Chalk Powder (Khatika) Properties, Uses, Indications, Dosage, Remedies

There is a famous saying in Charaka Samhita, that all the objects on earth can be used as medicine. Chalk powder is no exception to that. In Ayurveda, Chalk is explained as Khatika and is used extensively in treatment.

Introduction

Chalk or Khatika is a special type of sedimentary white, tasteless rock.
It’s a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite.
Chemical formula is Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3.
Chalk can also refer to other compounds including magnesium silicate and calcium sulfate.

Ayurvedic Reference:
It is mentioned as white variety of Gandhaka in the treatise Rasaratna samuchaya, where we find the first reference of Khatika.
Rasa tarangini and Ayurveda prakasha also have detailed descriptions of Khatika. Bhavaprakasha explained Khatika under Uparasa.

Synonyms of Khatika

खटिका खटिनी चैव खटी लेखनमृत्तिका ।
कठिनी वै कठिनिका वर्णिका वर्णलेखिका ॥ (र.त.११/ २०८)
खटिका, खटिनी, लेखन मृत्तिका ।

Synonyms: Khatika, Khatini, Khati, Lekhana Mruttika, Kathini, Kathinika, Varnika and Varnalekhika.

Types of Khatika

खटी गौरखटी चेति द्विधाऽद्या मलिना स्मृता ।
मृदुपाषाणसदृशा खटी शुभ्राऽधिका गुरुः ॥ (आ.प्र.२/२६४)

Two Types:
Khati – slightly dirty in look
Gaura Khati – White in colour, soft and heavy

Shodhana of Khatika

As per Ayurveda, before using the chalk, it should be subjected to purification procedure called Shodhana

खटीचूर्णं शुद्धपात्रे निधाय विमले जले ।
प्रक्षालयेद्विधानज्ञो विशुध्यति न संशयः ॥ (र.त.११/२१०)
khaṭīcūrṇaṃ śuddhapātre nidhāya vimale jale |
prakṣālayedvidhānajño viśudhyati na saṃśayaḥ || (ra|ta|11/210)

Khatika is taken in a khalva yantra and powdered, to this water is added and stirred properly and then filtered through a piece of cloth. Watery portion is decanted and the thick paste obtained should be dried under sun shade and preserved. By this procedure chalk gets purified.

Properties of Khatika

Rasa (Taste) – Madhura, Tikta
Guna (Qualities) – Sheeta
Virya (Potency) – Sit
Vipaka (Post diestion taste) –
Karma (Actions) – Kapha Pitta hara, Dahahara

खटिका मधुरा तिक्ता शीतला पित्तदाहनुत् ।
व्रणदोषकफस्रावी ग्रहिणी नेत्ररोगनुत् ॥ (रसामृत)
It is sweet, bitter and coolant, it mitigates Pitta dosha, burning sensation, wounds, Kapha dosha, secretions, malabsorption syndrome and eye diseases.

According to Rasatarangini,
खटिका शिशिरा तिक्ता मधुरा शोथनाशिनी ।
पित्तप्रशमनी कामं विविधव्रणरोपणी ॥
कफदाहास्रदोषघ्नी नेत्रामयनिषूदनी ।
हरिद्वर्णातिसारघ्नी स्वेदादिस्रावहारिणी ॥
khaṭikā śiśirā tiktā madhurā śothanāśinī |
pittapraśamanī kāmaṃ vividhavraṇaropaṇī ||
kaphadāhāsradoṣaghnī netrāmayaniṣūdanī |
haridvarṇātisāraghnī svedādisrāvahāriṇī || (र.त.११/२११-२१२)

śiśirā – coolant,
tiktā – Bitter
madhurā – Sweet
śothanāśinī – relieves inflammation
pittapraśamanī – Balances Pitta Dosha
kāmaṃ vividhavraṇaropaṇī – Heals different types of wounds
kapha dāhāsra doṣaghnī – Relieves burning sensation, detoxifies blood,
netrāmaya niṣūdanī – Useful in eye disorders
haridvarṇa atisāraghnī – Useful in diarrhea with green-colored stools
svedādi srāvahāriṇī – relieves excessive sweating and such other secretions.

Dosage of Khatika

1 – 2 masha (1 – 2 grams), in divided dose per day.

Anupana

Cold water, dill seeds (Shatapushpa), Sugar candy

Important Medicines

Khatikadi peya
Khatikadi churna
Mugdha rasa
https://www.ayurmedinfo.com/2012/07/21/dashan-sanskar-churna-benefits-dosage-ingredients-side-effects/Dashana samskara churna

Therapeutic indications

Shotha – Inflammation,
Vrana – ulcers, wounds,
Netramaya – Eye disorders,
Haridvarna atisara – Diarrhea,
Atisveda – Excess sweating,
Dysentery,
Raktapitta – Bleeding disorders,
Grahani – IBS, Sprue,
etc.

Amayika prayoga of Khatika

How to use chalk?

• One masha (1 gram) of purified Khatika powder is dissolved in a cup of water. This is consumed slowly sip by sip. This can be done once or twice a day for the treatment of dysentery, bleeding diseases and malabsorption syndrome.
• One gram of purified Khatika powder with 1 teaspoon of sugar candy and half teaspoon of fennel seed powder are mixed in a cup of water. It is advised once or twice a day for the treatment of diarrhea. sugar candy along with fennel water cures severe diarrhea quickly.

Research

A study on identification of Mineral Khatika (Chalk) with the aid of Geological Principles (research):

Vernacular names

Sanskrit: Khatika
English: Chalk, Pipe clay
Kannada: Seeme sunna
Malayalam: Sheema chunnambu
Tamil: Chunnampu
Hindi: Khariya
Marathi: Khadu
Telugu: Sime sunnam
Gujarathi: Khadi, Khadimati