Kabasura Kudineer & Nilavembu Kudineer

The Siddha system of medicine is one of the ancient traditional medicines with its origin in Tamil Nadu. Through the system, it not only treats the physical body but also mind and soul through both spiritual well-being. According to Siddha medicine, the three biological components such as Vatha, Pitha, and Kapha is corrected by using herbs, metals and minerals. Although numerous herbs used in Siddha system for combating various diseases, the two poly herbal Siddha formulation viz., Kabasura kudineer and Nilavembu, are well-known chooranam recognized by Government of India for relieving viral infections, including respiratory issues, dengue and chikungunya. Both chooranam has contains alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, tannin and terpenoids.

Kabasura kudineer containing 15 ingredients viz., Zingiber officinale, Piper longum, Syzygium aromaticum, Tragia involucrate, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Hygrophila auriculate, Terminalia chebula, Justicia adhatoda, Coleus aromaticus, Costus speciosus, Tinospora cordifolia, Clerodendron serratum, Andrographis paniculata, Sida acuta, and Cyperus rotundus, recommended for effective treatment of common respiratory ailments such as cold, cough, breathing difficulty and flu as the principal organ of kapha is lungs. This kabasura kudineer chooranam possess anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antibacterial activities.

Nilavembu kudineer chooranam containing nine ingredients viz., Andrographis paniculate, Chrysopogon zizanoides, Santalum album, Zingiber officinale, Piper nigrum, Cyperus rotundus, Mollugo cerviana, Plectranthus vettiveroides, and Trichosanthes cucumerina, are equally proportionated for treating the symptoms of Covid-19, dengue and chikungunya.

Zingiber officinale

Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae) is a perennial herb known as Chukku in Tamil, dried drug consists of sympodially branched laterally compressed pieces of horizontal growing rhizome is seen distributed in tropical Asia. Shogaol and gingerols as the main constituents of the volatile oil of this rhizome is responsible for its flavour. The rhizome possess anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-emetic and immuno-modulatory properties.

Piper longum

Piper longum (Piperaceae) is known as Tippili in Tamil, a slender climber distributed in the warmer region of India and lower hills of Bengal. The major phytochemicals of Piper longum are piperine, piperlongumine, piperlonguminine, methyl-3,4,5-trimethoxy cinnamate. Piper longum possesses antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic, bioavailability enhancing properties, and immunomodulatory effects. The benzene extract of the fruit shows anti fertility activity,124 ethanol extract shows anti depressent, alkaloids obtained from the fruit shows anti hyperlipedemic, the amides obtained from the plant shows anti platelet activity, and piperedine shows anti-obesity activities.

Tragia involucrate

Tragia involucrate (Euphorbiaceae) is an evergreen shrub known as Cirukancori in Siddha. This plant possesses scattered stinging hairs and is seen commonly distributed all over India. Traditionally the plant is used for curing gastro issues, pruritic skins eruptions, vomiting. The whole plant is analgesic, the root extract have anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities. The aqueous extracts of the leaves of T. involucrate possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity while the methanol extract possess wound healing property.

Anacyclus pyrethrum

Anacyclus pyrethrum (Asteraceae) is known as Akarakaram in Tamil. It is perennial procumbent herb native to North Africa and is cultivated at the elevation of 900m in Jammu and Kashmir. The phyto constituents present in this drug belongs to the class of amides, iso flavonoid and alkaloids. The drug possesses adaptogenic and immunomodulatory, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, antidiabetic, androgenic and spermatogenic, and antibacterial activities.

Hygrophila auriculate

Hygrophila auriculata is known as Mulli in Tamil. The plant is a spiny, stout annual herb with hairy branches, swollen nodes encircled by thorns and leaves. Commonly found growing in marshy areas, wetlands and along water courses throughout the plains in India. The roots and aerial parts of the plant is used and possesses anthelmintic, CNS activity, antimotility, haematinic effect, antipyretic, diuretic effects. The drug also exhibits hypoglycaemic, antinociceptive, antioxidant and hepato-protective, antibacterial, and anti-tumour activities.

Terminalia chebula

Terminalia chebula (Combretaceae) is known as Kadukkaai in Tamil. Plant is seen distributed throughout the deciduous forests and extends southwards at 300 to 900m altitude. The major chemical constituents present are tannins, chebulagic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, syringic acid etc. The fruit pericarp shows cytoprotective, cardiotonic, antimutagenic and antifungal properties.

Justicia adhatoda

Justicia adhatoda (Acanthaceae) is a sub-herbaceous perennial shrub found throughout the year in plains and sub Himalayan tracts of India, ascending up to 1200m altitude and is used in almost all traditional medicinal systems in India. It is used for curing cough, cold, bronchial asthma, intestinal worm, skin disease, diarrhea, dysentry and tuberculosis. The plant possess anti-viral, hypoglycaemic, abortifacient, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and cytoxic activities.

Coleus aromaticus

Coleus aromaticus (Lamiaceae) and is known as Karpuravalli illai in Tamil. It is an errect, succulent, perennial herb arising from horizontal rhizome, found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of India. The drug shows antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antileptic activities. It is used in respiratory disorders, digestive disorders, insect bites, fevers, oral protection and curing of skin diseases.

Tinospora cordifolia

Tinospora cordifolia (Menispermaceae) is known as Seenthil Thandu in Tamil. This climber is found throughout tropical region of India up to 1,200 m elevations. The major constituents present in this drug are sesquiterpene, tinocordifolin, tinosponone, cordioside, columbin, glycosides, alkaloids etc. The drug helps in reduction of liver toxicity, and possesses antiulcer, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, antimalarial and antileprotic activities. It is immune suppresent, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities. Major Siddha preparations using T. cordifolia as an ingredient includes Seenthil Chooranam, Seenthil Ney, and more.

The above mentioned list is a sample of some of the herbs used in Kabasura kudineer Chooranam and Nilavembu Kudineer. Both would help to recover asymptomatic ormild symptomatic COVID-19 and like viral infections. In recent days more research have been carried out about the efficacy of these Kudineer Chooranam. Most of the research findings reported that reduced severity of illness, decreased intensity of viral symptoms, and attenuated mortality rate.