Mridweekadi kashayam is an Ayurvedic medicine for many psychiatric problems like anxiety neurosis. It is used mostly in substance abuse cases.
Benefits of Mridweekadi kashayam
It is advised in addiction and substance abuse. It works as a detoxifying agent, which neutralises the effect of alcohol to an extent. In persons with substance abuse, this combination helps in reducing withdrawal symptoms.
It is useful in many psychiatric disorders like anxiety disorder, mania, depression, bipolar disorder etc. It is beneficial even in complete psychotic patients with aggression.
It works as a soothing combination, reduces stress and improves sleep. It is useful in insomnia and anxiety neurosis.
It is especially beneficial in delusions and memory loss. It is widely used in Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia especially in old age people. It cures and nourishes without making the patient lean or tired.
In mental retardation, developmental disorders, learning disability, ADHD, and speech disorders, it is found effective. Those who want to boost their memory, can take this medicine. It gives good complexion, relaxed mind, quality sleep and nourishment to the person.
It improves the quality and regulates the digestive fire. It is useful in low appetite, fatigue and laziness.
Indications of Mridweekadi kashayam
Thrit – Excessive thirst
Moorcha -Fainting and blackouts
Mathivibhrama – Various neurotic and psychotic diseases
Ingredients of Mridweekadi kashayam
| 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 gastro-intestinal tract and liver. Because the nutrient content of grapes is close to that of blood plasma, grape fasts are recommended for detoxification. The fresh fruit is antilithic, constructive, cooling, diuretic and strengthening. The fruit is also helpful in the treatment of varicose veins, haemorrhoids 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 in diseases of the eyes.
| Liquorice | Madhuka | Glycyrrhiza glabra L. |
It has anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-malarial, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-hyperglycaemic and hepato-protective properties.
| Indian butter tree | Madhooka | Madhuca longifolia (Koen.) |
It has hepato-protective, anti-oxidant, anti-tumour, wound-healing, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is used in the treatment of skin diseases, respiratory problems, nervous system disorders, burning sensation and diarrhoea.
| Long pepper | Pippali | Piper longum |
It has carminative action and maybe used as 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 mouth, eye diseases, diseases of semen, diseases of women, jaundice, and earache.
Pippali mixed with honey alleviates cough, dyspnoea, fever splenomegaly, and hiccough.
| Date oalm | Kharjoora | Phoenix dactylifera |
It has anti-ulcer, anti-cancer, anti-diarrhoeal, hepato-protective, anti-mutagenic, anti-oxidant, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. It is used in the treatment of intestinal disorders, cold & sore throat, asthma, fever, urinary tract infection, oedema, liver disorders, and to counteract alcohol intoxication.
| Red sandalwood | Seeta/Raktachandana | Pterocarpus santalinus L. |
It has anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, anti-hyperglycaemic and diaphoretic properties. It is used in the treatment of fever, haemorrhage and dysentery.
| Indian sarsaparilla | Sariba | Hemidesmus indicus (L.) SCHULT |
It is a coolant and a potent detoxifier. It is demulcent, alterative, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, tonic, anti-pyretic, and blood purifier. It is used in leprosy, other skin diseases, fever, asthma, bronchitis, syphilis, pruritus, diseases of the urinary tract and leucorrhoea.
| Coco grass, Nut grass, Purple nutsedge | Abda | Cyperus rotundus L. |
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.
| Vetiver grass | Useera | Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) NASH |
Vetiver is a coolant, yet aids in digestion. It is widely used in treating fever, dysuria, burning sensation, fatigue syndrome, skin disorders etc. Potable water prepared with this also has many health benefits like preventing ulcers.
AS ANUPANA/PRAKSHEPADRAVYA-TO BE TAKEN MIXED WITH THE KASHAYA
Laaja/ fried and puffed rice grain of Oryza sativa.
Details of the manufacturing
As already discussed, Mridweekadi kashayam has 9 ingredients in equal parts.
All the ingredients should be washed well and dried up in shade.
Take all the ingredients in 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 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.
Mridweekadi kashayam is Vaata-Pittahara and srotosodhana
It acts on aabhyantara, and bahya rogamargas
Dosage and Usage of Mridweekadi 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 Mridweekadi kashayam targets mainly de-addiction, relaxation and removing obstructions in channels, regular stretching and cardio exercises are advised. Also, specific yogacharya including suryanamaskara, meditation, naadisuddhi pranayama, bhujangaasana, pavanamuktasana is recommended.
Regular exercise helps improve the bioavailability of the medicine and food ingested and leads to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within the body and with the surrounding system.
Suryanamaskara
Pavanamuktasana
Nadisudhi pranayama
Bhujangasana
Exercises for diabetes and obesity
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
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)
curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups, ghee, milk, buttermilk etc
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.
Avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Be active.
Side effects and contraindications
No known side effects reported.
Classical references with image of the text.
SAHASRAYOGAM MADATHYAYAM SHLOKA 1
Equivalent medicines.
Drakshadi kashayam
Brands Available
SNA Oushadhasala
Vaidyaratnam oushadhasala
Research papers
Draksha/Mridweeka
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4329242/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24486960/
Kharjura
Substance abuse
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966544/
Madhooka