Introduction

द्रव्यमार्द्रं शिलापिष्टं शुष्कं वा सद्रवं तनु

देहे प्रलेपनार्थं तत् लेपः इत्युच्यते बुधैः

                                                          –Dra.gu.vi

Either ārdra dravya or śuṣka dravyas with water, ground well, made into paste and used for external application.

Synonyms: lipta, ālepana, lepāna (Sarg.)

Benefits of Lepa

यथा प्रज्वलिते वेश्मन्यभ्यसा परिषेचनम्

क्षिप्रं प्रशमयत्यग्निं एवं आलेपनं रुजः

प्रह्लादने शोधने च शोफस्य हरणे तथा

उत्सादने रोपणे च लेपः स्यात्तु तदर्थकृत्

                                                         -S.S. Chi. 1/15

Like how for the burning house the fire is put out by pouring water, similarly, applying lepa,

• Pain gets reduced
• Bestows comfort
• Cleanses the wound
• Mitigates swelling
• Healing the wound

Acc to sharangadhara –

1. doṣagna
2. viṣagna
3. varnya

Acc to sushrutha

1. Pralepa – śīta , tanu, viśoṣi or aviśoṣi
2. Pradeha  – uṣṇa or śīta , bahala or abahala , aviśoṣi

            vāta śleṣma praśamana , śodhana , ropaṇa, alleviates shopha and    

            vedana

3. Alepa – Madhyama , raktapitta prasādana

Thickness of lepa

1. Thickness of skin of māhiṣa ( sushruta)
2. 1/3 ^rd of angushta

BHEDA Acc to Astanga (A.S. SU.18/6)

Method of application

तत्र प्रतिलोममालिम्पेत्, प्रतिलोमेहि सम्यगौषधमवतिष्टते ऽनुप्रविशति च रोमकूपान् स्वेदवाहिभिच्च सिरामुखैर्वीर्य प्राप्नोति | (Su.Su.18/4)

• Lepa should be done in pratiloma direction, this facilitates the quicker absorption of drug potency through roma kūpa, swedavāhini srotas and sirāmukha leading to desired effect.
• Acc to Dalhana “प्रतिलोममालिम्पेत् इति लोमाभिमुखमालिम्पेत्” |