SEERAGA CHOORANAM – AN OVERVIEW OF THE COMMON PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF ITS HERBAL INGREDIENTS

Abstract

Seeraga chooranam is one of the internal medicines used in the Siddha system of medicine. It is used to cure pittha diseases, kirukiruppu (giddiness), vaanthi (vomit), agni mantham (dyspepsia), ushnam (heat) and kaangai (heat or pyrexia). It is prepared by using Seeragam (Cuminum cyminum Linn. ), Pazhach chaaru (Citrus limon (Linn) Burm.f.), Karuppan chaaru (Saccharum officinarum Linn.), Mosumosukkai chaaru (Melothria maderaspatana (L.) Cogn.), Nellikai chaaru (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.), Thuthuvalai chaaru (Solanum trilobatum L.), Veppam pattai chaaru (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), Thumbai chaaru (Leucas aspera Spreng.) and seeni (Saccharaum officinarum Linn.). The objective of this study is to find out the common pharmacological actions of the herbal ingredients used in the preparation of Seeraga Chooranam (Sc). The information have been retrieved from traditional siddha text books, journal publication websites and electronic data bases. The current study reveals that the herbal ingredients has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, analgesic, anti-osteoporotic, anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-asthmatic, antitussive, expectorant, bronchodilator, immunomodulation, hepato protective, diuretic, laxative, appetizer, anti- dyslipidaemic, anti-pyretic, anti-ulcerogenic, cardio protective, anthelminthic, anti-platelet aggregation, carminative, anti-hypertensive, astringent, anti-allergic and anti-venom actions. The overall results reveal that all herbal ingredients of Sc possess anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti- hyperglycaemic, immunomodulation, hepato protective, diuretic, anti- dyslipidaemic, anti-ulcerogenic, and anthelminthic actions.