Ardhavilwam kashayam is an Ayurvedic medicine for treating oedema. It also helps to treat constipation and associated discomforts of the abdomen.
This yogam is specially made by traditional Kerala vaidyas.
Benefits of Ardhavilwam kashayam
Ardhavilwam kashayam is used in acute and chronic swelling, especially in elderly people.
It is effective both in localised and whole body swelling.
It is Vaatanulomana, relieves constipation.
As it has an effect in proper management of water retention and electrolyte balancing in the body, it is used in many cases of hepatic and renal disorders.
Indications of Ardhavilwam kashayam
Sopha – Swelling
Vid sanga – Constipation
Ingredients of Ardhavilwam kashayam
| 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
| Indian nightshade | Brihati | Solanum indicum |
It has anti-oxidants. It also has anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, immune-modulatory, neuroprotective, diaphoretic, expectorant and stimulant properties.
| Prickly chaff flower | Apamarga | Achyranthes aspera Linn. |
It is famous for its healing effect on kidney and bladder calculi. It is an excellent diuretic used in dysuria, urinary calculi, urinary tract disorders. It has anti-bacterial, anti-diarrhoeal, broncho-dialator, emmenagogue, anti-arthritic, anti-fertility, laxative, ecbolic, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, antiviral, anti-plasmodic, anti-hypertensieve, anti-coagulant, diuretic and anti-tumpour properties. It is also used in the treatment of fistula, cough, asthma, fever, piles, scrofula, chronic malaria, impotence, and snake bites.
| Stinging nettle | Yavashaka | Tragia involucrata Linn. |
This plant is used in many conditions like wounds, eczema, scabies and other skin infections. It has anti-inflammatory property. It is used to treat piles, migraine, warts and rheumatism.
| Spreading hogweed | Punarnava | Boerhavia diffusa Linn. |
The name Punarnava means it has the capability to repair and regenerate itself. It does the same function in our body also. It is an important anti-inflammatory medicinal herb well known for its diuretic and antioedematous properties. Here it works as a diuretic, by balancing the water retention at the same time helping to reduce oedema in the visceral organs being beneficial in ascites, splenomegaly etc. It can eliminate the unwanted fluid collected in tissues and reduce swelling and thereby reverse inflammation.
Details of the manufacturing
As already discussed, Ardhavilwam kashayam is prepared using 5 ingredients in a specific ratio.
First four drugs to be taken one and a half part each and Punarnava to be taken six parts.
All these ingredients should be washed well and dried up in shade.
Take the prescribed herbs in dried & 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.
Dosha Dooshya Predominance with roga margas.
Ardhavilwam kashayam is Kapha-Vaatahara.
It acts on aabhyantara rogamarga
Dosage and Usage of Ardhavilwam 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.
As Ardhavilwam kashayam targets mainly excretory system and electrolyte balance, only mild exercises are advised. Also, specific yogacharya including nadisuddhi pranayama, pavanamuktasana, vajrasana, bhujangaasana etc is recommended.
In persons with fever and urinary tract infections, physical exercises are not recommended.
Regular exercise after regaining normal health helps improve bioavailability of the food ingested and leads to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within the body and with the surrounding system.
Pavanamuktasana
Vajrasana
Nadisudhi pranayama
Bhujangasana
Simple exercises for lungs and heart health
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
Hot spicy and pungent food items like pickles
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 and cause indigestion. It may cause obstruction in the channels also.
curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups, arrowroot.
freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, black pepper, ajwain etc
Behaviour:
Protect yourself from very hot climate.
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.
Side effects and contraindications
No known side effects reported.
Classical reference
SAHASRAYOGA SOPHA SHLOKA 1
Equivalent medicines.
Punarnavadi kashayam
Bruhathyadi kashayam
Brands Available
AVS Kottakal
SNA OUshadhasala
Research papers
Sunthi
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
Punarnava
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4053255/
Apamarga
source https://ayurvedapc.blog/2021/02/11/ardhavilwam-kashayam-benefits-ingredients-indications-dosage-usage-preparation-side-effects-equivalent-medicines-research-papers/
No comments:
Post a Comment