Chauhara- Artemisia maritima is a herb mentioned in the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia for the treatment of pain, swelling, pin worms, alopecia, indigestion, fever and difficulty in micturition.
Latin Name- Artemisia maritima Linn.
Family- Asteraceae
Vernacular names
Chouhara – Names in different languages:
Hindi name- Kirmani, Ajawain (not the same as ajwayin- Trachyspermum ammi)
English name- Worm seed, Sea wormwood, Old Woman
Gujarathi Name- Chuhari, Karmani ajama
Marathi Name- Kirmani ova
Persian Name- Dirmana
Sanskrit synonyms
Sanskrit Synonyms of Chauhara:
Jantu Nashana- Kills the worms
Chauhara is a small herb growing to a height of 3-4 feet in the western Himalayan range. Flowers are seen in clusters, in the month of May and June.
Classical categorization
Kaiyyadeva Nighantu- Oushadhi varga
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Artemisia
Species: A. maritima
Properties, part used, dosage
Artemisia maritima medicinal properties:
Rasa (Taste) – Katu (Pungent), Tikta (Bitter)
Guna (Qualities) – Laghu (Light for digestion), Ruksha (Dry in nature), Teekshna (Hot)
Vipaka – Katu (Undergoes Pungent taste after digestion)
Veerya (Potency) – Ushna (Hot)
Prabhava (Special action) – Krimighna (Kills the intestinal worms)
Karma (Actions) – Kaphavata shamaka (reduces vitiated kapha and vata dosha)
Part used- Panchanga (whole plant)
Dosage-
Powder of dried plant -3 to 6 g
Starch extract- 100 mg to 125 mg
Chemical constituents
Artemisia maritima chemical constituents:
The immature flowers and leaves contain santonin whereas the other parts of the plant is devoid of santonin. It is to be noted that santonin can be toxic at 60 mg for children and at 200 mg for adults.
Uses
Uses of Sea wormwood:
- The paste of the leaves and bark of Chauhara is prepared and applied over the area affected with swelling and pain.
- The oil prepared from the leaves and bark of Artemisia maritima is applied externally over the fresh wounds to heal it.
- The dried plant of Chauhara is burnt and the ash is collected. This ash is mixed with coconut oil or sesame oil and made into paste and applied over the scalp region in cases of alopecia as treatment.
- The fresh juice (10-15ml) or decoction (25-30 ml) from the bark of the plant is given during bet time to treat cases of pin worm and intestinal worm. The procedure is repeated after 1 week for better result.
- The decoction of the bark and leaves of Artemisia maritima is given in a dose of 20-25 ml to treat cases of asthma and fever.
- The cold infusion or decoction from the bark and roots of Chauhara plant is given to treat cases of burning micturition, dysmenorrhea and fever due to indigestion.
Sanskrit verse
Ayurvedic usage:
Vrushya – aphrodisiac, improves vigor
Deepana – improves digestion strength
Tridoshashamana, Tridoshahara – Balances all the three Doshas
Krumihara – useful in worm infestation, infected wounds
Side effects
Side effects of Chauhara:
Large dose of the herb Chauhara can be toxic to humans. Hence care should be taken during the administration of this herb. Headache, nausea, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, irregular heart beat and mild tremors of the limbs can be observed in cases of over dosage of the herb.
Interaction with medicines, supplements
Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.
Can
this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets,
Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most
of the dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product
per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.
With western
medicines
Seek your
doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western
(allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern
medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is
best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the
Ayurvedic medicine.
Author:
Dr.B.K.Prashanth M.D (Ayu), Ph.D
E mail: [email protected]