Trikatu: Transforming Food into Medicines

Abstract

Trikatu, as per Ayurveda’s Bhaisajyaratnawali, is a compound herbal formulation containing three bitter herbs mixed together in equal quantities. Dried fruits of Piper nigrum (Maricha) and Piper longum (Peepli) and dried rhizomes of Zingiber officinalis (Sunthi) are used to prepare this miraculous formulation. It is prescribed in Ayurvedic system of medicine for treatment of tastelessness, digestive impairment, diseases of nose and throat like chronic rhinitis/sinusitis, skin diseases, asthma, cough, frequent urination, obesity, and Filariasis. Trikatu is also added in various Ayurvedic formulations with a view to restore the disturbed “tridoshas- vatta, pitta and kapha.” It calms down the increased Vatta and Kapha and increases the Pitta. It has pungent (katu) taste, hot (ushna) potency, light (laghu) and dry (ruksha) quality, and digestive (amapachaka) therapeutic effect. Modern pharmacological studies also revealed that Trikatu possesses capability to enhance the bioavailability of various phytoconstituents present in the Ayurvedic and polyherbal formulations. Trikatu when added to other formulations increases the bioavailability of phytoconstituents and helps in achieving therapeutic goals. Apart from traditionally known health benefits, Trikatu also possesses antiviral, expectorant, carminative, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, antiemetic, and anti-inflammatory potential. Simply, it is concluded that Trikatu has the potential to transform a normal food material into an effective medication by increasing its absorption.