Chyawanprash Awaleha (Medicinal Jams)

Ingredients

Each 5g contains:

ENERGETICS

• Rasa (taste): Sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, astringent
• Vı-rya (energy): Heating
• Vipa-ka (post-digestive effect): Sweet
• Gun.a (quality): Heavy, unctuous
• Dos.a effect: VPK=
• Dha-tu (tissue): All
• Srotas (channel): Digestive, excretory, urinary, respiratory, reproductive,  blood

AYURVEDIC ACTION

• Rasa-yana Rejuvenative to all the tissues
• Va-jı-karan.a Reproductive tonic
• Balya Increases strength
• Ka-sas´va – sahara Alleviates coughs and asthma
• Hr.daya Heart tonic
• Va-taraktahara Alleviates gout
• Mu-trarogahara Alleviates urinary disorders

BIOMEDICAL ACTION

• Immune tonic, adaptogen, anabolic, expectorant,
• laxative, digestive, carminative

INDICATIONS

Immunity The primary action of cyavanapra´sa is to increase resistance to infectious diseases, to build haemoglobin and white blood cells. It is especially good for the lungs as it nourishes the mucous membranes and helps to clear phlegm. It strengthens vata and increases ojas.

Convalescence It is a superb remedy to include as part of a programme to facilitate recovery from illness and stress. It specifically increases muscle mass and tissue (dhatu) strength. If the digestion is good it does not aggravate kapha.

Reproduction It was originally created to give the elderly sage Cyavana the required virility to satisfy his young bride and hence it has a nourishing effect on the reproductive tissues. It should be used as a prophylactic in times of excessive sexual activity as well as a tonic in cases of debility. Use when there is infertility, low libido and sexual weakness.

Method of preparation

The dried powdered herbs and the bundle of fresh amalaki are decocted in 12L of water reduced to 3L. The amalaki seeds are separated from the pulp and fried in the ghee and sesame oil. The jaggery is added to the strained decoction and boiled to form a syrup to which the fruit pulp is added. Trikat.u, cinnamon, cardamom and saffron are added to the mixture and it is sealed (Caraka Sam. hita-, Cikitsa-stha-na, taken from Kulkarni 2000)

COMBINATIONS

Usually combined with a personalised treatment regime.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Avoid in hot weather for pitta types or with indigestion.

DOSAGE

1–3tsp (5–20g) morning and evening.

NOTES

• The herbs are a mixture of phlegm-clearing, ama-reducing, digestive-fire-increasing and reproductive tonics.
• It is taken with milk as a vehicle to help carry it deep into the tissues. Try with almond milk if dairy is unsuitable.
• Often used in winter as a tonic.
• There are numerous formulas for cyavanapra´sa. Caraka Samhita is the first source of this legendary formula, and it is also mentioned in Astangahrdaya Samhita, Bhaisajya Ratnavali and S ´arngadhara Samhita with some minor changes. It is not mentioned in Sus´ruta Samhita.
• Certain plants mentioned in Caraka have a doubtful identity, such as jeevanti. Other herbs including agaru (Aquilaria agallocha), gambhari (Gmelina arborea), kakanasa (Martynia diandra), karkatashringi (Pistacia interrima), kushta (Saussurea lappa), kaghu kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum), mashaparni (Teramnus labialis), mudgaparni (Phaseolus trilobus), naga keshara (Mesua ferrea), nilotpala (Nymphoea stellata), patala (Stereospermum suaveolens), prishniparni (Uraria picta), shalparni (Desmodium gangeticum), shyonaka (Oroxylum indicum), varahikand (Dioscorea bulbifera) and yashthimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra) and are also mentioned in Caraka Samhita but for reasons of sustainability, availability and manufacturer choice, are not always included. There is a solid history of variation within the cyavanapras´a formula and so appropriate amendments appear acceptable.