Seenthil Choornam is medicinal powder. It is a Siddha medicine containing three ingredients. The principle ingredient of this medicine is Seenthil. This medicine also contains Bhringraj and earthworms. Earthworms are dried and powdered and added to the formulated herbal ingredients in a given ratio.
Tinospora cordifolia is known as Seenthil In Siddha. Seenthil is the dried, matured pieces of the stem of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. (Fam. Menispermaceae), a perennial climber found throughout tropical India. The stems are collected during the summer preferably in the month of May. The stem can be used fresh or dried.
Seenthil Churnam is a combination of whole plant extracts of Eclipta prostrata, Tinospora cordifolia and the dried powder form of Earthworm. It is being used for various therapeutic conditions in Siddha system of medicines. It has significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. It is used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent. It protects the liver and used in hepatotoxicity. It helps in abortion and miscarriage, uterine hemorrhage, piles, insect bites, stings, swellings, and other skin diseases.
Seenthil Choornam is found to bring excellent results in conditions like chronic skin ailments, bone disorders, and infertility. Here is given more about this medicine, such as benefits, indication/therapeutic uses, composition, and dosage.
- Reference Text: Agasthiyar Vaidya kaviyam
- Synonyms: Seenthil Churnam
- Availability: Online and at medical stores
- Type of medicine: Classical Medicine
- Main Indication: Bronchitis, Cough, Rheumatism, Diabetes, Skin Diseases, etc.
Biomedical Action of Seenthil Choornam
- Alterative: Alter favorably the course of an ailment.
- Antidiabetic: Useful in diabetes.
- Anti–inflammatory: Reducing inflammation by acting on body mechanisms.
- Cholagogue: Promotes the discharge of bile from the system, purging it downward.
- Diuretic: Promoting excretion of urine/agent that increases the amount of urine excreted.
- Hepato- tonic: Liver tonic.
- Hepatoprotective: Prevent damage to the liver.
- Stomachic: Stimulates gastric activity.
Ingredients of Seenthil Choornam
- Seenthil (Tinospora cordifolia) – 10 palam (350gm)
- Karisalankanni (Eclipta Alba) – 10 palam (350gm)
- Earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae) Bhoonagam- 3 palam (105mg)
Tinospora cordifolia
Guduchi / Giloy / Tinospora cordifolia or Seenthil is bitter, stomachic, diuretic, stimulates bile secretion, causes constipation, allays thirst, burning sensation, vomiting, enriches the blood. The stem is widely used in diabetes, liver disorders, and jaundice.
It has been scientifically validated in various animal models for hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other pharmacological activities. The aqueous and alcoholic extract of the plant has been shown to improve glucose tolerance. It has hypoglycemic, anti-oxidant and analgesic activity and reduces the burning sensation. It helps to clean the liver. It is a broad spectrum pitta-reducing herb that destroys toxins and strengthens immunity.
Eclipta alba
Eclipta alba, Eclipta prostrata, or Trailing eclipta, is commonly known as Bhringraj in Sanskrit and Kaikeshi, Karisha-langanni in Siddha. The aerial parts of the plant contain terthienyl derivatives, including a-formylterthienyl and a number of esterified 5-hydroxyterthienyl derivatives, flavonoids apigenin and luteolin, and the isoflavone orobol, wedelolactone and desmethyl-wedelolactone.
- Taste/Rasa: bitter/titka, pungent/katu
- Quality/Guna: light/laghu, dry/ruksha
- Potency/Veerya: cooling/shita
- Post digestive/Vipak: pungent/katu
- Dosha: Balances Vata-Pitta-Kapha, mainly Reduces Vata and Pitta
- Tissue/Dhatu: plasma, blood, bone, nerve
In some texts, it is mentioned heating, but in more modern texts it is considered to be cooling.
In Ayurveda, Bhringraj is used both internally and externally. It is mainly known for its use in hair care and the making of hair oil. But it is an important herb for the liver and blood-related diseases. It helps in Viral hepatic enlargement with biliary stasis, cirrhosis, infectious hepatitis, and jaundice. It is Hepatic deobstruent and tonic.
Bhringraj acts as a deobstruent to promote the flow of bile, protecting the liver parenchymal tissue in viral hepatitis and other conditions involving enlargement of the liver. The fresh juice of the leaves is used to improve the appetite and to stimulate digestion.
Earthworms
Earthworms are live in the soil. They improve the fertility of soil as they break down organic matter, like leaves and grass into things that plants can use. Earthworms loosen the soil to allow more air and water in the soil.
It seems strange but earthworms are also used internally for medicinal purpose. In Unani, they are classified as Kharateen and used internally and externally as an aphrodisiac. They are used on wounds, boils, and sore throat. In Japan and China, earthworms are used for reducing fever. In Laos and Myanmar, they are used for smallpox.
Earthworms are believed to help in rheumatism, bronchitis, fever, and tuberculosis. They are considered anti-inflammatory, anticoagulatory or fibrinolytic and odema reducing.
The Earthworms are Soaked in Buttermilk for a while to spit out mud then sprinkled lime water over it to kill then dry and powdered.
Seenthil Choornam Health Benefits
It has anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activities.
Pharmacological study shows it has Anti-diabetic, Hepatoprotective and Anti-inflammatory activities in animal model Wistar albino rats. A study did also suggests Seenthil Chooranam has remarkable medicinal value in the treatment of Diabetes and Liver Diseases. It is safe for a long time administration without any side effect.
Seenthil Choornam Important Therapeutic Uses
- Eelai (Tuberculosis)
- Elaipu (Bronchial asthma)
- Eranda vayu (Scrotal swelling)
- Fevers
- Kasam (Cough)
- Megam (Diabetic mellitus)
- Rheumatism
- Sinusitis
- Skin diseases
- Ulcers
The Dosage of Seenthil Choornam
The recommended dosage is 1 to 3 grams of powder, twice a day after the meal. Children can be given half of the adult dosage. The powder can be taken ghee.
Or as directed by a physician.
Suggestions, Contraindications, Interactions, Side-effects, and Warnings
- This medicine contains EARTHWORMS.
- It is completely safe to take this medicine in recommended doses. Do check the list of ingredients and their contraindications to avoid any side effects.
- Effectivity of herbal medicine depends on many factors. A medicine suitable for one person may not essentially give the same result in another person.
- The exact dose depends on the age, strength, digestive power of the patient, the nature of the illness, the state of the viscera and humours, and the properties of individual drugs.
- Keep away from the sight and reach of children.
- Please maintain a gap of at least an hour between intake of any allopathic drug and Ayurvedic medicine to avoid drug interaction, if any.
- Do not use many different medicines for the treatments of the same disease.
- According to AYUSH guidelines, the shelf life of chooranam is one year.