College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Kalmegh Herbal Powder (Andrographis paniculata)

An extremely bitter immune stimulant, antimicrobial, and lung tonic.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

As an immune stimulant it is used in all cases of infection, especially lung infection. As a strong bitter, it supports healthy flow of bile, reduces Pitta in the blood, and stimulates digestion.

Metabolic Nature of Kalmegh

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

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MOBILE

ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.

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COLD

ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

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.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying Pitta pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Vata aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Kalmegh
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Antifibrotic

ANTIFIBROTIC

Fibrosis of an organ is often a progressive leading to organ failure (i.e lungs, liver, kidney). While vulneraries usually help restore collagen, antifibrotic herbs often clear collagen. Aka fibrinolytic.

SEE ALL 'ANTIFIBROTIC' FOODS / HERBS

Lung Tonic

LUNG-TONIC

Strengthens the lungs. Lung tonics include antifibrotic, vessel tonic, or nourishing herbs with an affinity for the lungs. They aid recovery in acute or chronic lung conditions.

SEE ALL 'LUNG-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Antimicrobial

STRONG ANTIMICROBIAL

An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.

SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antipyretic

STRONG ANTIPYRETIC

Reduces a fever / febrifuge.

SEE ALL 'ANTIPYRETIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Immune Stimulant

STRONG IMMUNE-STIMULANT

Stimulates and strengthens the immune system. Helpful when fighting off a cold or flu.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

Refrigerant

STRONG REFRIGERANT

An herb or substance that strongly cools the body. Can be helpful in cases of heat conditions.

SEE ALL 'REFRIGERANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Ace Inhibitor

ACE-INHIBITOR

Used to lower blood pressure. Promotes diuresis by inhibiting angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE).

SEE ALL 'ACE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

,
Calcium Channel Blocker

CALCIUM-CHANNEL-BLOCKER

Reduces blood pressure by relaxing smooth muscle tissue. Blocking calcium (Ca2+) inhibits smooth muscle contraction.

SEE ALL 'CALCIUM-CHANNEL-BLOCKER' FOODS / HERBS

Cholagogue

CHOLAGOGUE

Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.

SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Hepatoprotective

HEPATOPROTECTIVE

An herb that is capable of preventing liver damage. Many hepatoprotectives work via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

SEE ALL 'HEPATOPROTECTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

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Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.

SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Kalmegh

  • Garlic (raw)

    Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

    Antimicrobial, Lung-tonic, Ace-inhibitor, Calcium-channel-blocker, Antifibrotic, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Turmeric

    Turmeric has these Actions in Common

    Calcium-channel-blocker, Antifibrotic, Cholagogue, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective

    LEARN MORE

  • Rose Petals

    Rose Petals has these Actions in Common

    Antimicrobial, Refrigerant, Antipyretic, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Pomegranate

    Pomegranate has these Actions in Common

    Livotonic, Ace-inhibitor, Refrigerant, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Carrot

    Carrot has these Actions in Common

    Livotonic, Calcium-channel-blocker, Lung-tonic, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Dandelion Leaves

    Dandelion Leaves has these Actions in Common

    Hepatoprotective, Antimicrobial, Livotonic, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Garlic

    Garlic has these Actions in Common

    Antimicrobial, Calcium-channel-blocker, Antifibrotic, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Ginger (Fresh)

    Ginger (Fresh) has these Actions in Common

    Hepatoprotective, Antifibrotic, Lung-tonic, Calcium-channel-blocker

    LEARN MORE

  • Turmeric Root (Fresh)

    Turmeric Root (Fresh) has these Actions in Common

    Antifibrotic, Hepatoprotective, Antimicrobial, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Burdock Root (Gobo)

    Burdock Root (Gobo) has these Actions in Common

    Cholagogue, Livotonic, Antimicrobial

    LEARN MORE

  • White Vinegar

    White Vinegar has these Actions in Common

    Hepatoprotective, Livotonic, Cholagogue

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Kalmegh

  • Licorice Ghee (9oz)

    Licorice Ghee (9oz) has these Actions in Common

    Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Immune-stimulant, Livotonic, Lung-tonic, Refrigerant, Antifibrotic

    LEARN MORE

  • Licorice Root (Yastimadhu)

    Licorice Root (Yastimadhu) has these Actions in Common

    Lung-tonic, Refrigerant, Antifibrotic, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective, Immune-stimulant, Livotonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Dandelion Root

    Dandelion Root has these Actions in Common

    Refrigerant, Antimicrobial, Antipyretic, Cholagogue, Hepatoprotective, Livotonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Mahasudarshan

    Mahasudarshan has these Actions in Common

    Antimicrobial, Antipyretic, Cholagogue, Immune-stimulant, Livotonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Milk Thistle

    Milk Thistle has these Actions in Common

    Cholagogue, Hepatoprotective, Livotonic, Antifibrotic, Antimicrobial

    LEARN MORE

  • Astragalus

    Astragalus has these Actions in Common

    Antifibrotic, Hepatoprotective, Immune-stimulant, Livotonic, Lung-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Goldenseal

    Goldenseal has these Actions in Common

    Antimicrobial, Antipyretic, Cholagogue, Immune-stimulant, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Yarrow

    Yarrow has these Actions in Common

    Livotonic, Antimicrobial, Antipyretic, Cholagogue, Immune-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Amalaki

    Amalaki has these Actions in Common

    Ace-inhibitor, Antifibrotic, Antipyretic, Hepatoprotective, Refrigerant

    LEARN MORE

  • Gentian

    Gentian has these Actions in Common

    Refrigerant, Antipyretic, Cholagogue, Hepatoprotective

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

Guidelines - Preparation & Dose

See guidelines for herbs?
Follow these guidelines

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Kalmegh may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Kalmegh 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.

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Here are some potential herb drug interactions with Kalmegh. Please see your health care provider for more information.

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.