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Herbs > Ayurvedic Herbs and their Healing Power > Isapghula
By Dr. Satish Kulkarni
The colloquial name for isapghula is
iasapgol and its botanical name is plantago ovata.
Iasapgol is famous by the name spogel seeds or
fleaseeds. Isapghula is a small and short herb
with narrow leaves, minute flowers and oval fruits.
When it ripens, the upper half of the fruit burst
opens and the seeds see air. These seeds, also known
as fleaseeds are white in colour, sweetish in taste
and have medicinal value. Isapghula is indigenous to
India and neighbouring countries. Isapghula is known
to Indian system of medicine from ancient time and is
used in many disorders as a corrective measure. It
comes under the group of safer medicines and is used
by common man in day to day problems without seeking
medical advice.
In ayurveda, isapghula is extensively
used for correcting digestive and urinary disorders,
constipation topping the list. It is said that
isapghula cools down inflamed and irritated mucous
membrane. This property is valuable for digestive
diseases like stomatitis, gastritis, colitis, food
intolerence and urinary diseases like UTI, cystitis,
gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis etc. In
diabetes mellitus where polyurea and repeated
nocturnal micturition is the problem, isapghula helps
to some extent by soothing the mucous membrane of
urinary tract.
The medicinal properties of the herb are
due to its mucilage and albuminous matter content.
This gives seeds cooling properties in addition to
laxative effect. They also have mild diuretic
property. All these characters give soothing effect
to mucosal lining of abdominal organs like stomach,
small and large intestine, rectal canal and
urogenital tract. Routinely isapghula husk (isapghula
powder) is used as a medicine which is the dry seed
cover of the plant obtained by crushing the seeds and
separating husk from them. Husk has additional
advantage. It gives roughage which is needful for
gastrointestinal tract in addition to laxative
effect. It helps in smoothening alimentary tract and
cleaning it gently. One to two teaspoons of seeds/
husk are to be taken at bedtime preferably with warm
water or warm milk. They help in forming bulk,
binding stools together and solving day to day
trouble of constipation. The medicine has important
role in geriatrics where hard stools are a genuine
problem. In bed ridden patients, in pregnant women
where safer but longer laxative treatment is the
requirement this gentle medicine in drug of choice.
In conditions like ulcerative colitis few
patients have claimed benefits.
Ayurved suggests the use of isapghula in
conditions like chronic dysentery and diarrhoea also.
Here also it helps by its cooling properties. One
ayurvedic school has recommended consuming isapghula
at bedtime with buttermilk. Few ayurvedic
practitioners/ traditional healers have given trials
in abdominal colic cases and say that their patients
are benefited. These individual benefits should be
scientifically tested to support the statement.
Similar clinical trials can be given for dry colon,
haemorrhoids i.e. piles, fissures etc. Many a times
it is seen that faulty diet is the root cause of the
problem. The medicine can work well if it is used as
a supplement to dietary changes.
In short, isapghula has cooling, mild
laxative and mild diuretic properties. Use of the
drug with common sense in gastrointestinal and
urogenital troubles can help individual in solving
the problem. The medicine is hundred percent harmless
and can be safely taken without seeking medical
advice.
For further information on Ayurveda and/or questions
please
Visit India Herbs For
Consultations, Genuine Ayurvedic Medicines and
Nutritional Supplements or contact Dr. Satish Kulkarni
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