Cissampelos, Patha
Velvet-Leaf PareiraPatha (Ayurveda)
Patha (Unani)
Apatta (Siddha)
Ya Hu Nu (TCM)
Cissampelos pareiraMedicinal Plants, Bentley and Triman, 1875
Cissampelos pareiraWeinmann, J.W., Phytanthoza iconographia (1737-1745)
Botanical name:
Cissampelos pareira, C. pareira var. hirsuta
Cyclea peltata is used as a source of Patha in South India.
Parts used:
Root; or the whole herb or leaf
Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Bitter, Sweet
Classification:
Uses:
1. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-Fevers; Fevers with rigor (Charaka)
-Burning Sensation
-regarded as Detoxifying, used for acute and chronic toxicity in Ayurvedic texts
2. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Burning urine, Chronic Cystitis (especially useful), Nephritis
-Spermatorrhea, Gonorrhea, Leukorrhea
-Jaundice
-Edema, Stones
-Diarrhea, Dysentery
-Arthritic and Rheumatic complaints with heat (internally and topically)
3. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-Dysmenorrhea, Menorrhagia
-Uterine diseases
-Prevents Miscarriage (must be used cautiously)
-has been used as a Contraceptive in rural India
-regarded as Aphrodisiac in classical texts.
4. Moves the Blood, Resolves Stasis:
-Trauma, Bruising (TCM)
-Wounds, Fractures (Ayurveda)
-also Heart disease (TCM)
5. Stimulates Digestion
-bitter tonic in Nausea, Poor appetite
-abdominal bloating and colic (Ayurveda); Irritable Bowel syndrome
6. Promotes Milk:
-promotes and enhances Breast Milk (Charaka)
-also regarded as cleansing or purifying Breast Milk.
7. Clears Phlegm, Stops Wheezing:
-Cough and Wheezing from Phlegm (Ayurveda)
-Asthma (TCM)
8. Kills Worms
-adjunct for Worms
9. Externally:
-Trauma and Bruising, mix the powder with alcohol or egg white and apply
-Traumatic Bleeding, apply the powder topically
-paste of the root is anti-inflammatory topically
-poultice of the leaf is applied to abscess, boils, burns, sores, pimples, scabies, itch
-root paste is applied to Scabies, Eczema and skin eruptions
-decoction used as a wash for Wounds and Ulcers
-One-sided Headache, use the root as a snuff on the affected side
Dose:
1. Whole herb or root are used in similar doses
2. Larger doses are aperient
Powder: 1–3 grams (up to 5 grams)
Decoction: 5–10 grams; or, 1 in 8 taken in 50–100mls. doses.
In Europe, 2–3 drams were boiled in 1.5 pints of water down to 1 pint, which is divided into 3 doses to be taken over the day. One–2 pints per day of the standard decoction were recommended in the treatment of Jaundice and Rheumatism.
Juice: 1 teaspoonful each morning for 3 days for Fever.
Substitute:
1. Stephania hernandifolia (syn. S. japonica) and S. glabra were classically regarded as varieties of Patha (Raj Patha). S. japonica is available from Chinese suppliers.
2. Cyclea arnotii, C. peltata is used as a source of Patha in South India.
Main Combinations:
1. Fever, Cissampelos with Vetiveria, Pavonia
2. Dengue Fever, Cissampelos, Neem, Hippophae
3. Burning Urine, the root paste is taken, or a decoction is taken, 4–6 cups per day.
4. Spermatorrhea, leaf juice is left to stand for 4–5 hours where it will thicken. It is given twice daily for 7 days.
5. To enhance Speech, Memory and Intelligence, Cissampelos with Chebula, Trikatu, Calamus, Moringa and Rock Salt, decocted in water, Goat Milk and Ghee to form an oily concentrate. (as in Sarasvata Ghirta of Ayurveda)
6. Hemiplegia, Facial Paralysis, Tremor, Cissampelos with Bdellium, Calamus, Celery seed, Cumin, Wrightia, Embelia, Plumbago, Trikatu (as in Majun Jograj Guggul of Unani)
7. Diarrhea:
i. Cissampelos with Trikatu, Picrorrhiza, Eclipta, Plumbago
ii. infective Diarrhea, Cissampelos, Andropgraphis, Cyperus rotundus, Fumitory, Ginger
iii. Diarrhea, Dysentery, Cissampleos with Long Pepper, Ginger, Holarrhena
8. Abdominal diseases, Spleen disorders, Abdominal masses, Cissampelos with Boerhaavia, Sida, Tinospora, Plumbago, Solanum surrattense (as in Punarnavady Arista)
9. Excessive Urination, Cissampelos with Aloeswood (Sushruta)
10. Burninhgs sensation, skin diseases from Bile/Heat, Itching, Cissampelos, Picrorrhiza, Neem, Barberry, Fumitory, Gentian, Swertia, Cyperus rotundus, Long Pepper, Sandalwood, made into a paste with Ghee. (as in Tiktaka Ghirta)
11. Menstrual disorders, Cissampelos with Cyperus rotundus, Symplocos bark, Safflower
12. Menorrhagia, Cissampales, Red Earth, Red Sandalwood, Licorice
13. To promote easy Labor, a paste of Cissampelos with Sacred Basil, Adhatoda, Achyranthes, Holarrhena as a paste applied to the umbilicus. lower abdomen and vulva. (Ayurveda)
14. Internal Abscess, Cissampelos root with Honey, take with Rice water.
15. Toothache, gum swelling and pain, Cissampelos with Costus, Madder, Barberry bark, Cyperus, Picrorrhiza (Ayurveda)
16. Anal Fistula, Cissampelos with Plumbago, Turpeth, Calamus, Gloriosa, Nerium, Celastrus, Euphorbia neriifolia, boiled in Sesame oil (with water), and applied topically (as in Citrakadi Taila)
Major Formulas:
Pushyanuga Churna (Ayurevda)
Sarasvata Churna (Ayurveda)
Tiktaka Ghirta
Yogaraja Guggulu
Majun Jograj Guggul
Citrakadi Taila
Cautions:
None noted.
While it is not contraindicated during Pregnancy, it should be used cautiously, and in reduced dosage. It has reportedly been used for Threatened Miscarriage, but has also been used as a Contraceptive in rural India. Its use is probably best avoided in those wishing to become pregnant.