In Ayurvedic philosophy, digestion is considered the key to overall health. Good digestion is believed to ensure proper absorption of nutrients, nourishing the body and mind. Poor digestion, on the other hand, can lead to various health issues.

Ayurveda believes that 'Ama' or undigested toxins, are the main reason for sicknesses.Pachana is the first step of purva karma ( preparatory phase for panchakarma) Pachana can be literally defined as " cooking, digesting. It denotes promoting the digestion of undigested toxins lodged in the body.

Pachana treatment can be done by two methods:

1. Internal administration

2. External application

Internal administration

A blend of strong digestive stimulants and foods that regulate appetite are administered to expel the undigested toxins which are supposed to be the main reason for sickness and ill health. It promotes appetite, ensures that digestive enzymes are secreted and corrected, and helps the body absorb nutrients from food.

External application

The pachana medicine is applied externally in the form of a poultice, and topical applications like lepana application of alkali (kshara) over inflammatory swelling (vranashopha) for suppuration.

The food or medicine or therapy having pachana effect possesses hot potency and dryness property (ruksha guna). 

Indications of Pachana therapy

Kapha and pitta dosha aggravation
Diseases of moderate severity and dosha aggravation  
Regarding ama spreading throughout the body  
In people who are moderately strong
When administering a therapeutic enema, if ama state is present,

Importance of Pachana therapy

Undigested meals or metabolic waste products (ama) have harmful consequences on the body.  For the body to operate properly, these products must be eliminated and the passageways must be made clear. However, when the poisons are adhered to bodily tissues, purifying therapies cannot be carried out. At this time, they may have adverse impacts on bodily tissues. It is similar to squeezing the juice from an unripened fruit, which ruins the fruit without yielding any results. To produce juice, the raw state must be changed into a ripened state. Pachana therapy speeds up raw state transformation and metabolism (toxic metabolite or undigested meal). Following pachana treatment, the body can either detoxify or release the poisons freely.