Giant Swallowort: Benefits, Uses & Dosage

Sanskrit: Arka Botanical: Caltropis gigantea

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Ayurvedic Properties

Taste (Rasa)
pungent, bitter
Potency (Virya)
hot
Systems
Digestion, circulation, nervous, urinary, water metabolism

What is Gigantic Swallowort?

Promotes secretion (especially of bile), intestinal muscle sedative, heart (used like digitalis),phlegm purge, depilatory, parasitic infection, reduces pain, difficult/painful urination, skin diseases, abdominal disorders, dysentery, syphilis,fevers with enlarged liver and cough; intermittentfevers, hemorrhoids, edema. Leaves are for paraly-sis, anesthesia, and toxic asthma. Flowers digestive tonic and stomachic, small doses stimulatecapillaries, skin (including elephantiasis, leprosy),asthma. Milky juice violent purgative, G.I. irri-tant.

Source: The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, Chapter 4: Herbology

Ayurvedic Properties (Energetics)

PropertyValue
Rasa (Taste)pungent, bitter
Virya (Energy)hot
Body SystemsDigestion, circulation, nervous, urinary, water metabolism

Source: The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, Chapter 4: Herbology

Therapeutic Actions

  • Special care is taken while using this herb
  • as it is poisonous. Mucilaginous
  • digestive
  • sto-machic
  • tonic
  • antispasmodic
  • emetic (large doses)
  • diaphoretic
  • (root bark alterative)
  • purgative
  • expectorant
  • anthelmintic
  • acrid
  • antiparasitical

Source: The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, Chapter 4: Herbology

Preparation & Usage

Forms: Paste, powder, pill Section 3: Therapeutics Chapter 4: Herbology 75Precaution: Special care is to be taken while using this herb, as it is poisonous. Do not use while preg-nant. Use only with the advice of an Ayurvedic specialist

Source: The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, Chapter 4: Herbology

Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Ayurvedic treatments should be pursued under the guidance of a qualified practitioner (BAMS/MD Ayurveda). Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new treatment. Content is sourced from classical Ayurvedic texts and may not reflect the latest medical research.