Ayurvedic Panchakarama "Panch" means five and "karma" means action. So, panchakarma means five different ways of treatment. According to Ayurveda, diseases formed in the body are due to the formation of toxins, or ama. Regular cleansing of the body by removing this ama is recommended. Panchkarma is this cleansing process which helps in the elimination of ama from the body and thus prevents formation of disease.