Chitraka: Benefits, Uses & Dosage

च को अि न समः पाके शोफाशः कृ मकु ठहा Chitraka (leadwort) is similar to fire in digesting thing and cures dropsy, haemorrhoids, worms and leprosy (and othe skin diseases).

— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 6: Annaswaroopa Food

Example – द ती रसा यै तु या प च क य वरे चनी मधुक य च म ृ वीका, घ ृतं ीर य द पनम ् Danti and Chitraka – Though Danti – Baliospermum montanum is identical with Chitraka (plumbago zeylanica) in respect of Rasa (taste) etc, Danti is a purgative while Chitraka is not.

— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 9: Dravyadi Vigyaniya

Katu Gana – group of pungents:कटुको ह गु म रचकृ मिजत प चकोलकम ् कुठे रा या ह रतकाः प तं मू म करम ् Hingu- Asa foetida Maricha – Black pepper, Krimijit – Vidanga, Panchakola – Chitraka, Pippalmoola, Pippali, Chitraka and ginger, leafy vegetables such as Kutheraka and others (mentioned in verse 103 of chapter 6 earlier), Pitta (bile of animals), Mutra (urines), Arushkara etc.

— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 10: Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their

21-24 योषकटवीवरा श ु वड गा त वषाि थराः ह गुस ौवचलाजाजीयवानीधा य च काः नशी ब ृह यौ हपुषा पाठामूलं च के बुकात ् एषां चूण मधु घ ृतं तैलं च सदशांशकम ् स तु भः षोडशगुणैयु तं पीतं नहि त तत ् अ त थौ या दकान ् सवा ोगान यां च त वधान ् ोगकामलाि व वासकासगल हान ् बु मेधा म ृ तकरं स न या ने च द पनम ् Powder of Vyosha- (Trikatu – pepper, long pepper and ginger), Katvi, Vara (Triphala), Shigru (drum stick), Vidanga (False black pepper – Embelia ribes), Ativisha, Sthira (Desmodium gangeticum), Hingu – (A

— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 14: Dvividha Upakramaneeya

For preparing Teekshna Kshara – alkali of strong potency the admixture should be similar to that of previous – alkali of medium potency and also the paste of Langalika, Danti, Chitraka, Ativisha, Vacha, Svarjika, Kanakaksiri, Hingu, sprouts of Putika, Talapatri and Bida salt and alkali prepared as usual and used after a lapse of seven days.

— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 30: Kshar-AgniKarma Vidhi

च को अि न समः पाके शोफाशः कृ मकु ठहा Chitraka (leadwort) is similar to fire in digesting thing and cures dropsy, haemorrhoids, worms and leprosy (and othe skin diseases).

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food

Example – द ती रसा यै तु या प च क य वरे चनी मधुक य च म ृ वीका, घ ृतं ीर य द पनम ् Danti and Chitraka – Though Danti – Baliospermum montanum is identical with Chitraka (plumbago zeylanica) in respect of Rasa (taste) etc, Danti is a purgative while Chitraka is not.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Dravyadi Vigyaniya

Katu Gana – group of pungents:कटुको ह गु म रचकृ मिजत प चकोलकम ् कुठे रा या ह रतकाः प तं मू म करम ् Hingu- Asa foetida Maricha – Black pepper, Krimijit – Vidanga, Panchakola – Chitraka, Pippalmoola, Pippali, Chitraka and ginger, leafy vegetables such as Kutheraka and others (mentioned in verse 103 of chapter 6 earlier), Pitta (bile of animals), Mutra (urines), Arushkara etc.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their

21-24 योषकटवीवरा श ु वड गा त वषाि थराः ह गुस ौवचलाजाजीयवानीधा य च काः नशी ब ृह यौ हपुषा पाठामूलं च के बुकात ् एषां चूण मधु घ ृतं तैलं च सदशांशकम ् स तु भः षोडशगुणैयु तं पीतं नहि त तत ् अ त थौ या दकान ् सवा ोगान यां च त वधान ् ोगकामलाि व वासकासगल हान ् बु मेधा म ृ तकरं स न या ने च द पनम ् Powder of Vyosha- (Trikatu – pepper, long pepper and ginger), Katvi, Vara (Triphala), Shigru (drum stick), Vidanga (False black pepper – Embelia ribes), Ativisha, Sthira (Desmodium gangeticum), Hingu – (A

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Dvividha Upakramaneeya

For preparing Teekshna Kshara – alkali of strong potency the admixture should be similar to that of previous – alkali of medium potency and also the paste of Langalika, Danti, Chitraka, Ativisha, Vacha, Svarjika, Kanakaksiri, Hingu, sprouts of Putika, Talapatri and Bida salt and alkali prepared as usual and used after a lapse of seven days.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Kshar-AgniKarma Vidhi

), chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica Linn.

— Charaka Samhita, Sharira Sthana — Human Body & Embryology, Chapter 8: Guidelines for Lineage (Jatisutriya Sharira / जातिसूत्रीय शरीर)

280 Kg of gandeera, bhallataka, chitraka, trikatu, vidnaga, kantakari and brihati and add 1.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

024 Kg natural-mastu (prepared by adding water in curd), 4 kg of sugar-candy and put in a pitcher lined with paste of chitraka and pippali and leave this pot at a high-open place for 10 days for fermentation to prepare arishta.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

Make a decoction of 120 gm each of two types of punarnavā, balā, pāṭhā, dantī, guḍūchī, chitraka, kantakāri and triphalā by adding water (about 4.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

Make decoction from the coarse powder of 160 gm each of triphala, ajawan, chitraka, pippali, iron bhasma and vidanga.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)

Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica) is both Dipana and Pachana.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Purva Khanda, Chapter 4: Dipana-Pachana Adikathanam (Digestive Actions etc.)

Vyoshadi Churna: Vyosha (Trikatu — dry ginger, black pepper, long pepper), Triphala (three myrobalans), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Vidanga (Embelia ribes), Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica), Chavya (Piper retrofractum), and Pippalimula (root of Piper longum) — these should be prepared as a powder.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 3: Churnakalpana (Powder Preparations)

— Chitraka, Trivrit, Danti, and Tejohva each one Pala separately;

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 4: Gutikakalpana (Tablet/Pill Preparations)

— Musali (Chlorophytum borivilianum) and Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica), each eight parts separately.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 4: Gutikakalpana (Tablet/Pill Preparations)

Mandura Vataka [for Kamala/jaundice and related conditions]: Triphala, Trikatu (Trishosana — dry ginger, black pepper, long pepper), Chavya (Piper retrofractum), Pippalimula (root of long pepper), Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica), Daru (Cedrus deodara), Attvika Dhatu, Tvak (cinnamon), Darvi (Berberis aristata), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), and Vidanga (Embelia ribes) —.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 4: Gutikakalpana (Tablet/Pill Preparations)

Ghee with trivrit (Operculina), indra-yava, chitraka, and danti paste, finely powdered with trikatu.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 17: Drishtigata Roga Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Diseases of Vision / Drishti Roga)

A medicated ghee (Ghrita) cooked with Pippali, Ativisha, Draksha, Sariva, Bilva, Chandana, Katuka, Indrayava, Ushira, Simhi, Amalaki, Ghana, Trayamana, Asthira, Dhatri, Vishva-bheshaja, and Chitraka -- when consumed, conquers irregular digestion, chronic fever, headache, abdominal tumors, splenic disease, anemia, fear, cough with burning, and flank pain.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 39: Jvarapratishedha

PANCHATIKTA GHRITA (Five-bitter Ghee): Triphala, Chitraka, Musta, Haridra (turmeric), Ativisha, Vacha, Vidanga, Trikatu, Chavya, and Suradaru -- prepared with Panchagavya (five cow products), this destroys irregular fever.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 39: Jvarapratishedha

PARISARPA-JVARA GHRITA: Prepared with Triphala, Ushira, Shampaka, Katuka, Ativisha, Ghana, Shatavari, Saptaparni, Guduchi, Neem, Chitraka, Trivrit, Murva, Patola, Arishta, Balaka, Kirata-tikta, Vacha, Vishala, Padmaka, Utpala, Sariva, Yashtya-hvva, Vikara, Raktachandana, Duralabha, Parpataka, Trayamana, Aturushaka, Rasna, Kudu, Kumanjishtha, Pippali, Nagara, and Dhatri-phala juice -- this ghee eliminates spreading fever, dyspnea, tumors, and skin diseases.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 39: Jvarapratishedha

Musta, tejovati, patha, katphala, katuka, vacha, mustard, pippali root, pippali, saindhava salt, agni (chitraka), tuttha (copper sulfate), karanja seeds, salt, and bhadradaru — a decoction made from these should be used for gargling (kavala).

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 24: Chapter 24