Kulakadi kashayam is an Ayurvedic medicine for a wide array of inflammatory skin diseases.
Benefits of Kulakadi kashayam
Many skin diseases like pruritus, atopic dermatitis, heat rash, acne etc with redness, swelling and burning sensation get cured with this medicine.
It is beneficial in conditions like inflammation of joints with skin rashes especially redness, swelling and fever. It cures fever associated with Pitta-kapha dominance.
It is beneficial in wounds and skin rashes associated with varicose veins and diabetes.
It is used to treat herpes zoster. It works as a hepato-protective formulation.
It is used to reduce the complications in small pox, chicken pox, measles etc. This combination makes the healing process faster in such diseases. By using this medicine, all types of skin inflammation are reduced.
Indications of Kulakadi kashayam
Jwara -Fever
Visha – Many types of poisoning
Daaha – Burning sensation
Ingredients of Kulakadi kashayam
| Pointed gourd | Kulaka | Trichosanthes dioica Roxb. |
It has anti-diabetic, hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and wound-healing properties. It has anti-oxidants. It is useful in lowering cholesterol and skin diseases. It acts as a laxative.
| Adathoda, Malabar nut | Vrisha | Justicia adathoda L. |
It is an expectorant and is mostly used in respiratory conditions. It helps in treatment of skin diseases. It is also used in jaundice, fevers, headache and urinary infections.
| Indian nightshade | KIrata | Solanum indicum |
It has anti-oxidants. It also has anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, immune-modulatory, neuroprotective, diaphoretic, expectorant and stimulant properties.
| Margosa, Neem | Nimbapatra | Azadirachta indica A. JUSS. |
The important health benefits of this drug include its ability to treat dandruff, soothe irritation, protect the skin, boost the immune system, and reduce inflammation. It also speeds up wound healing, treats gastric conditions, slows the aging process, improves hair and scalp health, maintains sexual organ health, has anti-cancer potential, and helps treat diabetes.
| Indian gentian | Thikta | Swertia chirata (ROXB. EX. FLEM.) KAR. |
It is an important herb used in Ayurveda for the treatment of fever, inflammation, skin diseases, intestinal parasites and diabetes. It has hepato-protective action also. It is used in treatment of piles, ulcers and fevers.
Thriphala-a group of 3 drugs namely,
| Chebulic myrobalan | Pathya | Terminalia chebula RETZ. & WILLD. |
It is one of the main drugs in Ayurveda, one of the Rasayana and a member of an important group, Triphala. It is used in a wide variety of diseases as it possesses anti-bacterial anti-fungal anti-viral anti-diabetic anti-mutagenic anti-oxidant anti-ulcer and wound-healing properties.
| Beleric myrobalan, Bahera | Aksha | Terminalia bellirica (GAERTN.) ROXB. |
A very good healer of gastric diseases, common cold, leukoderma and also cures digestive disorders. It has laxative and anti-inflammatory actions. It is one of the important ingredients in triphala an Ayurvedic preparation. Other properties for which it is used are as health tonic and as rejuvenator. It is used in treatment of piles also.
| Amla, Indian gooseberry | Dhatri | Emblica officinalis GAERTN. |
Amla exhibits strong antioxidant activity. It is one of the most important plants in the traditional Ayurvedic medical system as well as in other traditional health systems for immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer and hepatoprotective actions. It is widely used for anti-diabetic effect.It is a part of the famous group of drugs called Thriphala.
| Red sandalwood | Raktachandana | Pterocarpus santalinus L. |
It has anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, anti-hyperglycaemic and diaphoretic properties. It is used in the treatment of fever, haemorrhage and dysentery.
AS ANUPANA/PRAKSHEPADRAVYA-TO BE TAKEN MIXED WITH THE KASHAYA
Kousika (resin of Commiphora mukul)
Details of the manufacturing
Kulakadi kashayam has 9 ingredients. All of them are taken in equal quantity.
All these ingredients should be washed well and dried up in shade.
Take the prescribed herbs in dried & crushed form in an earthen pot. Now add 16 times 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 wooden spatula. 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.
Dosha Dooshya Predominance with roga margas.
Kulakadi kashaym is Pitta-Kaphahara.
It acts on abhyantara and bahir-rogamargas.
Dosage and Usage of Kulakadi 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.
Kulakadi kashayam is used mainly in skin diseases. Sweating is one of the best ways to cleanse the skin.
While it is used in skin diseases with joint inflammation, vigorous exercises are not allowed in painful conditions. Only stretching, moderate walking, and mild cardio exercises are advised.
Also, specific yogacharya including bhujangaasana, salabhasana, vajrasana 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.
Salabhasana
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
Red chili and other pungent, hot and spicy food items.
Excess intake of salt.
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)
curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
In some persons, intake of milk and milk products cause skin reactions. It is better to avoid that.
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups, fruits and vegetables.
freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, ajwain etc
Behaviour:
Avoid exposure to excessive sunlight, wind, rain or dust.
Maintain personal hygiene.
Avoid sedentary lifestyle.
Maintain a regular food and sleep schedule.
Avoid holding or forcing the urges like urine, faeces, cough, sneeze etc.
Side effects and contraindications
No known side effects reported.
In persons with a sensitive stomach, it may cause abdominal discomforts and diarrhoea.
Classical references with image of the text.
SAHASRAYOGA VISARPA-VISPHOTA CHIKITHSA SHLOKA 4
Equivalent medicines.
Patolakaturohinyadi kashayam
Nimbamruthadi panchatiktakam kashayam
Brands Available
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Research papers
Patola -an overview
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358970/
Vrisha
Asthma and respiratory diseases
http://www.florajournal.com/archives/2014/vol2issue1/PartA/23.1.pdf
Nimba
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