Lodhradi kashayam is an effective Ayurvedic medicine for all types of skin diseases. It can be used in many diseases due to deranged fat metabolism.
Benefits of Lodhradi kashayam
As it has potent detoxifying action, it is used in all types of skin diseases like psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo etc. Being a blood purifier, this medicine helps in healing skin rashes. It is also found efficient in removing scars and improving complexion.
It improves functions of circulatory system.
It is good in obesity and corrects Malabsorption. It is found beneficial in many life style diseases where imbalanced Kapha-Pitta-Raktha are involved.
It is useful in skin disease with itching and oedema. Kapha dosha is the major cause of itching and oedema. Lodhradi kashayam being Kapha-medohara is best choice for this condition.
It can be used in kapha vitiated conditions like whitish and coated tongue, numbness over extremities, itchy skin rashes and oozing skin.
Most of the herbs in Lodhradi kashayam have anti-inflammatory actions. So, it can be used in many inflammatory diseases, especially skin and joints.
It is found useful in treating varicose veins with skin irritations like itching and numbness. This combination helps in healing wounds and ulcers associated with varicose veins. Once the wounds are healed, Lodhradi kashayam restores the normal skin over the scar tissue.
Indications of Lodhradi kashayam
Meda-kaphahara – Deranged fat metabolism, obesity.
Yonidoshahara – Disorders of female reproductive system.
Stambhi – Causes stagnation in unwanted inflammatory pathology
Varnya -Improves complexion
visham – All types of poisons and toxins, allergic reactions.
Ingredients of Lodhradi kashayam
| Lodh tree/ Symplocos | Lodhra/ Pachotti | Symplocos racemosa Roxb. |
It has wound healing, anti-diabetic, and hepato-protective properties. It is good for eyes, and a uterine tonic. It alleviates Kapha, Rakta & Pitta. It is used to treat eye diseases, skin diseases, fever, swelling, herpes, Diarrhoea & dysentery. It is recommended in many gynaecological issues especially frequent abortions.
| Sapphire berry | Sabarakalodhra | Symplocos paniculata or S. crataegoides Buch. -Ham.exD.Don |
It has anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. It is used in the treatment of lymphadenitis, mastitis, Carcinoma of Gastro-intestinal system, boils, itching, urticaria, hernia, fever, nausea & vomiting, diarrhoea, menorrhagia, eye diseases and gastric ulcer.
| Flame of the forest/Bastard teak | Palasa | Butea monosperma |
It stimulates digestive fire. It is used as aphrodisiac and laxative. It is used for worm infestation, bone fractures, abdominal ulcers and tumours, Piles, and other ano-rectal diseases. It has wound-healing properties.
| Jhingam / Wodier | Jingini | Odina wodier Roxb. |
It has potent anti-inflammatory properties. It is used in the treatment of gout, rheumatism, heart diseases, elephantiasis, ulcer, skin infection, and abnormal uterine discharge in women. It is used in making tooth powder.
| Chir pine/ Long leaved pine | Sarala | Pinus roxburghii |
It has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used in the treatment of diseases of gastro-intestinal system, intestinal parasites, fever, oedema, itching, skin diseases and gynaecological diseases.
| Box myrtle/ Bayberry tree | Katphala | Myrica nagi Linn. |
It has anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic properties. It is used in the treatment of asthma, cough, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, many types of inflammation, anaemia, fever, diarrhoea and ENT diseases.
| Sal tree | Saala | Shorea robusta Gaertn.f. |
It is used in the treatment of diseases like piles, leucorrhoea, gonorrhoea, skin diseases, ulcers, wounds, diarrhoea, dysentery, burning sensation etc.
| Wild cinchona | Kuthsithaamba/Kadamba | Anthocephalus cadamba Roxb. |
It has anti-pyretic and anti-spasmodic properties. It is a blood purifier. It can be used in the treatment of fever, uterine complaints, diseases of the circulatory system, skin diseases, tumours, anaemia, eye diseases, and diarrhoea.
| Plantain | Kadali | Musa paradisiaca |
It is a coolant and appetiser at the same time. It increases intestinal motility. It arrests bleeding. Being a rich source of anti-oxidants, it can be used in the treatment of gastric ulcer, dysentery & diarrhoea, bleeding disorders etc.
| Ashoka tree | Gatashoka/Ashoka | Saraca asoca |
It is used in the treatment of menstrual and gynaecological disorders like whitish discharge per vagina, excess vaginal bleeding, menstrual cramps, uterine fibroids etc. It is also found beneficial in haemorrhoids, internal bleeding, blotches, pimples, diarrhoea, and sore throats.
| Sour cherry | Elavaluka | Prunus cerasus Linn. |
It is useful in the treatment of urinary tract infection, nephrolithiasis, cystolithiasis, and dysuria. It is also found to be effective in diabetes, cardiac diseases, and skin diseases.
| Coco grass, nut grass, purple nutsredge | Paripelava /Ambuda | Cyperus rotundus L.
Or C. scariosus R.Br. |
It has marked anti-inflammatory action. It also has anthelmintic, antioxidant and antifungal properties. The drug improves lactation, relieves fever, burning sensation, and excessive thirst. It is also used in treating diarrhoea, dyspepsia and skin diseases.
| Silk cotton tree | Mocha | Salmalia malabarica Schott. &Endl.
or Bombax ceiba |
It has ani-hyperglycaemic, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory, hypotensive, analgesic, ani-hyperlipidaemic and anti-diarrhoeal properties.
Details of the manufacturing
As already discussed, Lodhradi kashayam has 13 ingredients in equal quantity.
All these ingredients should be washed well and dried up in shade.
Take equal quantity of all ingredients in dried & crushed form in an earthen pot. 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 wooden ladle. 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.
Lodhradi kashayam is Kaphapithahara and raktaprasadana.
It acts on bahya, and abhyantara rogamargas
Dosage and Usage of Lodhradi 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.
Here
Prakshepadravya depends on the condition. It enhances the penetration action and increases the potency of kashayam to remove obstruction in the channels.
As Lodhradi combination is mentioned as a Gana, it can be used as any Kalpana (preparation) like kashaya, choorna, arishta, asava, ghrita or taila. Most famous and widely used formulations are Lodhradi kashayam and choornam.
Exercises and Yoga.
As Lodhradi kashayam targets mainly blood, skin, and detoxification, following exercises and specific yoga asanas like Ardhamathsyentra asanam, Halasanam, Vakrasanam, Dhanurasanam etc recommended.
Regular exercise helps improve the bioavailability of the medicine and food ingested and leads to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within and with surroundings.
Ardha mathsyentra asanam
Halasanam
Vakrasanam
Dhanurasanam
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 meat, fried non-veg items, and sea foods.
Heavy meals and difficult to digest foods – cause indigestion.
junk foods and spicy foods – cause disturbance in digestion and reduces the bioavailability of the medicine.
carbonated drinks – make the stomach more acidic and disturbs digestion.
refrigerated and frozen foods – causes weak and sluggish digestion by weakening agni (digestive fire)
curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups, buttermilk boiled with turmeric, ginger and curry leaves
freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, black pepper, ajwain etc
Behaviour:
Avoid sedentary lifestyle. Be active.
Better to avoid exposure to excessive sunlight wind rain or dust.
Maintain a regular food and sleep schedule.
Avoid forcing or holding of natural urges like urine, faeces, vomiting, hiccups etc.
Avoid Stress and emotional imbalance as much as possible.
Side effects and contraindications
No known side effects reported.
Classical reference
ASHTANGAHRUDAYAM SUTRASTHANAM 15/26,27
Equivalent medicines.
Aragwadhadi kashayam
Brands Available
Research papers
Lodhra
Jingini
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4143220/
Katphala
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27666395/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22557437/
Kuthsitamba
Kadali
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3644572/
Mocha and Musta – Anti-diarrhoeal
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927135/
Mocha – Gastric ulcer
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26469103/
Mocha
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22732718/