Usage of animal bladder for preparation of bastiputaka was possible and justified in earlier days, however, is not feasible and practical today. As an alternative, a plastic bag of 50 microns thickness and having 1.5 l capacity is used as bastiputaka, and is disposed of after single use.[6] It is filled with bastidravya, and tied with metal bastinetra to form bastiyantra [Figure 2]. Bastinetra is a tubular structure usually made up of brass, having tapering end and wider base, which resembles cow's tail. It has three rings on external surface called as karnika (ridges), the last two at the bottom are used to tie the bastiputaka with netra.[7]
Commonly, at many places, basti is administered using enema-can/douche-set instead of classical bastiyantra due to its easy availability and handling. This set consists of plastic/metal can and attached plastic tube with nozzle having lock (to which sometimes the simple rubber catheter is attached) [Figure 3]. The enema-can is held to the stand approximately four feet above the patient. Here, only gravitational force plays the role through passive pressure.[8] In this method, at times kalka material blocks the tube causing stagnation of flow of bastidravya and delay in administration. This delay causes separation of homogenous emulsion of bastidravya in the enema-can into unctuous/oil, aqueous/decoction and kalka component. Sometimes, kalka does not enter in the colon at all. The delay in administering the bastidravya in colon is a bastidosha called ativilambita, which is not desirable.
We assume that due to uniform positive pressure homogenous emulsion of bastidravya reaches quickly to proximal colon where it probably stimulates ICCSM, which in turn initiates colonic propagating activity and chain of reactions like churning of contents in proximal colon and production of SCFA, absorption of electrolytes, water and other active principles through carrier mediated transport mechanism. Other factors like luminal distention and chemical stimuli by niruha-bastidravya contribute to this process. This can happen with the classical method and not by the adopted conventional method in which the tube and can cannot give sufficient pressure for bastidravya to reach proximal colon as a homogenous emulsion.
aa06259810