Sitopaladi churna

Reference: Rajyakshma adhikar, Charak chikitsa sthana.

Ingredients:

1. Sita (Saccharum officinarum) (Cane sugar) : 16 parts.
2. Vanshalochana (Bambusa bambos/Bambusa arundinacea) (powder of white silica concretion formed in hollow of bamboo tree): 8 parts.
3. Pippali (Piper longum) (long pepper) (powder of dried fruits): 4 parts.
4. Ela (Elettaria cardamomum) (powder of dried seeds): 2 parts.
5. Twak (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) (powder of dried stem bark): 1 part.

Active constituents: Piperine, cinnamaldehyde, and 1,8-cineole (Narigara P et al, 2024).

Dosha: Balances Vata and Kapha, Promotes Pitta.

Rasa: Madhura, Katu.

Guna (Properties): Laghu, Snigdha, Tikshna.

Virya: Ushna.

Vipaka: Madhura.

Dhatu: Rasa, Rakta.

Strotas: Pranavaha, Annavaha.

Actions: 

• Anti-histaminic.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Anti-tussive.
• Carminative.
• Sedative.
• Expectorant.
• Anti-infective.
  

Rogaghnata:

• Shwasa (~ Asthma).
• Kasa (~ Bronchitis).
• Dosha: Vata-kapha pradhana.
• Nidaana: Vata vimargagaman.
• Strotas dushti: Pranavaha.
• Observations from a clinical study of 44 patients (Age: 16-70 years) randomized (simple) to two groups are as follows [Shreshtha S et al, 2021]:

	Group1 (n=22)	Group B (n=22)
Intervention	Sitopaladi churna	Taalishadi churna
Dose	5 gms twice a day (after meals) with honey for 30 days	5 gms twice a day (after meals) with honey for 30 days
Reduction of Sushka kasa, Swarabheda	Equally effective	Equally effective
Reduction of Hrit-parswa shoola (Pain in cardiac region and flanks)	More effective	Less effective
Reduction of Pitanisthivanam (yellow sputum)	Less effective	More effective
Reduction of Nirghosh (reasonant sounds)	More effective	Less effective
Reduction of Peenasa (cold)	Less effective	More effective
Agni bala (Jirnaaharalakshana, Ruchiraharakale and Abhyavaranaabhilasha)	Equally effective	Equally effective
Deha bala (Swarvarnayoga, Shariraupachaya and Balavriddhi)	Equally effective	Equally effective
Increase in Hemoglobin (Hb) levels	Less effective	More effective
Note		Althought, effective in both types of cough (productive and non-productive), it is more useful in non-productive cough [on account of higher content of Misri (crystallized sugar lumps].

• Vataja kasa (~ Tropical pulmonary eosinophilia; Shirashoola, Parshwashoola, Hrutshoola, Swarabheda, Prasakta vega, Shushka kantha, Shushka vaktra, Shushka alpa kapha) 
• Clinical study of 40 patients (Age - 20-60 years) (divided into two groups of 20 each) observed that Sitopaladi churna (2gm thrice a day before food with warm water) was more effective than Vishwadi churna (2gm thrice a day before food with warm water) in treating Vataja kasa) [Hajare, G. W., 2023].
• Kshaya.
• Daha (Hasta, pada, Anga).
• Mandagni.
• Supta-jivha (~ numbness of tongue).
• Parshvashoola (~ pain in flanks).
• Aruchi (~ Anorexia).
• Jwara.
• Urdhwa raktapitta.

Uses: 

1. Cough (productive).
2. Bronchial asthma, Chronic bronchitis, burning sensation of the body, hands and feet; pleurisy, distaste, anorexia and numbness of tongue [Mashelkar RA & Paranjpe P, 2006].
3. As expectorant useful in bronchitis, cough, tuberculosis and complaints; also of value as laxative and for relieving excessive thirst and burning sensation of extremities [Deshpande N D, 1999].
4. Nutritional anemia: Sootshekhar rasa (250 mg) + Sitopaladi churna (400 mg) (non iron containing herbal interventions) (Prakash VB et al, 2010).
1. Single-blinded, randomized controlled study.
2. 1322 adolescent (11-18 school students) anemic students randomly divided into 5 groups.
1. Group I (control): starch. 
2. Group II: Sootshekhar rasa (125 mg) + Sitopaladi Churna (500 mg) daily.
3. Group III: Sootshekhar rasa (250 mg) + Sitopaladi Churna (400 mg) daily.
4. Group IV: Sootshekhar rasa (250 mg) + Sitopaladi Churna (400 mg) weekly.
5. Group V: Iron and Folic acid supplements.
3. Duration: Intervention: 90 days, Followup: 180 days.
4. Outcome: Significant increase in Hb levels in all treatment groups as compared to baseline. Notably, increase in Hb levels was more in group III and group V differed significantly as compared to Group 1 (control).

Dose: 1-3 gms, twice/thrice a day before or after food (usually adhobhakta).

Anupana: 

• With 1/2 tsp ghee and 1 tsp honey. 
• With 1/2 tsp ghee. 
• With 1 tsp of honey.

References:

1. Narigara, P., Thummar, K., Vegad, U. et al. Quantification of the main constituents of “sitopaladi churna—Ayurvedic multi-herbal preparation” using a validated high-performance thin-layer chromatography method. JPC-J Planar Chromat 37, 119–127 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00764-024-00296-x
2. Mashelkar RA & Paranjpe P, Ayurvedic Medicine The Living Tradition, (Chaukhamba Sanskrit Pratishthan, Delhi), 2006: 71.
3. Deshpande N D, Yashasvi aushdhi, 2nd edition, (Ayurvidhya Prakashan mandal, Mumbai), 1999: 145. 5. 
4. Hajare, G. W. (2023). A Comparative Clinical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Sitopaladi Churna and Vishwadi Churna in the Management of Vataja Kasa. International Research Journal of Ayurveda & Yoga, 6(10), 9-16. https://doi.org/10.48165/IRJAY.2023.61002.
5. Sirjana Shrestha, Shankar Gautam, Sabbu Thasineku, Jitendra Shrestha, D.L. Bharkher, Binod Kumar Singh. The Effectiveness of Taalishadi Churna Compared with Sitopaladi Churna in the Management of Kasa. IJRAPS [Internet]. 2021Feb.1 [cited 2024Nov.23];4(12):470-7. Available from: https://ijraps.in/index.php/ijraps/article/view/99.
6. Prakash VB, Prakash S, Sharma R, Pal SK. Sustainable effect of Ayurvedic formulations in the treatment of nutritional anemia in adolescent students. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Feb;16(2):205-11. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0573. PMID: 20180694.