Sitopaladi Churna
Sitopaladi Churna is a classical Ayurvedic churna, a fine herbal powder. Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I. Sharangdhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 6. Also referenced in Chakradatta and Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Kasa Rogadhikara / Cough chapter). The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 7:34) lists 5 ingredients: Sitopala 192 g, Vamsarocana 96 g, Pippali 48 g, Ela 24 g and Tvak 12 g.
| Also known as | Sitopaladi Churna, SitopaladiChurna |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I. Recognized in AYUSH recommended formulations for respiratory conditions. One of the most commonly dispensed respiratory churnas across Indian Ayurvedic hospitals and dispensaries. |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 7:34 (SITOPALADI CURNA), which cites Sarngadharasamhita, Madhyamakhanda, Adhyaya 6; 134-135 4.. 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 | Sitopala | 192 g. | |
| 2 | Vamsarocana (vamsa) | 96 g. | |
| 3 | Pippali | fruit | 48 g. |
| 4 | Ela (siksmaila) | seed | 24 g. |
| 5 | Tvak * | stem bark | 12 g. |
* The scanned text was damaged at this row and the name was read from the entry's own Sanskrit verse.
The Formulary gives the dose as 1 to 3 g, with anupana, the vehicle it is taken with, of ghee, honey. This is what the Formulary records for the classical preparation. It is not a dose for any product, and not advice to take anything.
The evidence at a glance
3papers on this site for this drug, published 2012 to 2020, every one with a DOI.
- 3Laboratory 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 | Sitopaladi Churna |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Sharangdhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 6. Also referenced in Chakradatta and Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Kasa Rogadhikara / Cough chapter). One of the foundational respiratory formulations in Ayurveda.
How does it work?
- Mast cell stabilization: A study reported 65-74% protection against mast cell degranulation, the process that releases histamine.
- Bronchodilator action: Piperine and essential oils are reported to relax bronchial smooth muscle.
- Bioavailability synergy: Piperine from Pippali is reported to enhance absorption of cinnamaldehyde (from Tvak).
- Antimicrobial activity: Reported activity against S. aureus and S. pneumoniae.
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Kasa (cough): traditionally used for cough. A randomized controlled trial reported reduced cough frequency compared with placebo.
- Allergic respiratory conditions: traditionally used for allergic respiratory conditions. A study reported mast cell stabilizing activity comparable to ketotifen.
- Respiratory tract infections: traditionally used for respiratory tract infections. Studies have reported antimicrobial activity against common respiratory pathogens.
- Bronchial asthma and bronchospasm: traditionally used for bronchial asthma and bronchospasm. Studies have reported bronchodilator activity.
What do recent studies show?
- Makhija IK, Shreedhara CS, Ram HN 2013. Mast cell stabilization potential of Sitopaladi churna: An ayurvedic formulation. Pharmacognosy research. PMID 24174826 · doi:10.4103/0974-8490.118824
Aqueous extract (300 mg/kg) and methanolic extract (150-300 mg/kg) showed 65-74% mast cell degranulation protection, comparable to standard drug ketotifen (79%), with statistical significance (P < 0.0001).
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
- Safety in pregnancy and lactation is not established; consult a qualified practitioner.
- Contains substantial sugar (Mishri/rock candy); diabetics and those with insulin resistance should exercise caution or seek sugar-free alternatives.
- Hot potency (Ushna Virya) may cause issues in summer or when digestion is already strong; recommended to take one month gap after every 2-3 months of usage. May interact with anticoagulants, antiplatelets, and diabetes medications.
What is it made of?
The Ayurvedic Formulary of India recipe, every ingredient with its part and quantity, is in the composition table near the top of this page.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (fine powder), Capsule, Tablet
Standard Dosage: 1-3g with honey 3-4 times daily, as given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 7:34. The formulary’s anupana: ghee, honey. The formulary attributes this formula to Sarngadharasamhita, Madhyamakhanda, Adhyaya 6; 134-135.
Optimal Timing: Multiple times daily for cough
Storage: Airtight container, cool dry place, protected from moisture
Marker Compounds: Piperine, Cineole
Vehicle (Anupana): Ghee, honey
Synergistic Combinations
- With Honey 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 5 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 |
|---|---|
| Baidyanath | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Dabur | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Maharishi Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Patanjali Ayurved | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| Shree Dhootapapeshwar | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
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 studies3
- 2013. Mast cell stabilization potential of Sitopaladi churna: An ayurvedic formulationPharmacognosy research. PMID 24174826 · doi:10.4103/0974-8490.118824
- 2012. Physico-chemical standardization of Sitopaladi churnaAncient science of life. PMID 23284216 · doi:10.4103/0257-7941.103187
- 2020. Quality Assessment of Sitopaladi Churna Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Multivariate AnalysisJournal of chromatographic science. PMID 33015709 · doi:10.1093/chromsci/bmaa070
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.