Spider poisoning, the name itself seems to be a bit more confusing. People may think, whether spiders can even bite or are they poisonous? It’s a general belief that envenomation like spider poisoning is very less compared to other types. But in certain geographical areas, these cases are a major threat to people. According to general statistical information at the outpatient level on various types of visa, nearly 50% of diagnosed cases of Lūtāvisa (spider poisoning) are treated every month. Agadatantra, one of the eight main branches of Ayurveda deals with animate and inanimate poisons and their remedial measures. The contemporary relevance of Agadatantra is increasingly mounting up owing to the chaotic conditions of modern life.
It was a quite bright morning. Vishachikitsa OPD is almost getting full of patients since last night. Usually, bite cases get increase after rain and yesterday rain was in its full power. A little boy aged around 11 years came, with his mom. They were quite tensed in look, and I asked, “what happened?” the boy was so shy to answer. His mom told, for two days he is having itching and burning sensation near his naval area and near to axilla. I called him to the examination room with his mom. The left side of his naval area is having some blackish vesicles in a clustered form. Even the left shoulder area, near to axilla is also reddened and can see the gradual development of black vesicles.
On interrogation, the boy told, he is having severe burning sensation on both areas since one day. His mom told, slight fever had also been observed last night.
The case was a confirmed condition of spider poison. I took a detailed history and his mother revealed that spiders are a common thing in their house. Maybe, while sleeping it may have bitten or while wearing a dress it may have got in contact with.
As per Ayurveda, any type of contact with spider or bite can lead to lutavisha. Usually, it will be diagnosed after 72hours of bite/contact, as symptoms will get cleared by that time only.
In any case of poisoning, emergency management and removal of poisons by externally and internally plays a relevant role.
Treatment was started by internal administration of saribanili churna as phanta Kashaya and externally also same saribanili churna was given for seka (Kashaya poured over the affected area). The patient was advised to avoid salty, spicy foods, and to avoid all external applications on that area.
Clinical assessment was done on the 0th day and 7th day after administration of medicines by grading signs and symptoms.
As per modern science, spider poisoning by bites has been considered. Even research has shown that spiders can cause poisoning through the touch of their body hairs by an allergic reaction.
In Ayurveda, a broader concept of spider poisoning in which touch, urine, faeces, any types of fluids from its body, bite etc like 8 adhishtanas (modes of poison) has been told. In this case, the touch of body hairs can be caused, which has produced these types of lesions in patients. If it is not managed properly in the initial stage, it can produce Annual phenomena (recurrent appearance of symptoms yearly on the same area) which is very common in spider poisoning.
Drugs, sariba (Hemidesmus indicus) and nili (Indigofera tinctoria) have got an incredible action as pittahara. Hence it was used externally and internally.
Spider poisoning (Lūtā Visa) is very common in the clinical practice of agada tantra speciality. In treating a case of poison, pathya ahara and vihara play a definite role in goodwill of the patient. As Ayurveda says, a good patient is always a good weapon for the doctor.
