An analytical study of Ratha Thaila with special reference to the Traditional Medical System in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Ratha roga or Ratha gaya is a very noteworthy disease in childhood especially in neonates. There were many different types of Ratha rogas such as, Ratha gaya, Ratha gedi, Le ratha, Panu ratha, Gal ratha, Na ratha, Duwana panina ratha, Wada mal wan rafha, Mandam ratha and so more. All these types were mainly related with Raktha dhathu and the location is skin. Ratha thaila is one of the main treatments for Ratha rogas in ancient traditional practice which is mentioned with different types of recipes. Though it is not a much common practice in present, gathering information about this valuable medicine is a necessity. Therefore, this research was conducted to collect different recipes used in traditional medicine and analyze those different types. Data was collected from texts related to traditional medicine and from the practitioners' inherited traditional knowledge of medicine and analyzed. Twenty-eight types of Ratha thaila recipes were found in this research work. They were different from one to another with names, ingredients, preparation methods, indications, and effect on doshas. Nomenclature of those recipes were done based on ingredients, disease conditions, according to the effect, duration of the childhood, method of preparation etc.