Pippalimoola
powder
for
headache
Headache is defined as a pain in the head or
upper neck. Headache can be a symptom of an underlying serious
disease or it can be a disease itself.
Headache
can be
due to
many
causes.
Common
benign causes
of headache
include:
migraine,
refractory
error,
mental
tension, sinusitis,
flu, viral fever, typhoid,
etc. Some of the serious and life- threatening causes of headache
include cerebral haemorrhage, sub- arachnoid
haemorrhage,
intracranial
space
occupying
lesions
(tumour), acute
and chronic
meningitis,
brain
abscess,
etc.
Trigeminal
neuralgia can be a difficult and
intractable cause of headache though not life threatening.
Sudden and
severe
headache
associated
with
symptoms like
high fever,
vomiting,
convulsion,
visual
symptoms,
stiffness
in the
neck and loss of consciousness warrant urgent medical
attention.
Mild
to moderate
headache without any specificity
can be
managed with
simple remedies such
as Pippalimoola,
which is
specifically
documented
for the
management
of headache
in
Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia,
Ayurvedic formulary and in various classical
texts.
Pippalimoola
(Root
of Piper
longum
Linn.)
Pippalimool means
roots of Pippali (long
pepper) plant. The roots are
perennial, woody, and
aromatic and are used in powder form with warm water,
milk or preferably with ghrita
(clarified butter). Many references
regarding
the
therapeutic
use of
Pippalimoola
are
available in ancient classical Ayurvedic
texts for its carminative, antispasmodic
and sedative actions. Use of ghrita with Pippalimool
is emphasized because of its ability
to negate hot and dry properties of Pippalimool
and
facilitate
drug action
for
alleviation
of vitiated
Vata
dosha,
which is
Traditional
Herbal Remedies for Primary Health
Care
considered
as the
underlying
bio-humour
responsible
for the
causation
of headache.
Ghrita
is also
known to
be
beneficial
for mental
faculties and recommended for use alone
or with medicinal formulations for psychological
problems
including
stress-induced
headache,
disturbed sleep and impaired mental
concentration.
Composition
Pippalimoola
powder
consists of roots of
Pippali
English
name
|
Long
Pepper
|
Latin
name
|
Piper
longum
Linn.
|
Family
|
Piperaceae
|
Part
used
|
Fruit
|
A
flowering Pongamia
pinnata
branch Dried
Pongamia
pinnata
fruits
with
pods. and
seeds.
Main
chemical
constituents1
Alkaloids
(Piperine,
Piperlongumine,
Piperlonguminine,
etc.),
essential oils.
Quality standards1
Foreign
matter
|
Not
more than
2%
|
Total
ash
|
Not
more than
5.5%
|
Acid-insoluble
ash
|
Not
more than
0.2%
|
Alcohol-soluble
extractive
|
Not
less than
4.0%
|
Water-soluble
extractive
|
Not
less than
12%
|
Method of preparation
- Take 40 grams of dried roots of Pippali. Dry it further for
removing
moisture for easy powdering. Roots should not have been collected
more than one year
ago.
- Grind the roots in a grinder or pulverizer till fine powder is obtained.
- Filter the powder through mesh size 85.
- Keep the powder in a dry and air-tight plastic or glass container.
Dosage form
Reddish-brown
to creamy-grey bitter powder.
Therapeutic properties2
The roots of Pippali
have thermogenic, tonic, diuretic,
purgative expectorant, anthelmintic,
stomachic, digestive, emmenagogue, anti-bacterial,
anti-inflammatory, central nervous system stimulant, antispasmodic,
and analeptic properties.
Indication and uses
Headache,
insomnia, cough, cold, and chronic
bronchitis.
Dose and mode of administration
Dose
of the powder for adults is 2 to 3 grams and for children it is 250
mg to 500 mg, to be taken twice daily,
preferably on an empty stomach mixed
with 3 to 5 gm of ghee or butter or honey and followed by warm water
or milk.
Precautions and safety aspects
- No toxic effect or adverse reaction is reported with recommended dose of Pippali root powder.
- Pippali root should be used with caution in the first trimester of pregnancy. However, it is safe for the baby if a nursing mother is taking this medication.
Traditional
Herbal Remedies for Primary Health
Care
(3)
Pippalimool is
hot in nature, so should be used with caution
in
summer
and
by
hot
temperament
individuals
and
menstruating
women.
(4)
During
medication with Pippalimool,
diet should be
simple,
easily digestible
and free from spicy and pungent-bitter-astringent food
items.
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