Sitopaladi Churna is a herbal Ayurvedic medicine. It is prepared by combining 16 parts Rock Candy, 8 parts Bamboo-Manna, 4 parts Long Pepper, 2 parts Lesser cardamom and 1 part Cinnamon.
Sitopaladi Churna is a classical medicine referenced from Sharngadhara Samhita, Madhyama khanda, Adhyaya 6:134-137) and prepared by many Ayurvedic pharmacies.
It is a safe-herbal Ayurvedic medicine to treat common cold, cough, catarrh, phthisis with pain in the sides, loss of appetite, fever, debility, burning sensation in extremities, sore throat, sinus congestion, etc. It is especially used in fever associated with yellow or green mucus, sore throat, and cough.
Traditionally, Sitopaladi Churna, was used for tuberculosis and other wasting diseases. Here is given more about this medicine, such as benefits, indication/therapeutic uses, composition, and dosage.
- Type of medicine: Classical Herbal Ayurvedic Medicine
- Availability: Online and at medical stores
- Reference Text: Sharngadhara Samhita
- Synonyms: Sitopaladi Powder, Sitopaladi
Definition: It is a combination of Mishri, Vanshlochan, Pippali, Elaichi and Dalchini with potent expectorant property and effective in coughs, colds, catarrh, loss of appetite, and debility.
Indications: Respiratory and digestive disorders, Flu fever
Safety Profile: It is possibly safe to take this medicine during Pregnancy. But it is always better to consult a doctor before taking any medicine as every pregnancy is different and some are very fragile.
Ingredients of Sitopaladi Churna
Sitopaladi Churna, is prepared by combining fine powder of the following ingredients.
- Sitotpala (Sita) Rock candy Saccharum officinalis 192 g
- Vamsha Lochana (Vamsha) Bambusa arundinacea (Silicacious Concretion) 96 g
- Pippali Piper longum (Fr.) 48 g
- Ela (Sukshmaila) Elettaria cardamomum (Sd.) 24 g
- Tvak Cinnamomum zeylanicum (St. Bk.) 12 g
Know the Ingredients
1- Sitotpala (51.61%) : The chief ingredient of this medicine is Sitopala or Sita and hence it is called Sitopaladi Churna. Sitopala is an Ayurvedic name of Mishri. Mishri/ raw sugar/ candy sugar or Rock candy consist of big white, sweet lumps of crystals. It is obtained by cooling supersaturated sugar solution.
Mishri has demulcent, cooling, aphrodisiac and taste improving properties. Mishri intake increases weight and gives energy. It reduces Vata/wind inside the body. It improves the taste of medicine. It is indicated in cough, burning in the chest, tastelessness, and digestive disorders. It increases bile secretion and supports digestion. The combination of fennel and Mishri is chewed after meals as mouth freshener.
2-Vamsalochana/ Vanshlochan/ Bamboo Manna (25.81%) : Vansa is an Ayurvedic name of medicinal tree Bambusa arundinacea. The siliceous concretion found in the joints of the female bamboo is called Vamsalochana/ Bansa rochana in Sanskrit. It occurs as a bluish white translucent mass. It has sweet, cooling, tonic, expectorant, haemostatic, aphrodisiac, diuretic and anti-cough properties. It is useful in cough, consumption, asthma, bronchitis, fever, etc. It is added in the composition of numerous compound prescriptions used for affections of the lungs.
- Rasa (taste on the tongue): Kashaya (Astringent), Madhura (Sweet),
- Guna (Pharmacological Action): Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry)
- Virya (Action): Shita (Cooling)
- Vipaka (transformed state after digestion): Madhura (Sweet),
- Dosha effect: Reduces Vata-Pitta-Kapha, but increases Kapha when taken in excess
- Dhatu (tissue): Plasma, blood, nerve
- Srotas (channel): Respiratory, nervous
3- Pippali (12.90%) Piper longum : Pippali is known as Pippali, Pipal, Long Pepper and Dried Catkins. It is fruits of a plant Piper longum. It is pungent (Katu) in taste, hot in potency and sweet (Madhur Vipak) after digestion. The main organs on which it works are digestive, reproductive and respiratory. It has analgesic, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, carminative and expectorant properties and is used in the treatment of digestive and respiratory ailments such as gas, bloating, distension, digestive weakness, excess phlegm, asthma, bronchitis, colds, coughs and laryngitis. It is also used in rheumatic pain, gout, paralysis, etc. as it reduces Vata inside the body, gives relief in pain and digests Ama (toxic waste produced in the body to incomplete digestion).
- Rasa (taste on the tongue): Katu (Pungent), Lavan (Saline), Tikta
- Guna (Pharmacological Action): Laghu (Light), Tikshna (Sharp), Snigdha (Unctuous)
- Virya (Action): Anushna (Mildly Heating)
- Vipaka (transformed state after digestion): Madhura (Sweet),
- Karma: Vatahara, Kaphahara, Dipana, Rucya, Rasayana, Hridya, Vrishya, Tridoshahara, Rechana
Pippali powder is used with honey to treat cough, asthma, hoarseness, hiccup and sleeplessness. It is an alterative tonic. Pippali increases Pitta inside the body. So people of Pitta nature should use it cautiously. Moreover, the long term and excessive use of Pippali is contraindicated in Ayurveda.
4- Choti Elaichi (6.45%) Elettaria cardamomum : Elaichi is known as lesser cardamom in English. It is cool in potency. It is Tridosh-har, digestive, carminative, nutritive, laxative, and expectorant. It has diuretic action and gives relief in urinary disorders. The seeds are useful in asthma, bronchitis, throat disorders, piles, gas, vomiting, digestive disorders and cough.
- Rasa (taste on the tongue): Madhura (Sweet), Katu (Pungent)
- Guna (Pharmacological Action): Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry)
- Virya (Action): Shita (Cooling)
- Vipaka (transformed state after digestion): Madhura (Sweet),
- Karma: Rochana, Dipana, Anulomana, Hridya, Mutrala
5- Dalchini (3.23%) Cinnamomum zeylanicum : Dalchini is bark of a tree. It is sweet, pungent, astringent and hot condiment. It is reduces Vata and Kapha but increases Pitta. It mainly works on digestive, respiratory and urinary system. It has alterative, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, demulcent, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, germicide, hemostatic, stimulant and stomachic properties.
- Rasa (taste on the tongue): Madhura (Sweet), Katu (Pungent), Tikta (Bitter)
- Guna (Pharmacological Action): Laghu (Light), Tikshna (Sharp), Ruksha (Dry)
- Virya (Action): Ushna (Heating)
- Vipaka (transformed state after digestion): Katu (Pungent)
- Karma: Kaphavatahara, Vishaghna, Kanthashuddhikara, Ruchya
Dalchini or Cinnamon, promotes digestion and cures respiratory ailments. It is useful for both digestive and respiratory system.
How to make Sitopaldi at Home?
In case you want to prepare this powder at home you will need following medicinal herbs:
- Rock Candy / Mishri 16 gram
- Bamboo-Manna 8 gram
- Long Pepper 4 gram
- Lesser cardamom 2 gram
- Cinnamon 1 gram
All the herbs are made into fine powder and mixed together to make a homogeneous mixture. Thus prepared herbal powder in Sitopaladi Churna.
Ayurvedic Properties and Action of Sitopaladi Churna
Sitopaladi is sweet and pungent in taste (Rasa), sweet after digestion (Vipaka), and is hot in effect (Virya).
It is an Ushna Virya herb. Ushna Virya or hot potency herb, subdues Vata (Wind) and Kapha (Mucus) and increases Pitta (Bile). It has the property of digestion, vomiting and purging, and gives a feeling of lightness. It is Madhur Vipak (digests into sweet) and has building, moistening and a nourishing effect on the body.
- Rasa (taste on the tongue): Madhura (Sweet), Katu (Pungent)
- Guna (Pharmacological Action): Laghu (Light), Snigdha (Unctuous)
- Virya (Action): Ushna (Heating)
- Vipaka (transformed state after digestion): Madhura (Sweet)
- Dhatu (tissue): Plasma, rakta
- Srotas / Channel: Respiratory, digestive
- Dosha Effect: Balances Vata-Pitta-Kapha, but increases Pitta when taken in excess
Ayurvedic Action
- Kasa-shvashar: Gives relief in cough and Asthma.
- Pratishyayhar: Gives relief in coryza.
- Deepan: Increase appetite.
- Kapha–Vatahar: Remover of the Humor of Kapha-Vata.
- Jwarghna: Alleviates fever.
Biomedical Action
- Antipyretic/antifebrile/febrifuge: Effective against fever.
- Expectorant: Promotes the secretion of sputum by the air passages, used to treat coughs.
- Anti-allergic: Prevents, or relieves an allergy.
- Anticatarrhal: Remove excess mucous from the body.
- Anti–asthmatic: Treat or prevent asthma attacks.
- Bronchodilator: Causes widening of the bronchi, for example any of those taken by inhalation for the alleviation of asthma.
- Carminative: Preventing the formation or causing the expulsion of flatulence.
- Digestive: Digestant.
- Diaphoretic: Promote sweating.
- Expectorant: Promotes the secretion of sputum by the air passages, used to treat coughs.
Health Benefits of Sitopaladi Churna
- It balances Vata-Pitta-Kapha.
- It gives relief in cold-cough caused by increased Vata-pitta and kapha.
- It helps in asthma, wheezing due to cold weather, shortness of breath due to its Bronchodilator action.
- It reduces chest congestion due to accumulation of cough.
- It is very effective and good remedy for productive or wet cough.
- It is good supportive medicine in all allergic and viral respiratory infection.
- It gives relief in headaches caused by sinus congestion.
- It has antitussive (prevent or relieve a cough) property.
- It is anti- cough and expectorant action.
- It has anti-inflammatory properties.
- It is effective in the fever that are caused by cough, flue and respiratory ailments.
- It improves appetite and helps in indigestion.
- It reduces burning sensation in extremities.
- It is good for digestive system due to its carminative and digestive properties.
- It gives relief in asthma caused by bilious disorders.
- It has soothing effects.
- It is highly recommended for seasonal cough and cold.
- It is safe and natural anti-cough formula for the long term use for all age groups.
Important Therapeutic Uses of Sitopaladi Churna
- Asthma (respiratory condition marked by attacks of spasm in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. It is usually connected to allergic reaction or other forms of hypersensitivity)
- Bronchitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes caused by bronchospasm and coughing)
- Dry cough (non-productive without mucus)
- Fevers associated with flus and respiratory disorders
- Flu and upper respiratory complaints
- Rhinitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose, caused by a virus infection or by an allergic reaction)
- Seasonal and allergic rhinitis
- Sinus congestion
- Wet cough (productive cough with mucus), cold, coryza, sore throat, sinus congestion, fever
Also found to be useful in: –
- Agnimandya (digestive impairment)
- Arochaka (tastelessness)
- Burning sensation in palms and soles
- Haemoptysis (coughing up of blood)
- Kshaya (pthisis= pulmonary tuberculosis or a similar progressive wasting disease)
- Parshva shula (intercostal neuralgia and pleurodynia)
- Pittaja shvasa (asthma due to Pitta dosha)
- Pulmonary tuberculosis
- Suptajihvatva (numbness of tongue)
- Urdhvagata raktapitta (bleeding from orifices of the upper part of the body)
What is Productive Cough?
Productive cough / wet cough, is one with mucus. Mucus is also called phlegm or sputum. There is increased secretion and production of sputum. This should not be suppressed but encouraged as It helps in clearing airway passages of accumulated mucus.
In productive coughing, there is forceful, sudden and noisy expulsion of air from the lungs with sputum. This expels mucus and other secretions from the lower respiratory tract.
The symptoms of productive cough involves sneezing, headache, malaise, fatigue, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sore throat, and myalgia.
In Ayurveda, the productive cough (Kapha cough) is associated with imbalance of Kapha Dosha. For the treatment of Productive Cough, hot pungent herbs are used.
For the treatment of productive cough, mucolytic and expectorants are used.
What is Non-productive Cough?
This is also known as Dry cough. It is cough without much mucus. There is irritation in the throat but no sputum. It is a noisy, forceful expulsion of air from the lungs that doesn’t yield sputum. This should not be encouraged but suppressed.
Dry cough has no physiological function and caused due to viruses, cardiac diseases, and as side-effects of certain medicines.
Dry cough is treated with soothing agents, cough suppressants, antitussives, and anti-histamins.
In Ayurveda, the unproductive cough is associated with imbalance of Vata Dosha.
The Dosage of Sitopaladi Churna
It should be taken in a dose of 1-4 grams, 2-4 times a day with honey. Or take as directed by a physician.
Combinations:
- For cold, mix 1/4 – 1/2 tsp Sitopaladi into a teaspoon of honey and a little warm water or milk and given three times daily.
- For Pitta fevers Sitopaldi 1.25–2.5 g is taken three times daily in warm milk.
- For typhoid or malaria / recurring fevers, Sitopaladi Churna 1/2 tespoon is given with warm water, thrice a day for 8 weeks.
- It is given with Abhrak Bhasma and Ghee in Tuberculosis/ T.B.
- It is given with haritaki for seasonal and allergic rhinitis.
- It is given with Mahasudarshan Churna for inflammation and high fever.
- It is given with Trikatu / Trikuta Churna in case of severe mucus.
Sitopaladi mixed with ghee and honey is known as Sitopaladi Leha. Thus formed linctus is given to alleviates asthma, cough, otalgia, phthisis (pulmonary tuberculosis), cachexia (weakness and wasting of the body due to severe chronic illness), and consumption. This also relieves the burning of the palms, the soles, and the shoulders, and its effects are very beneficial in that blood-bile which has an upward course.
Suggestions, Contraindications, Interactions, Side-effects, and Warnings
Please note, 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.
Effectivity of herbal medicine depends on many factor. A medicine suitable for one person may not essentially give the same result in another person.
- It should be taken only in recommended doses. High doses causes burning sensation.
- There are no known side-effects of medicine.
- It can be safely taken during breastfeeding.
- Do not take any medicine during pregnancy without consulting doctor.
Pharmacies Making Sitopaladi Churna
You can buy this medicine online or from medical stores. Since it is a classical medicine, it is manufactured by many Ayurvedic pharmacies.
Name of some of the Ayurvedic Pharmacies manufacturing this medicine is given below:
- Baidyanath Sitopaladi Churna Price: 60gram for Rs. 99.00/-
- Dabur Sitopaladi Churna 60gram for Rs. 99.00/-
- Zandu Sitopaladi Churna 25g @ Rupees 40 and 180gram for Rs. 210.00/-
- Vyas Pharma Sitopaladi Churna
- Patanjali Divya Pharmacy Divya Sitopaladi Churna, 10gram for Rs. 10.00/- and 25grams for Rs. 25.00.
- and many other Ayurvedic pharmacies.