Mothers-to-be have often asked me if Ayurveda has anything to offer them by way of antenatal care. There is a whole package of practices that Ayurvedic vaidyars prescribe starting with conception. In this article I will highlight one gulika called Mahadhanwantharam Gulika. A friend of mine married late and had her first kid when she was 41 years old.
On the advice of her Ayurvedic vaidyar she had one gulika twice a day. Since she was an elderly primy she did have regular check-ups with an allopathic gynaecologist. The gynaecologist was surprised that my friend did not have any of the usual complications or issues that many pregnant women suffer from. She did not have any acidity-related problems or oesophageal reflux as would normally happen when the foetus pressed upon the diaphragm. She did not have any paedal oedema, increased blood pressure or gestational diabetes.
Now what magic ingredients does Mahadhanwantavam gulika contain? It consist of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), dried ginger (Zingiber officinale), chebulic myrobalan (Terminalia chebula), Omam (Apium graveolens), Brihati (Solanum indicum), Kiratatikta (Andrographis paniculata), tail pepper (Cubeba officinalis), Rudraksha (Elaeocarpus ganitrus), Deodar (Cedrus deodara), Chandrasoora (Grewia nervosa), Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) and mango ginger (Curcuma amada). All this is mixed with the aqueous extract of Cuminum cyminum. This formulation is from the Kerala ayurvedic tradition and widely used in the state.
The drugs have been so chosen that they cause no interferences with the pregnancy and yet bestow innumerable benefits to the pregnant mother. It pacifies the vata dosha and helps to improve appetite and digestion. It helps in circulation and eases breathing and respiration. It is an ama pachaka in that it digests toxins – a detoxifier. It is adaptogenic and an alterative. It is antibacterial anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-stress and an anti-tussive. It is cardio-protective, a carminative and a digestive stimulant. It is a febrifuge and mucolytic, 1 or 2 tablets taken with a little lukewarm jeera water will keep the pregnancy happy and uneventful.
Now if we examine the rasa (taste), guna (property), virya (potency) and vipaka (after effect of digestion) of these drugs we will see that most of these drugs have a shita (cool), virya or madhura (sweet) vipaka eg. cardamom, mango ginger camphor, and kiratatikta have shita virya; chebulic myrobalan and sunthi have madhura vipaka while rudraksha, camphor and mango ginger have madhura rasa. The madhura, shita, rasa, virya and vipaka properties help nourish the dhatus and tissues while each of these dravyas have other digestive, carminative and antispasmodic actions. Those dravyas that do not have madhura or shita property have the snighdatwa property or unctuousness. Brihati and Ajamoda are the only two dravyas with the property of ushnavirya, which keeps the digestion unimpaired. So we have this wonderful combination of drugs available as small gulikas, which keep expectant mothers happy and healthy through their pregnancy.
The writer is retired Additional Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu. She can be reached at sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail. com/arogyamantra.blogspot.com