Rajanyadi Churanam

I saw a prescription recently in which two inhalers one of which was steroid based, one steroid tablet and one drug for breaking up mucus had been prescribed by an allopathic physician. Nothing very startling about that except that it had been prescribed for a 5 month old baby born quite healthy but currently having a respiratory infection. What chance does this baby have of growing into a healthy adult if from the age of five months he is prescribed such toxic drugs. I talked to the father, a driver in a private company who said that in addition his baby was also asked to use an inhaler that had been prescribed for his five year old daughter.

Wheezing and respiratory infections can be tackled very effectively by ayurvedic drugs without any of the toxic side effects of allopathic over-medicalization. There is a wonderful herbal composition called Rajanyadi Churanam detailed in Vaghbhata’s Ashtangahridya (Uttarasthana). Young mothers especially are very apprehensive when their young charges catch a cold because it could suddenly degenerate into a severe cough with lung infection, wheezing etc. Rajanyadi Churanam is very effective in tackling the cold in its initial stages and preventing it from worsening further. Rajanyadi Churanam is also an effective drug in curing diarrhoea. It stimulates the duodenum, helps where vata is vitiated and causes the downward movement of gases. Many colicky babies will be helped with this simple drug.

Rajanyadi Churanam is helpful in bringing down fever and is useful in cases of jaundice also. Vaghbata ends his discussion of Rajanyadi Churanam by stating that it is a reputed remedy for all diseases of children and imparts strength and complexion to them.

Rajanyadi literally means turmeric etc. Turmeric called rajani in Sanskrit is an important ingredient of the drug. Curcumin, an active principle of turmeric has been shown to be very effective in coughs and cold and has long been part of many a grandmother’s home remedy for respiratory infections. I remember my grandmother giving me warm milk with turmeric and palm sugar right at the start of a cold.

The other ingredients are daru (Cupressus deodara), pinewood (sarala in Sanskrit), large long pepper (Scindapsus officinalis or Shreyasi/Gaja pippali in Sanskrit), Solanum indicum and Solanum xanthocarpum (commonly known in Sanskrit as the two brihatis), prisniparni (Desmodium gangeticum or orilai in Tamil) and sathava or Anethum sowa (Indian dill or sathakuppai in Tamil).

Deodar and pinewood have antiseptic properties and contain essential oils which help reduce cough. The roots of brihati are carminative and expectorant and helpful in reducing congestion of chest and reducing fever. Prisniparni is a tonic and has anti catarrhal properties. Sathava or dill has digestive and antiflatulence properties besides being an antiseptic.

All the ingredients are mixed in equal proportions. I have listed all the ingredients because parents are often anxious when using ayurvedic drugs and would like to be sure it is safe. The same degree of caution however is not exercised when antibiotics are used indiscriminately, parents often believing that they really have no options. Rajanyadi Churanam is a fantastic alternative and a very effective non-toxic drug that can keep your child out of the recurrent cycle of illness, cold, cough, stomach upsets and antibiotics. Rajanyadi Churanam is to be taken with ghee and honey, the dosage depending on the age of the child. The five month old baby who was prescribed Rajanyadi Churanam and Sudarshanam by an ayurvedic vaidyar is now rid of his respiratory infection and does not have to use inhalers or any steroid drugs.

--- The writer was earlier Health Secretary, Govt. of Tamil Nadu and is currently CMD, TN Industrial Investment Corporation; Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail.com

Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridayam Tamil Translation published by Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, Book 5 Uttharasthanam, Adhyayam 2, page 38; English Translation by Prof. KR Srikantha Murthy, Book 3, Uttharasthanam, Chapter 2, page 20