Photo: Delince / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Chhaldila छड़ीला
Parmelia perlata
Also known as: Chhaldila (Stone Flower)
Part used: Lichen
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Parmelia perlata
- Part used: Lichen
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Powder 1–3 g per day; used externally in oils and pastes without dose limit.
Chhaldila in other languages
Introduction
Chhaldila, or stone flower, is not a plant at all but a lichen — Parmelia perlata — a symbiosis of fungus and alga that grows in grey rosettes on rocks and tree bark in the hills.
Indian cookery knows it as a spice in Maharashtrian and Hyderabadi masalas. Ayurveda uses it as a cooling, aromatic drug for burning, thirst and skin complaints.
Classification
A lichen (Parmeliaceae), not a flowering plant. The whole thallus is used. Rasa: Tikta, Kashaya, Madhura. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha. Virya: Sheeta. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Pitta and Kapha.
Uses & benefits
Given in burning sensations, excessive thirst and fevers with heat, and in urinary complaints with burning. Applied externally in skin eruption and swelling. In this catalogue it appears in Maha Narayan Tel.
Chhaldila for burning and thirst
Cooling and light, it is used in Pitta conditions where heat and thirst dominate, and appears in the cooling compounds.
Chhaldila as an aromatic
Its faint fragrance is why it appears in both masalas and medicated oils, where it contributes scent as well as cooling action.
Dosage — how much to take
Powder 1–3 g per day; used externally in oils and pastes without dose limit.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Chhaldila?
The citations held for Chhaldila in this catalogue are: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Karpuradi Varga — Shaileya).
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Chhaldila?
Tikta-kashaya rasa, sheeta virya; used in daha and trishna. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Karpuradi Varga — Shaileya.
What is Chhaldila traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given in burning sensations, excessive thirst and fevers with heat, and in urinary complaints with burning. Applied externally in skin eruption and swelling. In this catalogue it appears in Maha Narayan Tel.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Chhaldila?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Chhaldila classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Chhaldila carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Chhaldila is used medicinally?
The part used is Lichen.
How much Chhaldila is taken, and how?
Powder 1–3 g per day; used externally in oils and pastes without dose limit. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Chhaldila be avoided?
Well tolerated. Lichens concentrate airborne pollutants and heavy metals from their surroundings, so material collected near roads or industry is best avoided — source matters more than usual with this drug. Some people develop contact dermatitis to lichen acids.
Where does Chhaldila grow?
Grows on rocks and tree bark in the hills of India, chiefly the Western Ghats, the Nilgiris and the Himalayan foothills. Collected by hand.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Karpuradi Varga — Shaileya
Tikta-kashaya rasa, sheeta virya; used in daha and trishna. - Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Shaileyam
Parmelia species; identity and dose.
Safety & precautions
Well tolerated. Lichens concentrate airborne pollutants and heavy metals from their surroundings, so material collected near roads or industry is best avoided — source matters more than usual with this drug. Some people develop contact dermatitis to lichen acids.
Where it grows
Grows on rocks and tree bark in the hills of India, chiefly the Western Ghats, the Nilgiris and the Himalayan foothills. Collected by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Is stone flower a plant?
No — it is a lichen, a partnership of a fungus and an alga. We list it under herbs because it appears in the ingredient sheet, but botanically it is neither.
Why does sourcing matter?
Lichens absorb what is in the air around them, including heavy metals. Material gathered away from roads and industry is preferable.
