College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Patola Herbal Powder (Trichosanthes dioica)

Purgative laxative that lowers blood sugar and lipids. Hot & Drying yet nourishing gourd. Detoxifying, anti-inflammatory.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Patola's heating and detoxifying qualities make it ideal as an herbal supplement for Pitta during Panchakarma treatments such as Sweat Therapy (Svedana).

Metabolic Nature of Patola

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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DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

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HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

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

PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT

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
PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

A Phlegmatic has a cold and wet metabolic nature. The coldness implies a slow metabolism, the moisture that you are well-nourished. Phlegmatics tend towards sluggishness and thickened fluids, including mucus.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

A hot and oily nature with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body makes Sanguine individuals vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

AGGRAVATES
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

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

Other

Digestion, Heart Circulation Blood, Liver Gallbladder, Respiratory Health,
Skin Care

SKIN-CARE

Includes skin care, and anything that nourishes epithelial membranes (of digestive, respiratory, urinary tract, blood vessels, etc).

SEE ALL 'SKIN-CARE' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Patola
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)
Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Purgative

PURGATIVE

Where general laxatives target the colon, purgatives are strong laxatives that target complete elimination of the small intestine. Use only sporadically as it can be habit forming.

SEE ALL 'PURGATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives.

SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.

SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

Hypolipidemic

HYPOLIPIDEMIC

Scrapes fats / cleanses blood vessels by 1) purging bile, 2) strengthening the liver's ability to metabolize fats, 3) by increasing uptake of cholesterol in the liver, and 4) by inhibiting fat cells.

SEE ALL 'HYPOLIPIDEMIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Lowers Blood Sugar

LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR

An herb that lowers blood sugar.

SEE ALL 'LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Patola

  • Dandelion Leaves

    Dandelion Leaves has these Actions in Common

    Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, General-laxative, Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Hypolipidemic

    LEARN MORE

  • Arugula

    Arugula has these Actions in Common

    Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, General-laxative, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic

    LEARN MORE

  • Endive

    Endive has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic, Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Burdock Root (Gobo)

    Burdock Root (Gobo) has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic, Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Aloe Vera Juice / Gel

    Aloe Vera Juice / Gel has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic, Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Fenugreek

    Fenugreek has these Actions in Common

    Digestive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic, Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Turmeric Root (Fresh)

    Turmeric Root (Fresh) has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant, Digestive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic

    LEARN MORE

  • Turmeric

    Turmeric has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Internal-detoxicant, Digestive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic

    LEARN MORE

  • Bitter Melon

    Bitter Melon has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Kale

    Kale has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Anti-inflammatory, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic

    LEARN MORE

  • Radish (raw)

    Radish (raw) has these Actions in Common

    General-laxative, Lowers-blood-sugar, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Patola

  • Yellow Dock

    Yellow Dock has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, General-laxative, Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar

    LEARN MORE

  • Triphala Guggulu

    Triphala Guggulu has these Actions in Common

    Lowers-blood-sugar, Digestive, General-laxative, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Chandraprabha Vati

    Chandraprabha Vati has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, General-laxative, Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar

    LEARN MORE

  • Bhumyamalaki

    Bhumyamalaki has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, General-laxative, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Dandelion Root

    Dandelion Root has these Actions in Common

    Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Eleuthero Ginseng

    Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Hypolipidemic

    LEARN MORE

  • Punarnava

    Punarnava has these Actions in Common

    Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Hypolipidemic, Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar

    LEARN MORE

  • Amalaki

    Amalaki has these Actions in Common

    Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, General-laxative, Internal-detoxicant

    LEARN MORE

  • Guggulu

    Guggulu has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar, Anti-inflammatory, Hypolipidemic

    LEARN MORE

  • Belly breathing

    Belly breathing has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Lowers-blood-sugar, Digestive, General-laxative

    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

Patola 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

Patola 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 Patola. Please see your health care provider for more information.

Look for similar items by category

Digestion, Heart-Circulation-Blood, Liver-Gallbladder, Respiratory-Health, Skin-Care
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Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’

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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.