Chitrak Herbal Powder (Plumbago zeylanica)A hot digestive that clears ama from the GI as well as deep tissues. Kapha reducing irritant that softens stool and resolves skin eruptions. Penetrating, blood thinning, and anti-inflammatory |
Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.
Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.
Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.
The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.
Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.
MILD RAISES-THYROID An herb that increases thyroid function.
Toxicity: Moderate - Not for long term use.
The reports shared below are part of an educational assignment completed by students at the Joyful Belly College of Natural Health Sciences. These represent subjective experiences intended to help students explore principles of Ayurveda through personal observation. In each report below, students ate the selected food for 3 days and self-reported these effects. See other food & herb reports at Joyful Belly.
How did Chitrak affect your temperature?
| 0 |
1 |
13 |
13 |
5 |
| Much colder | Slightly colder | Same | Slightly warmer | Much warmer |
How did Chitrak affect your ear temperature?
| 9 |
22 |
1 |
| Hotter | No Change | Cooler |
SweatHow did Chitrak affect your sweat quantity?
| 0 |
1 |
21 |
8 |
2 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
SkinHow did Chitrak affect the tones / color of your skin?
| 0 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
22 |
| Yellower/Greener | Paler | Redder | Grayer | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the color of your tongue body? *This question refers to the tongue itself, not the coating.
| 1 |
13 |
1 |
17 |
| Paler | Redder | Bluer | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the swelling or size of your tongue body?
| 3 |
2 |
27 |
| More Swelling (larger/fatter) | Less Swelling (smaller/thinner) | No Change |
DigestionFor help analyzing your digestion, see overview of Digestive Health How did Chitrak
| 0 |
4 |
12 |
14 |
2 |
| Much less hungry | Slightly less hungry | Same | Slightly hungrier | Much hungrier |
How did Chitrak affect your digestion speed? *This can be gauged by how quickly you feel hungry after eating and how quickly you eliminate your meal.
| 2 |
17 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
| Much faster | Slightly faster | Same | Slightly slower | Much slower |
How did Chitrak affect the amount of your gas & bloating?
| 1 |
8 |
22 |
1 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the intensity of your stool smell?
| 0 |
2 |
27 |
3 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the thickness & size (surface area) of your tongue coating?
| 1 |
3 |
25 |
2 |
1 |
| Much smaller/thinner coating | Slightly less coating | Same | Slightly larger/thicker coating | Much larger coating |
How did Chitrak affect the color of your tongue coating?
| 2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
26 |
| Yellower | Browner | Grayer | Whiter | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect your throat soreness?
| 1 |
31 |
0 |
| More sore | No Change | Less sore |
How did Chitrak affect the intensity of your urine smell?
| 0 |
0 |
27 |
4 |
1 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the amount of bubbles in your urine?
| 0 |
1 |
30 |
1 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Many more |
How did Chitrak affect the intensity of your sweat smell?
| 0 |
1 |
28 |
3 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect your acne?
| 3 |
27 |
2 |
| More acne | No Change | Less acne |
How did Chitrak affect the shade of your freckles/moles?
| 0 |
32 |
0 |
| Darker | No Change | Lighter |
How did Chitrak affect the color of your sclera (white part of eye)?
| 6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Redder/Bloodshot | Yellower | Grayer | Browner | Whiter |
| 25 | ||||
| No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the shade / color of your lower eyelid?
| 1 |
0 |
30 |
1 |
| More green/dark green | More purple | No Change | Less green/purple |
UrineHow did Chitrak affect your urine frequency/quantity?
| 0 |
0 |
25 |
5 |
2 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the dryness of your skin?
| 4 |
0 |
28 |
| Drier | Oilier | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the puffiness of your lower eyelid?
| 0 |
29 |
3 |
| Puffier | No Change | Less Puffy |
How did Chitrak affect the cracks on your tongue?
| 1 |
6 |
23 |
1 |
1 |
| Much more/larger/longer cracks | Slightly more | Same | Slightly less | Much less/smaller/shorter cracks |
How did Chitrak affect your ear pressure?
| 0 |
31 |
1 |
| More pressure | No Change | Less pressure |
RespiratoryHow did Chitrak affect your level of sinus congestion?
| 0 |
25 |
7 |
| More congestion | No Change | Less congestion |
How did Chitrak affect the thickness of your mucous congestion?
| 0 |
27 |
5 |
| More thick | No Change | Less thick |
How did Chitrak affect your energy levels?
| 1 |
0 |
20 |
11 |
0 |
| Much less energy | Slightly less energy | Same | Slightly more energy | Much more energy |
How did Chitrak affect your muscle tension?
| 0 |
8 |
21 |
3 |
0 |
| Much less tension | Slightly less tension | Same | Slightly more tension | Much more tension |
How did Chitrak affect your anxiety levels?
| 0 |
8 |
21 |
1 |
2 |
| Much less anxiety | Slightly less anxiety | Same | Slightly more anxiety | Much more anxiety |
How did Chitrak affect the movement or stillness of your tongue as you hold it out?
| 1 |
29 |
2 |
| More still | No Change | More Trembling / Jittery |
DigestionFor help analyzing your digestion, see overview of Digestive Health How did Chitrak
| 0 |
4 |
12 |
14 |
2 |
| Much less hungry | Slightly less hungry | Same | Slightly hungrier | Much hungrier |
How did Chitrak affect burning sensations in your digestive tract (do not include acid reflux)?
| 0 |
3 |
21 |
6 |
2 |
| Much relief | Slight relief | Same | Slightly more burning | Much more burning |
How did Chitrak affect the amount of your gas & bloating?
| 1 |
8 |
22 |
1 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect your digestion speed? *This can be gauged by how quickly you feel hungry after eating and how quickly you eliminate your meal.
| 2 |
17 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
| Much faster | Slightly faster | Same | Slightly slower | Much slower |
How did Chitrak affect the color of your tongue body? *This question refers to the tongue itself, not the coating.
| 1 |
13 |
1 |
17 |
| Paler | Redder | Bluer | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the color of your tongue coating?
| 2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
26 |
| Yellower | Browner | Grayer | Whiter | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the thickness & size (surface area) of your tongue coating?
| 1 |
3 |
25 |
2 |
1 |
| Much smaller/thinner coating | Slightly less coating | Same | Slightly larger/thicker coating | Much larger coating |
How did Chitrak affect the cracks on your tongue?
| 1 |
6 |
23 |
1 |
1 |
| Much more/larger/longer cracks | Slightly more | Same | Slightly less | Much less/smaller/shorter cracks |
How did Chitrak affect the movement or stillness of your tongue as you hold it out?
| 1 |
29 |
2 |
| More still | No Change | More Trembling / Jittery |
How did Chitrak affect the swelling or size of your tongue body?
| 3 |
2 |
27 |
| More Swelling (larger/fatter) | Less Swelling (smaller/thinner) | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect your stool color?
| 2 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
26 |
| More yellow | More gray | More green | More orange | Same |
How did Chitrak affect your stool consistency?
| 2 |
12 |
15 |
3 |
0 |
| Much softer | Slightly softer | Same | Slightly harder | Much harder |
How did Chitrak affect your stool lightness?
| 1 |
5 |
24 |
2 |
0 |
| Much lighter | Slightly lighter | Same | Slightly darker | Much darker |
How did Chitrak affect your stool frequency/quantity?
| 0 |
2 |
20 |
8 |
2 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the intensity of your stool smell?
| 0 |
2 |
27 |
3 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the amount of bubbles in your urine?
| 0 |
1 |
30 |
1 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Many more |
How did Chitrak affect the shade of your urine?
| 0 |
4 |
25 |
3 |
0 |
| Much lighter | Slightly lighter | Same | Slightly Darker | Much Darker |
How did Chitrak affect your urine clarity?
| 0 |
28 |
4 |
| More cloudy | Same | More clear |
UrineHow did Chitrak affect your urine frequency/quantity?
| 0 |
0 |
25 |
5 |
2 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the intensity of your urine smell?
| 0 |
0 |
27 |
4 |
1 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
SweatHow did Chitrak affect your sweat quantity?
| 0 |
1 |
21 |
8 |
2 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect the intensity of your sweat smell?
| 0 |
1 |
28 |
3 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect your acne?
| 3 |
27 |
2 |
| More acne | No Change | Less acne |
SkinHow did Chitrak affect the tones / color of your skin?
| 0 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
22 |
| Yellower/Greener | Paler | Redder | Grayer | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the dryness of your skin?
| 4 |
0 |
28 |
| Drier | Oilier | No Change |
How did Chitrak affect the shade of your freckles/moles?
| 0 |
32 |
0 |
| Darker | No Change | Lighter |
How did Chitrak affect the shade / color of your lower eyelid?
| 1 |
0 |
30 |
1 |
| More green/dark green | More purple | No Change | Less green/purple |
How did Chitrak affect the puffiness of your lower eyelid?
| 0 |
29 |
3 |
| Puffier | No Change | Less Puffy |
How did Chitrak affect the color of your sclera (white part of eye)?
| 6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Redder/Bloodshot | Yellower | Grayer | Browner | Whiter |
| 25 | ||||
| No Change |
RespiratoryHow did Chitrak affect your level of sinus congestion?
| 0 |
25 |
7 |
| More congestion | No Change | Less congestion |
How did Chitrak affect the thickness of your mucous congestion?
| 0 |
27 |
5 |
| More thick | No Change | Less thick |
How did Chitrak affect your ear pressure?
| 0 |
31 |
1 |
| More pressure | No Change | Less pressure |
How did Chitrak affect your ear temperature?
| 9 |
22 |
1 |
| Hotter | No Change | Cooler |
How did Chitrak affect your throat soreness?
| 1 |
31 |
0 |
| More sore | No Change | Less sore |
How did Chitrak affect your heart pain/pressure/cramping?
| 0 |
0 |
30 |
2 |
0 |
| Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Chitrak affect your heart rhythm?
| 4 |
28 |
0 |
| More palpitations | Same | Less palpitations |
How did Chitrak affect your heart rate?
| 0 |
1 |
24 |
6 |
1 |
| Much slower | Slightly slower | Same | Slightly faster | Much faster |
How did Chitrak affect your anxiety levels?
| 0 |
8 |
21 |
1 |
2 |
| Much less anxiety | Slightly less anxiety | Same | Slightly more anxiety | Much more anxiety |
How did Chitrak affect your energy levels?
| 1 |
0 |
20 |
11 |
0 |
| Much less energy | Slightly less energy | Same | Slightly more energy | Much more energy |
How did Chitrak affect your temperature?
| 0 |
1 |
13 |
13 |
5 |
| Much colder | Slightly colder | Same | Slightly warmer | Much warmer |
How did Chitrak affect your muscle tension?
| 0 |
8 |
21 |
3 |
0 |
| Much less tension | Slightly less tension | Same | Slightly more tension | Much more tension |
Note: These exercises are not part of an FDA-regulated study, and were not designed or conducted under a clinical research protocol. They are neither investigational in nature nor scientific findings. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. They are experiential assignments rooted in traditional Ayurvedic education, intended solely for instructional use. No conclusions should be drawn regarding the therapeutic effects of any food, herb, or dietary substance based on these student reflections.
 |
See guidelines for herbs |
Chitrak may temper these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual and constitution. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.
Chitrak may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Note this is not a complete list of all possible contraindications. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.
GI irritation: May cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; contraindicated with gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, GERD, or inflammatory bowel conditions.
Mucosal/skin toxicity: Plumbagin, a component of Chitrak, is caustic and carries risk of chemical burns with topical or improper oral use - especially on broken or sensitive skin, or in the presence of oral ulcers.
Pregnancy & lactation: Contraindicated due to Chitrak's uterine stimulant (abortifacient) activity and compounds that can be toxic to the infant.
Inflammatory Conditions: Chitrak may increase internal heat and can worsen existing inflammatory conditions such as skin rashes, joint swelling, or digestive inflammation.
Hepatic & renal disease: Avoid; plumbagin, a component of Chitrak, has hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic potential effects and may stress the liver and kidneys with prolonged use. It also has hepatoprotective qualities and has been shown to reduce liver enzymes.
Bleeding risk: May increase bleeding tendency by irritating tissues and affecting platelet function. Use caution if you are taking anticoagulants or antiplatelet medications.
Drug interactions: Potential interactions with NSAIDs, acid-suppressing drugs, and hepatically metabolized medications.
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’
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Constitutional & Metabolic Insights
Impact Report: On tongue, nerves, elimination, etc.
Indications & Uses: What it Improves
Metabolic Effects & Herbal Actions
Contraindications / Aggravates
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