Trikatu Churna: The Three Spices Formula

Ingredients

100g contains:

ENERGETICS

• Rasa (taste): Pungent
• Vı-rya (energy): Heating
• Vipa-ka (post-digestive effect): Pungent
• Gun.a (quality): Light, dry
• Dos.a effect: VK−, P+, can aggravate V in excess
• Dha-tu (tissue): Plasma, blood, muscle, fat
• Srotas (channel): Digestive, respiratory, fat, eliminatory

AYURVEDIC ACTION

• Dı-pana Awakens digestion
• Pa-cana Digests toxins
• A -mana-s´aka Destroys toxins
• Ka-sas´va-sahara Alleviates coughs and asthma and benefits breathing
• Sthaulyamedoghna Removes fat and obesity
• Rasa-yana Rejuvenative, especially to kapha and the lungs
• Pinasaghna Alleviates nasal congestion

BIOMEDICAL ACTION

Carminative, appetiser, digestive, expectorant, bronchodilator, diaphoretic

Method of preparation

All the herbs are made into fine powder and mixed together to make a homogeneous mixture (Bha-vapraka-´sı-a, Bhais• ajya Ratnavalı-: paribha-s.a-prakaran. a).

INDICATIONS

Gastrointestinal tract Trikatu is the remedy for stimulating a sluggish agni. It is indicated whenever there is low digestive activity with sluggishness, bloating, abdominal pain and flatulence due to high kapha or vata. It also helps in conditions of poor nutritional assimilation due to parasites, a leaky gut or low enzyme secretions. May help in IBS, Candida albicans, diarrhoea from cold or food intolerances to damp, wet and heavy foods. It is a specific remedy to help burn ama and undigested toxins in the digestive tract and bloodstream. When there is nausea due to excess phlegm this can help.

Lungs As trikat.u rejuvenates the lungs it is used whenever there is a cough, wheezing or breathing difficulties with clear, sticky and white phlegm. Used in asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, cough and colds. A superb remedy for hayfever and acute allergic rhinitis as an immediate way of drying up the copious nasal secretions; it has antiallergenic effects. Also used in sinus congestion and chronic nasal blockage. It has an affinity for all the orifices of the head and clears a muzzy head, clears blocked ears and treats sore throats.

Metabolic With low metabolism, hypothyroid and the concurrent increase in weight, low energy, and lowered immunity, trikat.u can be part of a treatment strategy. Where there is high cholesterol it may be indicated to encourage digestion of the excess lipids via enkindling medas-dhatu agni. With any feeling of coldness trikat.u can help to warm the body.

COMBINATIONS

• Triphala in congestion, constipation, excess mucus.
• Used in numerous formulas as a digestive tonic to assist the digestion of the formula and to correct vata and kapha.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Caution in pregnancy; high pitta; hyperacidity in the stomach.

DOSAGE

2–3 capsules or 1–2g two to three times per day.

NOTES

Traditionally combined with honey to make a paste. Honey is said to clear mucus and help with cleansing.

Use before meals as a dipaniya, a digestive stimulant, and after meals as a pacaniya, an aid to digestion.