Agnikumarika
Agnikumarika is a substance used in the Ayurvedic materia medica. Traditional enhancement via Trikatu yoga (black pepper, long pepper, ginger) or honey as anupana. Presence of volatile oils suggests reasonable absorption of lipophilic fractions.
| Substance type | Identity unsettled: the sources disagree on what this drug is, so no botanical name is given |
|---|
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Agnikumarika |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Katu, Tikta | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Tikshna | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
What is it made of?
Mineral/Elemental Profile
- Primary component: Mineral-derived preparation
- Note: Composition varies by specific preparation method
Analytical Methods: XRD, ICP-OES, SEM-EDS
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Swarasa (fresh juice), Capsule, Tablet
Standard Dosage: 2-5g powder twice daily; 40-80ml decoction; 10-20ml fresh juice
Bioavailability: Limited modern pharmacokinetic data available. Traditional enhancement via Trikatu yoga (black pepper, long pepper, ginger) or honey as anupana. Presence of volatile oils suggests reasonable absorption of lipophilic fractions. Aqueous constituents absorbed via paracellular and transcellular pathways.
Optimal Timing: Before meals with warm water to stimulate Agni (digestive fire)
Standardized Extract: Standardization parameters not well established. Recommend TLC/HPTLC fingerprinting for quality control. Total phenolic content as preliminary marker.
Shelf Life: 18 months (powder); 2 years (capsules/tablets); 1 week (fresh juice, refrigerated)
Storage: Airtight containers, cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Temperature below 25°C preferred.
Marker Compounds: Total phenolics, Total flavonoids, Volatile oil content (if applicable), Tannins
Extraction Methods
- Aqueous decoction (traditional method)
- Hydroalcoholic extraction (60:40 ethanol-water)
- Steam distillation for volatile oil fraction
- Cold expression for fresh juice
Synergistic Combinations
- With Agnimantha for digestive fire (Agni) stimulation
- With Chitrak for metabolism enhancement
- With Sunthi (ginger) for digestive support
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.