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In the Chikitsasthan (Chap 15) of Charak Samhita, Agni has been defined. When Agni is balanced, the person lives long and healthy. But when the Agni is disturbed, the person becomes ill. Acharya Charak posits that a person’s complexion, health, energy, enthusiasm strength, cellular tissue (dhatu) development are all dependent on Agni. Jathragni is the primary central fire located in the gut. It digests food and produces vital energy.
The three sub types of doshas : Pachak Pitta, Samana Vayu, and Kledaka Kapha, are directly aligned with Agni for digestion and metabolism, as well as absorption of nutrients. Pachak Pitta is the physical medium of Agni manifesting as stomach acid, bile and digestive enzymes. Agni becomes overly intense when Pachak Pitta increases without balance. This may lead to hyperacidity and GERD. Pachak pitta regulates pancreatic enzymes and bile acids, preventing conditions like Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).
Gut health according to Ayurveda says that Samana Vayu kindles or ignites Agni and is helpful for the movement of food across the stomach and intestines. It’s imbalance may cause the Agni to become erratic which is known as Visham Agni. Erratic food mobility can cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), gas, bloating which may lead to gut inflammation and mood changes via the gut brain axis.
Kledaka kapha helps with the protection of the mucosal lining of the digestive tract and prevents food from regurgitating (such as in GERD). An imbalanced Kledaka kapha can cause the Agni to become latent also called as mandagni. Depletion of Kledaka kapha can cause thinning of protective mucosal barrier or increased intestinal permeability or ‘leaky gut’. Excess kledaka kapha creates hyper-secretory mucosal conditions in the digestive tract or formation of sluggish biofilm.
