MISRAKASNEHAM- Benefits, Ingredients, Indications, Dosage, Usage,

Misrakasneham is an Ayurvedic medicine for Colic pain and indigestion. It is used in many diseases from hernia to PCOD.

Benefits of Misrakasneham

Misrakasneham combination is used either as acchasnehapana as a preparatory procedure to Ayurvedic Panchakarma (cleansing therapy) or as samanasneha in small doses after having Kashaya or other rookshana medicines for a while. It is not usually advised for continuous use. As it is a strong purgative, it is used in small doses for purgation.
It is a strong laxative. It removes all the waste materials accumulated in the alimentary canal and cleanses the Gastro-Intestinal system. It relieves constipation. It is mainly used to treat indigestion with pain, flatulence, belching, heartburn, and distension of the abdomen.
This ghrutam increases digestive fire (agnideepana) and removes undigested waste products from the body (amapachana).
It removes obstructions in channels and improves circulation. It reduces visceral oedema.
It is beneficial in cysts and growths in various parts of the abdomen. It can be useful in endometriosis, ovarian cyst, and dysmenorrhoea.
It can be used to treat the first stages of various diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, hepatic disorders, appendicitis, renal disorders, PCOD, etc.

Benefits of Misrakasneham

Indications of Misrakasneham

Gulmam – various kinds of gas trouble and indigestion Vrddhi – Many conditions where oedema and swelling of visceral organs present, prostratomegaly, hydrocele, hernia, tumours, cysts etc.
Vidradhi – Abscess
Soola – Colic pain
Vaatavyadhis – Many types of Nervous and locomotory diseases especially due to degeneration.

Ingredients of Misrakasneham

Long pepper Pippali Piper longum

It has carminative action and may be used as an appetizer. The fruit and root of Pippali are used in the form of powder to treat fever, diarrhoea, piles, cough, hiccough, asthma, hoarseness of voice, flatulence, colic, vomiting, acid gastritis, oedema, diseases of the mouth, eye diseases, diseases of semen, diseases of women, jaundice, and earache. Pippali mixed with honey alleviates cough, dyspnoea, fever splenomegaly, and hiccough.

 Amla, Indian gooseberry Dhatri/ Amalaka Emblica officinalis GAERTN.

Amla exhibits strong antioxidant activity. It is one of the most important plants in the traditional Ayurvedic medical system as well as in other traditional health systems for immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, and hepatoprotective actions. It is widely used for anti-diabetic effects. It is a part of the famous group of drugs called Thriphala.

Black grapes Mridweeka/Draksha Vitis vinifera L.

Grapes are a nourishing and slightly laxative fruit that can support the body through illness, especially of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Because the nutrient content of grapes is close to that of blood plasma, grape fasts are recommended for detoxification. Fresh fruit is antilithic, constructive, cooling, diuretic, and strengthening. The fruit is also helpful in the treatment of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and capillary fragility. The dried fruit is demulcent, cooling, mildly expectorant, laxative, and stomachic. It has a slight effect in easing coughs. It is used as a remedy for skin diseases and diseases of the eyes.

Syamadi gana

It is a group of strong purgative herbs. In misrakasneha, available herbs from Syamadi gana are added. All of them if added, will make it again a strong purgative. So, available and common drugs in this gana are added into practice; namely,

Indian jalap/Turpeth root Syama/Thrivrth Operculina turpethum L.

It is used to treat fever, oedema, ascites, anorexia, constipation, hepatosplenomegaly, intoxication, piles, fistula, anemia, obesity, abdominal tumours, ulcers/wounds, worm infestation, pruritus, and other skin disorders. It is the best among the herbs used for therapeutic purgation in Ayurveda.

Red physic nut Danti Baliospermum solanifolium (Burm.) Suresh

It is a strong purgative. It has anthelmintic, diuretic, and hepato-protective properties. It is used to treat pain, enlarged spleen, inflammations, jaundice, leukoderma, abdominal tumours, and cancer.

Barbados nut Dravanti Jatropha curcas L. It has antibacterial and anti-cancerous properties. It is used in the treatment of dysentery & diarrhoea, rheumatism, mouth ulcers, skin diseases, cough etc. It has antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, E-coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

 Betel palm Kramuka Areca catechu Linn.

It is an astringent and stimulant. It relieves hunger and abdominal discomfort. It kills and expels intestinal worms and parasites. It has diuretic and laxative properties. Asian pigeonwings Sankhini Convolvulus pluricaulis It is used for the treatment of hypertension, neurodegenerative diseases, ulcers, high blood pressure, epilepsy, vomiting, diabetes, sunstroke, and bleeding. In addition, it can also be used to improve memory and decrease cholesterol. It works as a nervine tonic.

Dragon spurge Saptala Euphorbia dracunculoides LAM.

It has antioxidant, hepato-protective, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism and oedema.

Heart-leaved moonseed Chinnaruha/Guduchi Tinospora cordifolia (WILLD.) HOOK.F. & THOMS

It is an effective anti-ulcer drug in action. It is a well-known anti-oxidant and has significant anti-inflammatory properties.

Indian beech tree Karanja Pongamia glabra

It has anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and wound-healing properties.

 Golden shower tree Vyadhighata/Aragwadha Cassia fistula

It has anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, hepato-protective, and hypoglycaemic activities. Also, it has many anti-oxidants. Flowers are used for fever. The root acts as a diuretic and is used in adenopathy, leprosy, skin diseases, syphilis, and tubercular glands. The bark and leaves are used for curing skin diseases.

Drumstick Bahala /Sigru Moringa oleifera

It’s highly nutritional, and a rich source of natural vitamins and minerals. It improves blood circulation to the joints. As it contains a lot of Vitamin A, it is beneficial in the treatment of many eye diseases, especially night blindness. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antibiotic properties. It is useful in bone health and muscular health.

Details of the manufacturing

As already discussed, Misrakasneham has around 10 herbal ingredients in total. It may vary according to the availability of purgative herbs. All these ingredients should be washed well and dried up in the shade.

For the preparation of ghrithakalpana,

We use

Snehadravya Sarpi (Cow’s ghee) – 1 Prastha Erandataila (Castor oil) -1 Prastha
Dravadravya (For Kashaya here) – 12 Prastha Cow’s milk
Kalkadravya (For making paste, 1 Pala total)
Pippali
Amalaka
Draksha

Available herbs from Syamadi gana

Take the prescribed erandataila, milk, ghruta, and kalkadravya in an earthen pot. Make it boil and then cook in the open vessel with low fire. Reduce the quantity into the quantity of ghrutha. Make sure to mix it in between with a 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. Continue cooking and stir in between. Check the Paaka as per Snehapakavidhi. Once the desired Paaka is attained, filter the ghruta and keep it in air-tight glass bottles after cooling. Ghrutha can be used for a longer period of time without any preservatives.

Dosha Dooshya Predominance with roga margas .

Misrakasneham is Kapha-pittahara and anulomanaIt acts on aabhyantararogamarga

Dosage and Usage :

As it is a strong purgative, a medical prescription is strongly recommended.
Generally, it is prescribed in OP practice as 5-15ml once a day. But it can be increased up to one Pala or 48 gm in a person with profound digestive fire. It differs for Acchasnehapanasodhana) and vicharanasneha(samana)
Usage:
Ghrutham is advised to take in an empty stomach, once the ingested food is digested well and aahaararasa is formed well.

Exercises and Yoga.

As Misrakasneham targets mainly the digestive system, mainly stretching and mild cardio exercises are advised. Also, specific yogacharya including naadisuddhi pranayama, bhujangaasana, pavanamuktasana, suryanamaskara is recommended.
Regular exercise helps improve the bioavailability of the medicine and food ingested, leading to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within the body and with the surrounding system.

Surya namaskar
Pavanamuktasana
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 behavior Diet:

To be avoided

Heavy meals and difficult-to-digest foods – cause indigestion.
junk foods- cause disturbance in digestion and reduces the bioavailability of the medicine
carbonated drinks – make the stomach more acidic and disturb digestion
refrigerated and frozen foods – cause weak and sluggish digestion by weakening Agni (digestive fire)
Ice cold water, milk, and milk products – Increase Kapha and cause obstruction in channels, indigestion, and respiratory problems
Curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases

To be added

Light meals and easily digestible foods Green gram, soups, sesame oil.
freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, black pepper, ajwain, etc.

Behaviour:

Protect yourself from extreme hot & cold climates.
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.
Avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Be active.
Side effects and contraindications
No known side effects were reported.

Classical references

ASHTANGAHRUDAYAM CHIKITHSASTHANAM GULMACHIKITHSITAM 89-90

Equivalent medicines .

Neelinighrutam

Brands Available

AVS Kottakal
Vaidyaratnam
Oushadhasala