GULGULUTHIKTHAKAM GHRUTHAM – Benefits, Ingredients, Indications, Dosage, Usage, Preparation, Side effects, Equivalent Medicines, Research Papers

Guggulutikthakam ghrutham is a very potent formulation described in Vata vyadhi chikitsa by Vagbhatacharya in Ashtanga hridaya. Though it is said as a ghee preparation now its kashaya and kashaya tablets are also available. 

INDICATIONS

Guggulutikthakam ghrutham is indicated in conditions like,

• Neurological diseases
• Diseases due to vitiated vata dosha
• Diseases affecting joints and bones
• Diseases of majja dhathu (tissues)
• Skin diseases
• Sinus ulcers
• Fistula in ano
• Diseases of head and neck
• Abdominal tumours
• Haemorrhoids
• Anaemia
• Insanity
• Respiratory disorders
• oedema

INGREDIENTS AND METHOD OF PREPARATION of Gulguluthiktakam Ghrutham

Sl. No.	English name	Sanskrit name	Latin Name	Proportion
1	Neem	Nimba	Azadiracta indica	480 g each for preparing decoction
2	Giloy	Amrit	Tinospora cordifolia
3	Malabar nut	Vrisha	Adathoda vasica
4	Pointed gourd	Patola	Trichosanthes dioica
5	Wild eggs plant	Kantakari	Solanum virginianum
6	Indian moon seed	Pata	Cyclea peltata	12 g each for preparing pate
7	False black pepper	Vidanga	Embelia ribes
8	Himalayan cedar	Suradharu	Cedrus deodara
9	Long pepper	Gajopakulya	Scindapsus officinalis
10	–	Yavakshara	Carbonate of potash
11	–	Sauvarchala	Sodii carbonas impura
12	Dry ginger	Nagara	Zingiber officinalis
13	Turmeric	Nisa	Curcuma longa
14	Dill plant	Misi	Anethum graveolens
15	Java Long pepper root	Chavya	Piper mullusea
16	Indian costus root	Kushta	Saussurea costus
17	Staff tree	Tejovati	Celustrus paniculatus
18	Black pepper	Maricha	Piper nigrum
19	Kurchi	Vatsaka	Halarrhena pubescens
20	Carom seeds	Deepyaka	Trachyspermum ammi
21	Leadwort	Agni	Plumbago zeylanica
22	Hellebore	Rohini	Neopicrorhiza scrophulariflora
23	Marking nut	Arushkara	Semecarpous anacardium
24	Sweet flag	Vacha	Acorus calamus
25	Pong pepper root	Kanamoola	Piper longum (wild)
26	Indian madder	Manjishta	Rubia cordifolia
27	Indian atees	Ativisha	Aconitum heterophyllum
28	Monk’s hood	Visha	Aconitum ferox
9	Cumin seeds	Yavani	Cuminum cyminum
30	Indian bedellium	Guggulu	Commiphora mukul	240 g
31		Ghee		768 g

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Preparation of Kashaya

480 g each were taken and crushed into coarse powder. Add 1 khata (24.576 litre) of water and boiled. It is then reduced to 1/8^th quantity and filtered to collect decoction.

Preparation of ghee

The ghee is taken in a suitable vessel to which the prepared decoction and fine paste of drugs and guggulu are added and cooked in mild flame. The cooking is continued till the paste of drugs can be made into a wick shape. Then the ghee is filtered and collected.

PROPERTIES OF INGREDIENTS

Sl. No.	Sanskrit name	Properties
1	Nimba	It is cold, and grahi (absorb moisture from intestine), improves digestion, relieves tiredness, cough, fever, anorexia, worms, vomiting, skin diseases, heals wound quickly, and useful in diabetes.
2	Amrit	Balances tridosha, and has hot potency. It is rejuvinative, improve strength, relieves diabetes, anaemia, jaundice, skin diseases, worms, etc.
3	Vrisha	Balances kapha pitta dosha. It is useful in chronic respiratory diseases, and bleeding disorders.
4	Patola	It balances kapha pitta dosha. It is useful in skin diseases, aphrodisiac, improves taste, and cures fever, burning sensation, cough and haemorrhoids.
5	Kantakari	It cures vitiated vata kapha dosha. It is having anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, analgesic, stimulant, carminative, expectorant and demulcent action. It is cardio-tonic and aphrodisiac.
6	Pata	Balances kapha and pitta dosha. It is vrishya, anti-toxic, relieves intestinal worms, burning sensation, chronic toxicity and wounds.
7	Vidanga	This is the best drug in treating worm infestation. Useful in treating skin diseases, diabetes, skin diseases, colic pain, bloating, abdominal distension. It helps in expulsion of doshas (vitiated humours) from the head.
8	Suradharu	Cleanses wounds, cures worm infections, skin infections, neurological disorders, chronic respiratory conditions, diabetes, excessive itching, etc.
9	Gajopakulya	Reduces vitiated kapha and vata dosha and it improves strength. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, respiratory disorders, throat disorders and worm infestation.
10	Yavakshara	Used in treatment if cardiac diseases, diseases of spleen, GIT, urinary diseases like calculi
11	Sauvarchala	It is light, easy to digest and used in treatment of diseases of GIT. It is good for heart and clears throat.
12	Nagara	It improves taste and cures anorexia. It balances vata kapha dosha. It is having anti-inflammatory property. It relieves abdominal pain, constipation, throat disorders, bloating, cough, cold, vomiting and hiccups.
13	Nisa	Alleviates Kapha pitta doshas, it is having anti-allergic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. It is having kandughna (cures itching), kushtanghna (anti-leprotic action), vishaghna (antitoxic effect) properties
14	Misi	Balances vitiated vata and kapha dosha. It improves digestive fire, cures fever, abdominal pain, healing wounds,  eye disorders, etc.
15	Chavya	Alleviates vata kapha doshas, it relieves anorexia, constipation, worm infestation, abdominal pain, tumours (gulma), bloating, ascitis.
16	Kushta	Used in treatment of gout, skin diseases, dyslipidaemia, and increases sperm count. It balances vata dosha and used in managing vatavyadhi and vataraktha.
17	Tejovati	It balances vitiated kapha vata dosha. It is having very hot potency, very strong, pungent and improves digestion, memory and intelligence.
18	Maricha	It alleviates vata kapha dosha. It improves taste and digestion. It alleviates bloating, chronic respiratory diseases, intestinal worm infestations, cardiac diseases and recurrent fever.
19	Vatsaka	Balances kapha pitta dosha. It is used in treating diarrhoea, IBS, disorders of blood, fever, cardiac disorders, skin diseases, worm infestations.
20	Deepyaka	Balances kapha vata dosha. It improves taste, digestion, and used in management of abdominal colic, worm infestation, ascitis, bloating, splenomegaly and poisoning.
21	Agni	Balances vata kapha dosha. It improves digestion, and useful in skin diseases, worm infestation, haemorrhoids, amenorrhea, hepatomegaly and spenomegaly.
22	Rohini	Balances vitiated kapha pitta dosha. Used in treating bleeding disorders, relieves burning sensation, good for heart, improves digestion and metabolism.
23	Arushkara	Improves intelligence, act as digestant, cures skin diseases, haemorrhoids,wounds and balances vata kapha dosha.
24	Vacha	Balances kapha vata dosha and improves intelligence. It is used in treatment of neurological disorders, obesity, fever, etc.
25	Kanamoola	It breaks down thick kapha (sputum), relieves asthma, worm infestations, ascitis, bloating, splenomegaly, respiratory diseases, cough. It is digestive and improve taste.
26	Manjishta	Useful in treating diseases of blood. It is used in treating fever, improves complexion and poisoning.
27	Ativisha	It balances tridoshas, it is having anti –toxic effect. It is also digestive, carminative and absorbent.
28	Visha	It is toxic herb but if used after purification possesses many therapeutic actions. It is tridoshahara and acte as catalyst fir the action of other drugs.
9	Yavani	It acts as digestant and carminative. Useful in fever, thirst, burning sensation and abdominal colic.  Cures worm infestation, vomiting, etc.
30	Guggulu	It is a best rejuvinative drug. It acts as digestant and improves strength. It is having anti-inflammatory properties and used in managing diseases of vata vitiation and neurological diseases.

Most of the drugs are capable of decreasing vata dosha and so it is useful in treating a wide spectrum of diseases of vata vitiation described under the heading vata vyadhi in Ayurveda. It is also used in managing very complicated conditions involving the raktha dushti (blood related diseases) and skin diseases. it is given as Samana Oushadha (curative medicine) and for snehapana.     .

DOSAGE:

 5 to 10 ml of ghee is with suitable adjuvant. The adjuvant can be selected according to the disease condition. For Snehapana dose is decided considering the digestive capacity and strength of the patient.

EXERCISE AND YOGA

Heavy exercise is not advised during the consumption of Guggulutikthakam ghrutham. But can adopt simple yoga postures, meditation and pranayama.

• Anuloma viloma pranayama
• Merudhandasana
• Sasankasana
• Savasana
• Gomukhasana
• Bhujangasana
• Padmasana
• Vajrasana
• Meditation

PATHYA AHARAS AND VIHARAS

This is an herbal formulation but it contains toxic drugs like Aconitum ferox, semecarpous anacardium etc. which needs purification before their addition to the formulation. If not properly purified, it can cause the toxic symptoms in the body. Many people have allergy to the marking nut. So medical history should be taken

Guggulu also is a very potent drug and during its consumption it is desirable to avoid exposure to sun light, sexual acts, exercise, foods like horse gram, other hot spicy and acrid food.

So during the consumption of Guggulutikthakam ghrutham it is necessary to have a close monitoring of patients.

SIDE EFFECTS

Can cause health problems like allergic reactions if patient is allergic to marking nut, guggulu, etc. if aconitum ferox is not purified properly can cause toxic effects in the body.

BRANDS AVAILABLE

• Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala
• Arya Vaidya Sala Kottakkal
• SNA Oushadasala
• Sitaram
• Nagarjuna
• Kerala Ayurveda
• Arya Vaidya Pharmacy

REFERENCE:

Ashtanga hridaya Vata vyadhi chikitsa

RESEARCH ARTICLES

https://ijapr.in/index.php/ijapr/article/view/361

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3215322/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332533944_Ayurveda_approaches_towards_the_management_of_sport_injury_wsr_to_sport_medicine

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4900004/