Panchakola Churna
Panchakola Churna is a classical Ayurvedic churna, a fine herbal powder. Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part II, entry 7.10) lists 5 ingredients: Pippali 1 part, Cavya 1 part, Visvahva 1 part, Pippalimula 1 part and Citraka 1 part.
| Also known as | Panchakola Churna, PanchakolaChurna |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI); Panchakola group (Gana) recognized in Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayam; individual ingredients (Piper longum, Zingiber officinale) monographed in API Part I |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part II, entry 7.10 (PANCHKOLA CURNA), which cites Sarngadharasamhita, Madhyamakhanda Adhyaya 6; 13-14.. Names, parts and quantities are transcribed as printed and checked row by row against the book. Manufacturers' versions of a classical formulation can differ from the formulary.
| # | Ingredient | Part | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pippali | fruit | 1 part |
| 2 | Cavya | stem | 1 part |
| 3 | Visvahva (Sunthi) | rhizome | 1 part |
| 4 | Pippalimula | root | 1 part |
| 5 | Citraka | root | 1 part |
The evidence at a glance
1paper on this site for this drug, every one with a DOI.
- 1Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Panchakola Churna |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayam (as a group - Panchakola Gana); elaborated in Chakradatta (11th-12th century CE) and Vangasena Samhita; also referenced in Sharangdhara Samhita
How does it work?
- Digestive enzyme stimulation: Piperine from Pippali and Chavya enhances secretion of digestive enzymes (lipase, amylase, trypsin) and stimulates gastric acid production
- Bioavailability enhancement (Yogavahi): Piperine enhances bioavailability of co-administered compounds by up to 30% through P-glycoprotein modulation and glucuronidation inhibition
- Agni kindling (Deepana): Hot potency (Ushna Virya) and pungent taste (Katu Rasa) of all five ingredients collectively kindle digestive fire (Jatharagni) and correct Mandagni (weak digestive fire)
- Antimicrobial action in gut: Plumbagin from Chitraka provides antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action in gut mucosa, maintaining healthy intestinal environment
- Srota clearing: Hot potency clears blockages in digestive channels (Annavaha Srotas), gently purgates Ama, and improves nutrient absorption
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Agni Deepana (digestive fire stimulation): traditionally used to kindle digestive fire. A pilot trial reported improved gastric motility and reduced flatulence.
- Fat digestion: traditionally used to aid fat digestion. In vitro studies have reported lipase activation by Chavya and Pippali extracts.
- Bioavailability enhancement: piperine has been reported to increase the absorption of co-administered compounds.
- Ama Pachana (toxin digestion): traditionally used for the digestion of toxins.
What do recent studies show?
- Singh RK, Banerjee R, Upadhyay S and others 2012. Toxicological evaluation of Panchakola Avaleha, an Ayurvedic classical formulation, in albino rats. Ayu. PMID 23559809 · doi:10.4103/0974-8520.105257
Toxicological evaluation of Panchakola Avaleha (a different dosage form) in albino rats showed a safety profile within acceptable limits; this does not directly establish the safety of the churna in humans.
Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. Classical formulations are researched largely in journals that PubMed does not index, so an absence here reflects the reach of the index rather than the state of the evidence.
Recent safety updates
- A rat toxicity study of Panchakola Avaleha reported a safety profile within acceptable limits, which does not directly establish the churna’s safety in humans; may cause gastric irritation or heartburn in Pitta-predominant individuals; avoid in gastric ulcer, hyperacidity, and inflammatory bowel disease
- Contraindicated during pregnancy (all five ingredients are hot in potency); not recommended in children under 5 years without physician guidance; piperine content may alter drug pharmacokinetics - caution with concurrent prescription medications
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (fine powder), Capsule, Tablet
Standard Dosage: 1-3g before meals
Optimal Timing: Before meals as digestive
Storage: Airtight container, cool dry place, protected from moisture
Marker Compounds: Piperine, Gingerol, Plumbagin
Vehicle (Anupana): Warm water or buttermilk
Synergistic Combinations
- With Warm water or buttermilk as vehicle for enhanced absorption
What manufacturers publish about this preparation
Disclosure first. This site is published by Age Ayurveda, which sells Ayurvedic products, though not this preparation. Every cell states what that company's own product page carried when it was read, not our judgement of it. There is no score, no rank and no winner here, and the table is in alphabetical order for that reason.
The formulary entry above fixes the ingredients and the quantity of each. Whether you can check a particular product against it depends on what its manufacturer publishes. Of the 4 companies surveyed that sell a product under this name, this is what their pages carried when they were read on 8 October 2026.
| Company | What its product page publishes |
|---|---|
| Patanjali Ayurved | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Sitaram Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| SNA Oushadhasala | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
This measures what each company publishes, not the quality of anything it makes. A company that publishes nothing here may make an excellent preparation, and the label in the box is a separate, regulated surface that is not what was read. What disclosure changes is whether a reader, a pharmacist or an answer engine can check a product against the formulary entry it claims.
Method, the full counts across every company surveyed, and what this measurement got wrong the first time: which manufacturers publish what is in the bottle. The URL of every page read is recorded in brand-disclosure.json. If a row here is wrong, including where the correction favours a company other than ours, tell us and we will fix it and say that we did. How the same companies' stated doses compare with the formulary dose, preparation by preparation: Ayurvedic company doses against the Ayurvedic Formulary of India.
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Laboratory and animal studies1
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.