Dashmool’s Health Benefits & Properties
Dashmool is an Ayurvedic preparation made using a combination of ten excellent medicinal herbs that works together to balance all three energies (Vata, Pita, Kapha) in the body making it Tridosha Nashak formula. As the name suggests “Dashmool” where Dash means ten and Mool or Mula means Roots, Dashmool means ten roots of which five roots are of trees and five roots are of shrubs.
Dashmool is a combination of equal amounts of Kshudra Pancha / Laghu Pancha Mool (five small shrubs) which includes Shalparni (Desmodium Gangeticum), Prishniparni (Uraria Picta), Bridhati (Solanum Indicum), Kantakari (Solanum Xanthocarpum) and Gokhru (Tribulus Terrestris) and Mahat/Brihat Pancha Mool (five big trees) which includes Bilva (Aegle Marmelos), Agnimantha (Premna mucronate), Shyonak (Oroxylum indicum),Gambhari or Kashmari (Gmelina Arborea) and Patala (Stereospermum suaveolens). Dashmool has potent anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, anti-oxidant and moderate analgesic properties which makes it useful for many health conditions related to muscles, bones, joints and nerves. Dashmool is also apoptogenic, used as a sedative and tranquilizer. Some of the health benefits of Dashmool are listed below:
- Inflammatory Disorders: Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis, muscle spasm, backache, sciatica all are effectively treated using Dashmool due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is useful in getting relief from general body aches and getting rid of fatigue due to body aches. It anti-rheumatic properties and pain killing properties helps in providing strength to the body and tones muscles. Sweating therapy(swedan) with Dashmool is very useful in joint pains, insomnia, arthritis and excessive dryness conditions. It reduces numbness and stiffness. Dashmool as a kwath and Arishta, which are herbal decoctions used in most cases.
- Stomach problems: Dashmool is very effective in managing stomach problems like gas, flatulence, constipation, bloating, burping, hiccups and other abdominal discomfort. It helps in overcoming problems like difficulty in urination or reduced flow of urine. It is very effective for edema (water retention).
- Respiratory Problems: Dashmool is also very helpful in asthma, whooping cough, sneezing, Allergic rhinitis, and breathing troubles. It relieves cough and treats bronchitis. Dashmool is an excellent tonic for lungs, that helps with dry cough, congestion and makes it easier to breathe. Herbal ghee called ghrita prepared using Dashmoola is very useful for respiratory disorders. Kantakari in Dashmool alleviates Vayu and Kapha. It helps in curing asthma and bronchitis.
- Fever and Migraines: Dashmool is used to relieve headache and migraines. It is useful in flu and colds and helps in bringing down fever significantly. It has antipyretic properties to treat fever. Bilva and Agnimantha in Dashmool alleviates Vayu and Kapha in the body. It helps in treating vomiting. It also reduces tremors and is beneficial for Parkinson’s disease.
- Menstrual problems and Infertility: Dashmool are great tonic for painful menstrual cramps. It helps in treating scanty periods and other symptoms experienced like constipation, incomplete bladder emptying, lower back, and abdominal pain. Dashmool is also useful in treating infertility. It also helps in regaining the strength of the uterus after delivery and is helpful during post-partum bleeding. It shows tremendous results in treating other gynecological problems like PCOS, vaginal infections along with irregular menstrual cycles. Gokhru in Dashmool helps in gynecological disorders. It is safe to be used during breastfeeding.
- Anxiety: Dashmool kwath is very helpful in relaxing the stressed nerves and veins in the body thereby relieving anxiety.It strengthens the weak nerves and prevents any discomfort associated with it. Oil massage with Dashmool oil hydrates the skin and calms the nervous system.
- Gout: Dashmool is very helpful in reducing inflammation in the affected areas due to gout (increase in uric acid in the blood). It relieves the pain, swelling and redness of the joint.
- Insomnia: It is used as a sedative. Dashmool kwath helps in getting deep and relaxed sleep. It also removes dead cells from the body and regenerates new cells. It is very useful for anemia. Trikantaka in Dashmool is aphrodisiac. It is strength promoter and helps in curing dysuria. Dashmool alone can be taken to treat all musculoskeletal system related disorders. It provides much-needed nutrition to the body.
It is also useful in bursitis, gout, fibromyalgia, facial paralysis, paralysis, hemiplegia as it calms the nerves and strengthens the body. It is also an effective remedy for Cervical Spondylosis. Dashmool helps in correcting the abnormal response of the immune system thus provides long term relief from the problem.
The decoction of Dashmool is used as an enema to eliminate toxins from the GI tract. Dashmool enema also helps to overcome food allergies. Patala in Dashmool alleviates Kapha and Vata and is digestive stimulant with cooling, diuretic properties. It is an excellent detoxifier. Shyonak in Dashmool makes it useful for diarrhea and dysentery.
Dashmool promotes easy expectoration and normal respiration by supporting the proper functioning of the lungs and nervous system.
Dashmool as Brihat Dashamool Taila Nayas (nasal oil) is very useful in conditions like photophobia, heaviness and pain in the eyes, phonophobia or sensitivity to the sound.
According to Ayurveda, Dashmool acts on organs located at Vata locations like pelvic colon, pelvis, bladder, kidneys, bones, ears and lower limbs. The ten roots of Dashmool individually possess various medical benefits, but as a whole in combination, they are able to balance all three energies of the body especially Vata Vyadhi.
Dashmool is easy to use, readily available powerful healing herbal medicine being used by Ayurvedic practitioners since ages. It is an herbal combination without any side effects. The formula helps to direct the flow of Vata energy in the body downwards.
Dashmool is widely used to pacify Vata aggravation in the body. Dashmool is prepared in various forms including powder, decoction, enema and oil. To prepare decoction from the course powder, one needs to boil a spoon of Dashmool powder in a glass of water, till it reduces to half a glass. Strain it and drink it twice a day.
The best time to consume Dashmool in powdered form is after meals, with warm water. The decoction or Kwath may be consumed half an hour before breakfast or before dinner.
Dr. Vikram Chauhan (MD-Ayurvedic Medicine) is an Expert Ayurveda Consultant in Chandigarh (India). He has vast experience of herbs and their applied uses. He has successfully treated numerous patients suffering from various ailments, throughout the world. He is CEO and Founder of Krishna Herbal Company and Planet Ayurveda in Chandigarh, India. He researched age old formulas from ancient Ayurvedic text books to restore health and save human beings from the worst side-effects of chemical-based treatments.