Ingredient: Shankhpushpi
Scientific Name: Convolvulus pluricaulis
Common Name: Aloe weed in English
Family: Convolvulaceae
Parts Used: Flowers, Leaves, Stem, Roots
Description:
The plant grows widely during the rainy season, 2-3 inches in height. Leaves are small in size with bell-shaped flowers or it looks like more on a conch.
Nutrient Profile:
The whole plant has a medicinal value. It consists of glucose, maltose, rhamnose, sucrose, glacial acetic acid, beta-sitosterol, convoline, kaempferol & scoploetin.
Ayurvedic perspective:
The Ayurvedic properties of Shankhpushpi are bitter, unctuous, sliminess, cool and sweet. It is a brain tonic. It pacifies Vata, Pitta and Kapha. It is an important Ayurvedic herb due to its several therapeutic benefits. Shankhapushpi is a good effective remedy when the 3 doshas aggravate, especially when Pitta is in excess. Shankhpushpi is used in many formulations. According to Ayurveda, Shankhapushpi brightens intellect, improves complexion, increases appetite and useful in biliousness, epilepsy, bronchitis, teething troubles of infants, etc.
Health Benefits:
It is also an adaptogen, anti-depressant, tranquillizer, and psycho-stimulant, hence used as a brain tonic. It is one of the best herbs that are used for enhancing the beauty and helps in nourishing all the layers of skin.
Amrutam offers an exclusive Ayurvedic formulation with Shankpushpi Brainkey Gold Malt.
- Shankhapushpi is used to treat the urinary system ailments.
- It is used to treat asthma and also for ailments in a respiratory system such as cough, cold. It has expectorant properties and so used to prevent irritation of respiratory organs.
- It is used for treating smallpox, epilepsy and the circulatory system of blood.
- It controls the production of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, thus helps in reducing anxiety and stress; hence works as a psycho-stimulant and tranquillizer.
- It is useful to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's due to its memory boosting property. It has anti-ulcer properties that ease the symptoms of dementia, hyperthyroidism.
- It improves the memory, daily consumption of Shankhapushpi prevents memory loss. Therefore, it's used as a brain tonic and brain stimulator.
- Shankhapushpi is quite beneficial in fighting different types of ulcers.
- The herb has an important property – analgesic. The painkilling property of the herb is useful in dealing with osteoarthritis, rheumatic pains, arthritis.
- It reduces cholesterol and hypertension and also helps in removing certain types of fatty acids.
- Shankhapushpi has an invigorating effect on overall health, promoting health and weight gain. It is one of the best herbs used for enhancing beauty, helps in nourishing all the layers of skin.
As per Acharya Charak, there are 3 major herbal brain tonics such as Brahmi, Vacha, Shankhapushpi and of them, Shankhapushpi is the best among them.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3868798/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3611639/
https://www.ayurvedicindia.info/12-benefits-of-shankhapushpi-uses/
