Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Patha पाठा
Cissampelos pareira
Part used: Root, Plant
| 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: Cissampelos pareira
- Part used: Root, Plant
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Root powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily.
Patha in other languages
Introduction
Patha (Cissampelos pareira) is a slender climber of Indian hedgerows whose bitter root has been used since the earliest texts. Charaka places it among the drugs that cleanse the breast milk.
It is chiefly a drug for the bowel and the uterus: given in diarrhoea and dysentery, and in the post-partum period to clear the uterus and settle digestion.
Classification
Family Menispermaceae. The root is the officinal part. Rasa: Tikta. Guna: Laghu, Tikshna. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Vata.
Uses & benefits
Used in Atisara and Grahani — diarrhoea and malabsorption — where the stool is loose with mucus, and in fever with digestive weakness. Classical texts list it as Stanyashodhana, cleansing the breast milk, and it is given after delivery for that purpose. Also used in worm infestation and as an antidote in some poisoning formulations.
Patha for the bowel
Bitter and Grahi at once, it checks a loose stool without arresting digestion, which is why it appears in the classical dysentery formulations.
Patha after childbirth
Charaka lists it among the Stanyashodhana drugs, given to clear and improve the quality of breast milk in the weeks after delivery.
Dosage — how much to take
Root powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily.
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 Patha?
The citations held for Patha in this catalogue are: Charaka Samhita (Sutrasthana 4 — Stanyashodhana group); Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Guduchyadi Varga — Patha).
What does the Charaka Samhita record about Patha?
Among the drugs that purify breast milk. Reference: Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana 4 — Stanyashodhana group.
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Patha?
Tikta rasa, ushna virya; indicated in atisara and grahani. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Patha.
What is Patha traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Used in Atisara and Grahani — diarrhoea and malabsorption — where the stool is loose with mucus, and in fever with digestive weakness. Classical texts list it as Stanyashodhana, cleansing the breast milk, and it is given after delivery for that purpose. Also used in worm infestation and as an antidote in some poisoning formulations.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Patha?
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 Patha classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Patha carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Patha is used medicinally?
The part used is Root, Plant.
How much Patha is taken, and how?
Root powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Patha be avoided?
Well tolerated at classical doses. Heating, so may aggravate Pitta in excess. Use in pregnancy only under a physician's direction, given its traditional uterine action.
Where does Patha grow?
A common climber of hedges, scrub and forest margins throughout India up to about 1,500 m.
Classical references
- Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana 4 — Stanyashodhana group
Among the drugs that purify breast milk. - Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Patha
Tikta rasa, ushna virya; indicated in atisara and grahani.
Safety & precautions
Well tolerated at classical doses. Heating, so may aggravate Pitta in excess. Use in pregnancy only under a physician's direction, given its traditional uterine action.
Where it grows
A common climber of hedges, scrub and forest margins throughout India up to about 1,500 m.
Frequently asked questions
Is Patha safe while breastfeeding?
It is classically given after delivery as a Stanyashodhana drug, but dose and duration should be set by a registered Vaidya rather than self-selected.
Which part is used?
The root. Trade material is sometimes adulterated with other Menispermaceae climbers, so botanical identity matters.
