Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam is an Ayurvedic medicine for Colic pain and indigestion. It is used in many diseases from endometriosis to hernia.
Benefits of Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam.
This kashayam increases digestive fire (agnideepana) and removes undigested waste products from body (amapachana).
It is mainly used in the treatment of indigestion with pain, flatulence and distension of abdomen. It relieves constipation.
It removes obstructions in channels and improves circulation. It reduces visceral oedema.
It is beneficial in cysts and growths in various parts of abdomen. It can be useful in endometriosis, ovarian cyst, and dysmenorrhoea.
It can be used to treat first stages of various diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, hepatic disorders, appendicitis, renal disorders, PCOD etc.
Indications of Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam
Soola – Colic pain
Anaha – Flatulence
Vibandha. – Abdominal distension due to intestinal gas
Ingredients of Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam
| Ceylon leadwort | Chitraka | Plumbago zeylanica L. |
It aids digestion and increases appetite. It has anti-inflammatory action. It can also be used in liver diseases.
| Long pepper – root | Granthika | Piper longum |
It is pungent in taste and hot in potency. It breaks down thick sputum and is beneficial in sinusitis and asthma. It is also useful in the treatment of worm infestation, infected wounds, ascites, enlargement of abdomen, distension of abdomen, splenomegaly, asthma, tuberculosis and other chronic respiratory disorders. It improves taste and relieves anorexia.
| Castor bean plant | Eranda | Ricinus communis |
It has evident antimicrobial activity and is a strong laxative. Its leaf, root and seed oil are used as anti-inflammatory antioxidant. Also, its antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities are evident.
| Dried ginger | Sunthi | Zingiber officinalis |
It is unctuous and hot in potency with pungent taste but becomes sweet after digestion. It is an aphrodisiac and balances Vata and Kapha.
It improves ability to taste and promotes digestion. Relieves cough cold and other respiratory problems. It is not a laxative, rather causes constipation.
Details of the manufacturing
Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam has four ingredients in equal quantity.
All these ingredients should be washed well and dried up in shade.
Take all the ingredients in crushed form in an earthen pot. For your special attention, Sunthi should be crushed and tied up separately in a white clean cotton cloth as a Potali. This is to prevent the excess dissolution of the contents and to maintain the exact consistency of the kashayam. Now add 16 times clean water into it. Make it boil and then cook in the open vessel with low fire. Reduce the quantity into one by eighth of the initial quantity. Make sure to mix it in between with a ladle without breaking the potli. Also, the fire should be kept low to make sure that all the active ingredients in the herbs needed are absorbed well into the water. Once the quantity is reduced to one by eighth of the initial amount of water, remove the vessel from the fire. Squeeze and drain through a clean white cloth. Collect the decoction in a clean vessel and discard the solid waste. Drink the mild warm decoction.
AS ANUPANA/PRAKSHEPADRAVYA-TO BE TAKEN MIXED WITH THE KASHAYA
Hingu/Vidalavana/Saindhava
Dosha Dooshya Predominance with roga margas.
Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam is Kapha-Vaatahara and anulomana.
It acts on abhyantara rogamarga.
Dosage and Usage Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam
Dosage: two Pala.
Usage:
Kashayam is advised to take in empty stomach, once the ingested food is digested well and aahaararasa is formed well.
Usage of kashayam with prescribed prakshepadravyas according to the condition of disease and the patient gives the best results mostly.
Exercises and Yoga.
Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam targets mainly colic pain and indigestion. Exercises are not allowed in painful conditions of abdomen.
Only stretching, moderate walking, and mild cardio exercises are advised during severe indigestion. Also, specific yogacharya including bhujangaasana, pavanamuktasana, vajrasana which helps Vaatanulomyam is recommended. Range of movement and flexibility must be considered while doing every exercise.
Sookshma sandhi vyayama (warming up small joints) is advised.
Regular exercise helps improve bioavailability of the medicine and food ingested and leads to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within the body and with the surrounding system.
Pavanamukthasana
Vajrasana
Bhujangasana
All the exercises and physical exertions must be decided and done under the supervision of a medical expert only.
Recommended diet and behaviour
Diet:
- To be avoided
Heavy meals and difficult to digest foods – cause indigestion.
Junk foods- cause disturbance in digestion and reduces the bioavailability of the medicine
Carbonated drinks – makes the stomach more acidic and disturbed digestion
Refrigerated and frozen foods – causes weak and sluggish digestion by weakening Agni (digestive fire)
Milk and milk products – increase kapha; cause indigestion and respiratory problems.
Curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups.
freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, curry leaves, black pepper, ajwain etc
Behaviour:
Avoid sedentary lifestyle. Be active.
Better to avoid exposure to excessive sunlight wind rain or dust.
Maintain a regular food and sleep schedule.
Avoid holding or forcing the urges like urine, faeces, cough, sneeze etc.
Avoid sitting for a long time.
Side effects and contraindications
No known side effects reported.
If used in Vaata-pitta imbalance without a prescription, Chithrakagranthikadi kashayam may cause reactions. So, use this medicine only when advised by a physician.
Classical references
ASHTANGAHRUDAYA CHIKITHSASTHANA 14/48
Equivalent medicines.
Panchakolam kashayam
Saptasaram kashayam
Brands Available
Vaidyaratnam oushadhasala
Research papers
Chitraka-Gastroprotective
Chitraka-anti-cancerous
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20110748/
Eranda – laxative and effect on uterine contraction
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384204/
Ginger in digestive disorders
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