Sarpagandha - uses, complications, side effects, special recommendation / caution for use. (#ayurveda views)

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Todays topic for discussion:   

Sarpagandha - uses, complications, side effects, special recommendation / caution for use.

Vd. Jignesh Thakkar-Bhuj: major complication with sarpagandha is impotence

Bunty Gandhi: When my mother was using Sarpagandha Ghan Vati for insomnia ,She was having problem in opening eyes in night. She was feeling like vibration in eye cornea. Only in night. And we tested it for few days. That was happening only when she used to have sarpagandha ghan vati ..Reason : Don't know actually ….

Later on moved on Siledin in which there was no such problem.

Vd. Dhruti Kagrana: 

Sarpagandha - Uses:-

Krumihara – useful to relieve worm infestation and infection. Useful in the treatment of insect bite, scorpion bite, rat bite etc. Removes the toxic effect of rodent bite. Vishamajwara – useful in recurrent and chronic fever. Sarpagandha has calming effect over mind and brain. It induces sleep. It also relieves excited state of mind, hence useful in schizophrenia (insanity). It decreases blood pressure. It contracts uterus and induces menstruation. It is used in the treatment of epilepsy, panic attacks and anxiety. It suppresses early ejaculation.

Hence used in the treatment of premature ejaculation and early excitement.

Side effects:-

Because it stimualtes uterus, this herb should not be used during pregnancy.

This medicine should be used strictly under medical supervision. Special care is needed when it is administered along with other medicines for high BP. The combined effect may lower the BP to a great extent. Its sleep enhancing effect may further increase if taken by an alcoholic.  Hence, precaution is needed.

 special recommendation / caution for use:-

HTN, Insomnia

Vd. Dipam tripathi: i used only sarpgandha churna in case of anidra and hypertension.... good result and i never seen any advers effect….in the use of sarpgandha ghanvati...some pt having sleepiness.... sirogaurav....tandra...in the morning....

Minoo parabia: Rauvolffia perhaps one of the earlier herbs like Papaver and cannabis to draw attention of modern researchers. Dr. R. J. Vakil, the then chair of botany at KEM Mumbai, published his paper 1949. He showed anti hypertensive effect of isolated single molecules of Sarpagandha. Interested can see the original paper on Himalaya website.  It was highly held regimen, soon to be recognised as depressant on prolonged usage.

Lateron NCL Pune showed that there's a whole battery of molecules and if given in combination, iatrogenic reaction could be avoided!  Lo and behold, why not to use the natural one, so kindly gifted by the nature!

It is intended to regulate BP. And it does effectively. Disciplined use is required, as already mentioned by Dr.  Dhruti.

Germany Helga Fuchs: No experience with sarpaghanda, sorry. No sideffect with sarpaghanda in High BP? Interesting.

Vd. Ajay Pithiya: I noted adverse effect of sarpagandha - nasal congestion…in Some articles also quoted that it creases suicidal tendency

Bunty Gandhi: Once Dr D N Shahane told me that sarpagandha if used alone for long time then it can have side effects in some patients so it should be used in combination with other medhya herbs.

Minoo parabia: You are right Mr. Gandhi. I prefer Brahmi-Centella and Suhaga.

Vd. Ajay Pithiya: Sarpagandha ghanvati is a good combination but dosage must be very strict it contains parsik yavani (hyoscyamus niger) and jatamansi..Ideal anupana (vehicle) for sarpagandha is milk or ghee

Dr. Dipak shirude. jalgav: Definitely, Sarpgandha is a best choice for hypertension .. It works right from the moment you swallow .. Very remarkable thing I have found about it is that the action remains at least up to 18 hours ..

I use it in choorna tablet form .. Each tablet weighing 250 mg approx. In difficult kind of HTN patients, I have started it 2 tablets thrice a day even but then after regular record keeping of blood pressure, we reduced the doses up to 1 tablet only in a day .. We can choose vyaan kaal as well as evening vaat kaal for better results .. Before reducing doses of Rauwolfia, we usually give up patients ongoing modern medicines with or without the consent of modern physician and of course patients own will .. It is joyous for a patient to give up modern medicine for hypertension .. But it is notable that we need to provide other cardio protective medicine as well as proper attention towards patient's routine, diet, exercises along with effective counselling is important, as disease relates to sadyopranhar marma ..

Sarpagandha presents some unwanted symptoms like extra drowsiness in the morning, sleepy tendency, slightly puffy face (Shopha), weight gain in some patients. I have yet not noticed any long term side effect about Sarpgandha, but I think that they exist. More study and experience (and more number of patients also) needful.

Vd. Bhavesh Thakkar: According to bhav prakash nakuli Katustikta kashayoshna. It has hot property. Usna virya, yet I found many of ( not all ) patients got severe cough and cold during the period of intake of sarpaghandha.

The symptoms subsides as soon one discontinuation of sarpaghandha.

few of my patients got mild psychological symptoms mainly delusion.

Dizziness, sleepiness are common complains.

Infect I use it in many insomnia patients for short period of time.

Vd. Mahesh Akani Palanpur: Sarpagandha is very good in

1, psorisis : if it's created by psychological

2, any cause of High b.p

3, insomnia, Anidra…….but it's dose is very low. As 60 mg to 120 mg on one time…

Heavy dose gives symptoms of bhram, low bp, weakness

Vd. Prerak Shah: My query is: is it dependable herb for high BP?

Means can I be assured after giving Sarpagandha in high BP condition, just like any other modern anti-hypertensive drugs?

Vd. Dipam tripathi: ya.....maintain the dose

Vd. Pankaj Chhayani: It will depend on sarpagandha works on what level and cause of Hypertension as there are many causes...

Vd. Kinshuk Hirpara: I would prefer jata mansi rather then sarpa gandha drug as so much controversy over it. N in my practice jata mansi I have seen gives best result even in high blood pressure and insomnia related to stress

Vd. Rajal Shukla: Complication of Sarpagandha is nasal blockge. ....some times brethless filling. .Use Sarpagandh with Rasayan churna/ tablet… Triphala churna/tablet with equal part of Sarpagandha

Minoo parabia: Dr. Prerak's question is very pertinent….Let me make some comments.  Sarpagandha is certainly effective on BP. But not without side effects.

So like Vatsnabh,  Bhallatak and many other herbs, sashtra has pinpointed either mitigation methods or recommended combinations. Over the years the knowledge system must have evolved and got refined as data from individual experience flow in. This is the unfortunate part. Most of the time the information remained burried. For the first time I am seeing this happening on this platform. This makes me immensely happy as my beloved knowledge system is being modernised in real sense. This will make it sharper and better understood by the rest of the World.

Vd. Pankaj Chhayani: Reserpine is alkaloid of snakeroot..its antihypertensive.. Reserpine and beta blockers both cause nightmare.. Many times only reserpine is used, I think we must use sarpagandha as  whole rather than its alkaloid reserpine.. This must be apply on all herbal preparation.. Many pharmacy uses only active principle..its not Ayurveda concept. Its true it will be beneficial to use in combination

Vd. Ketan Bhimani: I got best combination of sarpgandha as tab cardostab from nagarjuna company. ..... Sarpagandha+triphala same part. .... Because of our general opd, there is 60% pt diagnosed as udavart mins vayu n vichar vayu compression. I found best releif by this tab along with panchakarma therapy.

Minoo parabia: Yes.  Very true. History of single molecular drug, maybe of herbal origin is before our eyes. Quinine, reserpine, penicillin, taxol and many more are  having side effects

.

Treat a man as a whole and use a drug as a whole.

What we must seek is still better understanding of our drugs. They are so wonderfully broad acting that others are not ready to accept. Therefore our triumphs at individual level must be made public. One may not have sufficient evidences but then let it be for our young researchers to prove the claim s.

Science always progresses slow.

Bunty Gandhi: How effective sarpagandha is in unmad roga ?

Dr. Hardik- MD: Sarpagandha is very useful in erection without any cause in night also….Redness of eye and excessive salivation are complication of srapgandha including above discussion…Shushrut has mentioned it in amanushopasargadhyaya

Germany Helga Fuchs: Only a small question at least about Sarpagandha for high blood pressure. Is there any end for using the herb, and, then the hight BP is healed? Is gone? Or is there the need to take it for ever? Hm, I guess without changing lifestyle and food habit, and some work on the mind, only by medicine there may be a big helph but not healing. Is it like that in your experience dear Doctors?

Vd. Pankaj Chhayani: In primary HTN, there is genetic predisposition + environmental influences..its necessary to avoid environmental factors...its necessary to give attention on these factors with  Herb like sarpagandha etc... Primary can be controlled while secondary is curable...sarpagandha and other herbs are beneficial in primary HTN.. Sometimes with  appropriate management , it gives good relief, but there will be always tendency of HTN... And it can even possible that there is no need of medicine for lifetime in rare cases...

Shri Minoo parabia: Helga, total healing in cases if HTN is conditional. Change of life style and food habits are must. Yes yogic exercise may compensate up to certain extent to unchanged lifestyle and stress. Failing which recurrence is inevitable. So continuous monitoring with dose modifications is the advisable management. I have seen cases with remarkable recovery with lifestyle change and controlled foods.

Vd. Hardik Bhatt: I think Hypertension causes are many more ... So not only any medicine either Ayurved or alopathy effect for temporary or permanent .. Change of life style , diet , pranayam are also advisable for hypertension..

Vd. Bhavesh Thakkar: Hypertension - is not mentioned in ayurveda texts.

How to see hypertension according to ayurveda..? Is it a condition or disease..?

Dr Dipak Shirude: I have seen tapering in the dose of Sarpgandha .. Many patients are shifted then on drugs like Dhamasa, Ashwagandha etc. This will feel enthusiastic to somebody but it is true that Ayurved can cure HTN !!!

Vd. Jignesh Thakkar: I did virechan in some patients not for HTN but for other problems like urticaria,skin disaese,digestive tract diseses.  Which patient were on antihypertensive amongst them some are noticed dizziness when i did chek up. i get bp low and discontinued modern anti-hypertensives.  I think virechan and rakt mokshan can be anti hypertensive treatment modalities in ayurveda. we should spare Sarpgandha as tranquilizer and use cautiously in HTN

Vd. Mahesh Akani Palanpur: Sarpagandha give after food. I am using cardostab.

HT as per text pitta-vataj symptoms; we using Sudarshan, dhamaso, guduchi satva, kadu etc But today our subject is sarpagandha

Vd. Jignesh Thakkar: Respected team of doctors for night giving sarogandha is ok but plz suggest when in day time we are prescribing Sarpgandha what type of combination we should make? As during day time sleepiness creates troubles for some patients. because i have some patients driving heavy vehicles. In them Sarpgandha is not applicable.but if we think some combination for drivers.

Bunty Gandhi: Tagarashwagandhadi Yoga would be helpful in those patient if you are indicating for mental stress and sleeplessness.

Vd. Prerak Shah: During panchkarma processes, in few cases, I have observed rise in blood pressure. In such cases, can I give sarpagandha? will it work for sure? (patient does not have past history of high or low BP)

Vd. Mahesh Akani Palanpur: I have observed that. After process will be normal. But during process can give it.

Dr Dipak Shirude: I don't think anyone can give Sarpagandha or any other medicine especially when we have to induce Vaman, virechana, raktmokshan or basti.  Before snehan swedan or shirodhara or lepam etc .. Small scale up-karmas , Sarpgandha can be administered , as I think and do. It is a kind of achieving fitness before operation . It is simply vast prakop as per Ayurved !!