Trikatu

Trikatu ("the three pungents") is the formulation made from shunthi (dry ginger), pippali (long pepper) and maricha (black pepper). The Bhavaprakasha Nighantu, the materia medica section of Bhavamishra's Bhavaprakasha, describes it in two verses of the Haritakyadi varga, straight after the sections on its three spices: what it is made of, its names, and its properties and uses (p. 273, verses 62–63).

What it is made of

विश्वोपकुल्या मरिचं त्रयं त्रिकटु कथ्यते । कटुत्रिकं तु त्रिकटु त्र्यूषणं व्योष उच्यते ॥ ६२ ॥

The verse says that vishva (dry ginger), upakulya (long pepper) and maricha (black pepper), the three together, are called trikatu. Unlike the verse on triphala, it does not say how much of each to take (p. 273, verse 62).

Names

The same verse gives four names: Trikatu "the three pungents", Katutrika "the trio of pungents", Tryushana "the three hot ones" and Vyosha (p. 273, verse 62).

Properties and uses

त्र्यूषणं दीपनं हन्ति श्वासकासत्वगामयान् । गुल्ममेहकफस्थौल्यमेदःश्लीपदपीनसान् ॥ ६३ ॥

• Action: kindles digestion (dipana)
• Doshas: removes kapha
• Used in: breathlessness (shvasa), cough (kasa), skin disease (tvak-amaya), abdominal lumps (gulma), prameha, obesity and excess fat (sthaulya, medas), elephantiasis (shlipada) and chronic cold (pinasa)

The verse gives no separate rasa, guna, virya or vipaka for trikatu; those are given for each spice in its own section (p. 273, verse 63).

The three spices

Spice	Name in the verse	Hindi	Its own section
Shunthi	vishva	sonth (dry ginger)	verses 44–48, pp. 267–268
Pippali	upakulya	pipal (long pepper)	verses 53–58, pp. 269–271
Maricha	maricha	kali mirch (black pepper)	verses 59–61, pp. 271–273

(p. 273, verse 62)

Chaturushana: trikatu with pippalimula

त्र्यूषणं सकणामूलं कथितं चतुरूषणम् । व्योषस्येव गुणाः प्रोक्ता अधिकाश्चतुरूषणे ॥ ६६ ॥

A few verses later the text adds that trikatu with pippalimula (the root of long pepper) is called chaturushana, "the four hot ones". It has the same properties as trikatu, in greater measure (p. 273, verse 66).

The Hindi commentary of this edition adds that in use, chaturushana taken twice a day (5 to 30 ratti a dose) has been found helpful not only in cough, colds and a hoarse voice but also in abdominal pain and flatulence (p. 274).

Sources

• Bhavamishra, Bhavaprakasha Nighantu, Haritakyadi varga, verses 62–63 and 66: p. 273 (scan and text on SarvaKosh)
• Vidyotini Hindi commentary, note on chaturushana: p. 274

This page describes what the granth says. It is not medical advice; consult a qualified vaidya before using any remedy.