Ayurmed Info

Panchakola Choornam Benefits, Dosage, Ingredients, Side Effects

Panchakola Choornam is an Ayurvedic medicine in herbal powder form. It is used in the treatment of anorexia, indigestion, bloating, abdominal colic pain etc.

Benefits

Panchakola Choornam uses:
It improves digestion, relieves bloating, ascites, indigestion, anorexia etc.
It is also used in initial phase of Panchakarma treatment.

Effect on Tridosha – Balances Vata and Kapha

Dose and Duration

Panchakola Churna Dosage:
3 grams, once or twice a day before or after food or as directed by Ayurvedic doctor. It is traditionally given along with honey, buttermilk and hot water.

How long to take?
This medicine can be safely taken for a period of upto 2-4 months.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic/modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then, after a gap of 15 – 30 minutes, take Ayurvedic medicine or as directed by the physician.

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

With supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most of the dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

Side Effects

Panchakola Churnam  Side Effects:
Self medication with this medicine is strictly not recommended. Take this only under strict medical supervision.
Take this medicine in precise dose and for limited period of time, as advised by doctor.
Diabetic, hypertensive patients, cardiac patients, obese people, pregnant ladies, lactating mothers and children should take this medicine strictly under medical supervision.
Over-dosage may cause gastritis.
Keep out of reach and sight of children. Store in a dry cool place.

Sanskrit Verse Shloka

panchakola choornam Churnam powder

Contents

  • Pippali (Piper longum)
  • Pippalimula (Root of Piper longum)
  • Chavya (Piper retrofractum)
  • Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica) and
  • Nagara or Shunti (Zingiber officinale)

Reference and Shelf Life

Reference: Sharangdhara Samhita Madhyama Khanda 6/13 – 14, Gadanigraham

Shelf life: Two years from the date of manufacturing. If you have opened the seal of the container, better to finish the medicine within 2 – 3 months.

Research and Manufacturers

Research: Clinical study

Manufacturers: Indian Pharmacy, Sandu

Other Indications

Usage of Panch kol Churan in diseases:
In case of Grahani disease (IBS, Sprue syndrome), associated with Ama (indigestion), First, Vamana and Virechana treatments are administered.
After the stomach and intestines are cleared, the patient is given thin gruel prepared by the decoction of Panchakola. (Charaka Chikitsa Sthana 15th chapter -Grahani chikitsa).

Doctors Note

Contributed further by Dr Raghuram YS
Use of Panchakola in the management of premonitory stage of Amavata (Rheumatoid Arthritis) –


Prevention is better than cure. We all want to curb off all our problems at their root level itself. Rheumatoid Arthritis manifests in a feeble form in its earlier stages, much before the joint related symptoms get manifested. In this stage the symptoms are only limited to the disturbances occurring in the gut-level. To manage this condition effectively means to avoid the disease process from progressing towards a joint pathology and eliminating it at its roots.
Read related: Ayurvedic treatment for Early Stage Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Deepana and Pachana forms the most effective steps in handling the morbid Vata and Ama at this stage.

There are many herbs which serve the purpose of Deepana and Pachana and thus help the gut from recovery of earlier damages induced by morbid Vata and Ama. They also help deplete and remove the stagnant ama from the tissues and establish lightness and health. Among various herbs available, Panchakola is the best in business.

The term Panchakola is made up of 2 root words – Pancha meaning 5 and Kola means a quantity equal to that of the weight of a Kola (seed of jujube fruit) i.e. 6 grams approximately. Thus Panchakola means a mixture or compound prepared from 5 herbs each taken in 1 kola quantity, the total quantity of the powder forming 5 kola’s.

Benefits of Panchakola

Panchakola is generally used in the form of powder prepared from equal quantity of each herb. It is extensively used to correct metabolic errors (agni-dushti or agnimandhya), as an appetizer, carminative and digestant. It is given for bringing about amapachana before Panchakarma (5 cleansing treatment procedures) procedures.

Other Benefits

  • It combats all the 3 vitiated doshas i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha – Tridoshaghnam
  • Enhances taste and wards off tastelessness, anorexia and aversion towards food – Ruchyam
  • Good appetizer – kindles digestive fire and sets right the errors of digestion – Deepana
  • To digest ama or removal of metabolites (intermediate products of digestion or endotoxins) – Pachana
  • Destroys voice (on excessive consumption) – Swaraharam
  • Removes excess fat, lipids – Medoharam
  • Alleviates colic – Shoolaghnam
  • Relieves pain in Gulma (abdominal tumours) – Gulmarti nashanam

Panchakola is used as an ingredient in many Ayurvedic medicinal preparations like Asava-Arishta’s (medicinal fermented liquids), Kashaya’s (herbal decoctions), Ghrita’s (medicated ghee) etc.

Forms of using Panchakola in combating pre-manifestation stages of Rheumatoid Arthrits –

Panchkola Churna / Panchakola Choorna –
Panchakola is best used in the form of its powder. It is prepared by combining equal quantities of the fine powders of individual herbs and mixing them thoroughly into a homogenous compound. The powder is used in two forms – fine and coarse powders.

Method of Preparation

Each ingredient is taken in equal proportions and pounded individually so as to get their fine powder
The individual powders are mixed in a mortar and made into homogenous compound
The powder is stored in air tight containers

  • Mandagni – sluggish metabolism, weak gut fire
  • Shula – colic
  • Gulma – abdominal tumours
  • Kapha – morbid kapha
  • Arochaka – tastelessness

Dose – 1-3 grams with honey or hot water or buttermilk or as directed by Ayurvedic doctor.
Panchakola churnam is readily available in Ayurvedic pharmacies

Pippalyadi Kashaya

Pippalyadi Kwatha / Panchakola Kashayam –
This form of Panchakola is used as a liquid extract of the powder or its decoction. It is prepared by boiling coarse powder of Panchakola with water.

Pippali pippalimulam chavya chitraka naagaraihi
Kwathitam vaari tat peyam aamavata vinaashanam (Ref – Bhava Prakasha 26/41)
The decoction prepared with Pippali, Pippalimula, Chavya, Chitraka and Nagara (Panchakola) will destroy Amavata when taken orally

Method Of Preparation

10 grams of the coarse powder of Panchakola is boiled with 160ml of water until ¼ of it remains, i.e. 40ml of the liquid remains
The contents are filtered through a sieve or sterile cloth
The decoction thus prepared is used hot and fresh
Dose – 40ml half an hour before food twice or thrice daily or at 6am, 12noon and 6pm.

Panchagola Paaneya Jala

This is prepared by boiling the water with Panchakola powder.
Aamavaata abibhootaaya peeditaaya pipaasayaa
Panchakolena samsiddham paaneeyam hitamuchyate (Ref – Yoga Ratnakara, Aamavata nidanam 78)
The person afflicted by Amavata and thirst induced by Amavata will feel relieved when he drinks water boiled with Panchakola

How to prepare?
3-5 grams of Panchakola is boiled with 200-250 ml of water
The contents are filtered
The filtered liquid is given to drink

Panchakola Phanta

This is prepared in the form of hot infusion. This is the most popular form of Panchakola preparations which is used in managing the earlier or gut-stage of Amavata (RA).

How to prepare?
2-5 grams of Panchakola churna is put in a glass or vessel
Boiling water – 150-200 ml is poured over the powder and the vessel or glass is kept closed for a few minutes (10-15 minutes).
Later the water should be taken hot in sips and at regular intervals
The patient is advised to take the Panchakola infusion whenever he or she feels like drinking water (when there is thirst). It should be used in place of water.
Dose – as and when required in small quantities

Panchakola preparations can be taken before food (when used as deepana) or after food (when used as a pachana). Generally it is preferred to be given before food.
A person suffering from Amavata vis-à-vis Rheumatoid arthritis (early stages) should always take food, water and drinks processed and prepared using Panchakola. This is said to be wholesome in Amavata.

Mode Of Action

Probable mode of action of Panchakola –
According to Ayurveda, any medicine or herb acts on the basis of one or more of its Rasa (taste), Guna (qualities), Veerya (Potency), Vipaka (Post-digestion conversion and impact) or Prabhava (effect)

But the overall impact of a compound comprising of admixture of more than 2 herbs will be different from its individual ingredients. Many compounds would be formulated in such a way that its total impact is almost similar to the sum of its ingredients. Panchakola is also one such compound / formulation in which the impact of the compound is not much different from the impact of its individual ingredients. Each individual herb component of Panchakola is effectively in combating the early stages of RA. In fact, the combination is done with exemplary wisdom that the impact would be fortified at least by 5 times in comparison to taking each individual herb composing Panchakola.

Taste of Panchakola as a whole is Katu (pungent or hot). It exhibits Laghu (light), Teekshna (intense or deep penetrating), Ruksha (dry) and Ushna (hot) qualities, hot potency (Ushna veerya) and Katu (pungent) post digestion impact. All these are antagonistic to ama. By destroying ama, Panchakola removes the blocks created by ama in the cells and channels. At the same time it reduces formation of excessive ama in the stomach, aids digestion and helps in recovery of stomach and cells. The progression of disease pathology stops and the recovery starts after administration of Panchakola remedies.

Caution

Since Panchakola is made up of hot and pungent herbs, they should not be indiscriminately used. It should also not be used for longer time duration.

Panchakola churna should be taken under medical guidance
It should not be taken by pregnant and lactating woman, patients suffering from diabetes and on diabetic medicines, hypertension and any other serious systemic diseases (they can be used with caution under supervision of a qualified physician if there are no other better options)

Effect enhancing combos with Panchakola:

The effect of administration of Panchakola can be enhanced by effectively combining it with some external treatments like Dhanyamla dhara (stream pouring of fermented liquids on the body), Valuka Sweda (sand fomentation) etc.

Just before finishing –
Panchakola is one of the most effective remedies in Rheumatoid Arthritis (Amavat). Amavata gives us early signs of a rheumatological disease. It is essential to curb the disease at that stage and prevent it from eclipsing the bones and joints in due course of time. Timely diagnosis of the early stage of RA and judicious administration of Panchakola will help us to get rid of the disease at the earliest. It seems to be an easy preparation but don’t forget that Panchakola taken without the opinion of your Ayurvedic doctor may not be safe.
Click to Consult Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ayu)

Please consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
This article is written by Dr. Janardhana V Hebbar BAMS, MD (Ayu), PGDPSM, Managing Director, Easy Ayurveda Hospital.
It is reviewed by Dr. Raviganesh Mogra BAMS, MD (Ayu), Chief Medical Officer, Easy Ayurveda Hospital

2 thoughts on “Panchakola Choornam Benefits, Dosage, Ingredients, Side Effects”

    • I have not used this product in hypothyroidism. But it is useful in treating ama. Ama itself is directly compared to auto immunity. hence, useful in treating hypothyroidism, along with other medicines such as kanchanara guggulu, Punarnavashtak kwatha, Mandura tablets etc.

      Reply

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