Acute intermittent
Porphyria (AIP) is an acute manifestation of a metabolic medical disorder which
is part of a group of inherited disorders.
AIP results from accumulation of porphyrins in the body due to
deficiency of certain enzymes which are responsible for conversion of
porphyrins into heme. Heme is usually
present in all the body tissues, but is mostly found in red blood cells, bone
marrow and the liver. The acute
presentation causes symptoms like severe pain in abdomen, constipation,
vomiting, muscular pain, convulsions, tingling and weakness, confusion,
hallucinations, high blood pressure, and tachycardia. The skin can also be affected, causing symptoms
like itching and rash.
The modern management
of AIP consists of hospital admission, intravenous glucose, and hematin tablets,
if available. There is no medication in
the modern system of medicine to prevent or cure this problem. Simple Ayurvedic medicines can be used to
control as well as reduce symptoms like abdominal pain and vomiting, and
thereby prevent or reduce the need for hospital admission. Regular use of Ayurvedic medicines based on the
Ayurvedic interpretation of the disease can gradually control all symptoms and
help the disease go into a complete remission.
After an initial
phase of treatment for about six months, most patients affected with AIP can
manage very well on their own without the need for multiple medications. AIP can be precipitated by medications,
fasting, smoking, infections, surgery, stress, menstrual hormones, excessive
use of alcohol, and exposure to the sun.
It is therefore very important to avoid all aggravating factors and
adopt suitable lifestyle modifications.
It is heartening to note
that AIP can be very systematically treated and controlled with the help of
Ayurvedic medicines, using Ayurvedic principles of treatment.
The writer, Dr. A. A.
Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com
