoprotein (a liver cancer screening)
Additional tests that can evaluate the liver include:
- Upper endoscopy (to see if esophageal varices are present)
- Ultrasound scans of the liver
- MRI of the abdomen
- CT scans of the abdomen
- Liver biopsy (the definitive test for cirrhosis)
Complications from cirrhosis
Other complications from cirrhosis include:
- Bruising (due to low platelet count and/or poor clotting)
- Bleeding (due to decreased clotting proteins)
- Sensitivity to medications (the liver processes medications in the body)
- Kidney failure
- Liver cancer
- Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
- Hepatic encephalopathy (confusion due to the effects of blood toxins on the brain)
- Gallstones (interference with bile flow can cause bile to harden and form stones)
- Esophageal varices
- Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
- Edema and ascites
Ayurvedic Treatment of Liver Cirrhosis
1. LIVER DETOX FORMULA
Liver detox capsules help naturally in the maintenance of a healthy Liver. It converts and detoxify toxins. It restores and stimulates liver function. It lowers infection of the liver. The capsules are purely vegetarian and pose no side effects.
- Kutki (picorrhizakurrao)
- Punarnava (boerrhaviadiffusa)
- Kashni (cichoriumintybus)
- Biranjasipha (achielleamillefolium)
- Jhavuka (tamarixgallica)
- Himsra (capparisspinosa)
- Haritaki (terminaliachebula)
- Makoy (solanumnigrum)
- Kalmegh (andrographispaniculata)
The capsules are 100 % vegetarian and free from gelatin.
2. INDIAN ECHINACEA
Echinacea or kalmegha is a very useful herb mentioned in various ayurveda texts as it has amazing properties.
It supports a healthy body by maintaining the immune system and supporting overall health.it is effective in hepatitis and jaundice. It helps to remove toxins from the body through secretions by stimulation of enzymes. It has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. YAKRITPLIHANTAK CHURNA
Yakritplihantakchurna is a powder formulation. It is done of various herbs like Phyllanthus niruri, Eclipta Alba, Picorrhizakurro, Andrographispanniculata etc.
These are one of the best herbal product which supports and maintain a healthy Liver function. It works in liver enlargement and inflammation. It supports liver metabolism. It reduces alkaline phosphatase which helps in relieving fatty liver.
4. PHYLLANTHUS NIRURI
Phyllanthus niruri is one of the best herbal formulations for maintaining liver and the digestive system of the body.
It is a great natural product for maintaining liver, spleen and other abdominal organs.
Phyllanthus niruri capsules support the liver and its related body’s organs.
Liver Detox Capsules – 2 capsules twice daily after meals
Indian Echinacea – 2 capsules twice daily after meals
Phyllanthus Niruri- 2 capsules twice daily after meals
Yakrit Plihantak Churna – You can boil the powder 1 teaspoonful in 400 ml water, keep it boiling until it remains 50 ml and leave the residue. Strain it, and drink the water. Do it twice daily. Make fresh every time.
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