CHURNA KALPANA

An Overview

Churna Kalpana
Mr. Kunalsinh Gohil
 CHURNA KALPANA
INTRODUCTION:
Churna is fine dry powder of any single of drug or more than one drug. Few
aacharyas have opined that Churna kalpana is ‘Upakalpana’ (a type of) Kalka kalpana,
because Churna is a dry state of Kalka kalpana. Thus, a dry form/state of kalka, which is
filtered through a cloth can be called as ‘Churna kalpana’.

VERNACULAR NAMES:
Sanskrit - Churna, Kshod, Raj, Shushk pishta, Shushk kalk.
Hindi - Churna
Latin - Pulver, Pulverata
English - Powder
Unani - Safoop, Atoos

DEFINITION:
अत्यंतशुष्कं यद् द्रव्यं सुपिष्टं वस्त्रगालऱतम ्।
तत ् स्त्याच्चर्ण
ू े रजः ऺोदः तन्मारा कषषसंलमता॥

- S.S.M.6/1

According to Aacharya Sharangadhara –

Drug which is properly dried is nicely powdered and it is followed by filtration
through a cloth. This filtered material is Churna.

Churna is fine powder of a drug or drugs. The term churna may be applied to the powder
of a single drug or a mixture of two or more drugs.

SYNONYMS:
Raj and Kshod are the two synonyms of Churna kalpana.

HISTORY:
Churna kalpana is in practice samhita kaal. It can be used external as well as
internal. Churna kalpana is also being used by Unaani and Homeopathy systems.

Churna Kalpana | Prepared by Mr. Kunalsinh Gohil

TYPES:
In classical texts, there is no specification of Churna kalpana. But taking an
overview on different kalpanas, Churna can be of 3 types;

Sr. No. Type English name Use

1 Sthool Churna Coarse powder Kwatha preparation
2 Sukshma Churna Fine powder Avaleha, vati preparation
3 Atisukshma Churna Very fine powder Anjan, bhasma, etc.

According to modern science, powder is of following type;

1. Coarse powder: 10/44
All the particles of this powder pass through sieve No. 10, not more than
40% pass through sieve No. 44.
2. Moderately coarse powder: 22/60
All the particles of this powder pass through sieve No. 22, not more than
40% pass through sieve No. 60.
3. Moderately coarse powder: 44/85
All the particles of this powder pass through sieve No. 44, not more than
40% pass through sieve No. 85.
4. Fine powder: 85
All the particles of this powder pass through sieve No. 85.
5. Very fine powder: 120
All the particles of this powder pass through sieve No. 120.

GENERAL METHOD OF PREPARATION:

 Requirements –
1. Drug/Drugs of which Churna is to be prepared.
2. Khalva yantra (mortar - pestle)
3. Sieve of appropriate size or cloth

 Procedure –
 Drug/Drugs should be collected in proper season and dried.
 If single drugs is to be powdered, than that drug should be taken in
completely dry state and subjected to pounding in khalva yantra.
 After proper pounding, it should be filtered through either cloth or sieve of
proper size.
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 If there is a compound formulation, than each drug should be powdered
separately and filtered.

Churna Kalpana | Prepared by Mr. Kunalsinh Gohil

  The reason behind powdering each drug separately in Churna is that, different
drugs are of different nature, like- mrudu (soft) , madhyam (medium) and
kathin (hard). Thus, if they pounded together, initially mrudu dravyas get
powdered easily, while kathin dravyas will remain as it is. Hence during
filtration, variation in the ratio of drugs (whichever mentioned in particular
formula) will take place. Also there is a chance of evaporation of volatile
principles of drug sometime, before kathin dravyas get powdered uniformly.
 So, to get better pharmaceutical and therapeutically result, in compound
formulation all the drugs should be powdered separately. After filtration they
should be mixed together to get uniform mixture.

 Importance of anupan in Churna –

यथा तैऱं जऱे क्षऺप्तं ऺर्णेनैव प्रसिषतत।
अनुिानबऱादन्गे तथा सिषतत भेषजम ्॥
शा.सं.म. 6/5
When oil is dropped in water, it spreads very quickly. Similarly by Anupan
effect of the Bheshaj spreads in the body.

Churna is often taken with some Anupan/vehicle such as dugdha, ghrita,

madhu, etc. according to its indication and formulation.

चर्ण
ू े गुडः समो दे यः शकषरा द्पवगुर्णा भवेत ्।
चर्ण
ू ेषु भर्जषतं हहंगु दे यं न उत््ऱेद क्रुद्भवेत ्॥2॥
लऱहे च्चर्ण
ू ष द्रवैः सवैघ्रत
ु ाद्षपवगर्ण
ु ोर्न्मतैः।
पिबेच्चतग
ु र्ण
ुष ैरेव चर्ण
ू म ष ाऱोडडतं द्रपवः॥3॥
शा.सं.म. 6/2-3

Ghrita and madhu are added twice the quantity of the Churna.
If Churna is adviced to consume in paste form with any liquid, than the drav dravya
should be taken double the quantity of Churna i.e. 2 karsha.
If Churna is said to drink after mixing with liquid, than the drav dravya quantity
should be four times i.e. 4 karsha more than Churna.

Churna Kalpana | Prepared by Mr. Kunalsinh Gohil

  Amount of anupan according to doshas –
Regarding the amount of anupana in churna, avaleha, gutika and kalka
kalpanas, it has been stated that in vata vyadhi the amount of anupan should be 3
pal, in pitta vyadhi the amount of anupan should be 2 pal and in kapha vyadhi the
amount of anupan should be 1 pal.

DOSHA ANUPAN MATRA

Vata 3 pal
Pitta 2 pal
Kapha 1 pal

SHELFLIFE:
According to Acharya Sharangadhar – 2 months

MODE OF ADMINISTRATION:
The churna should be mixed with anupan and thereafter it is to be taken.
DOSE:
General dose of churna – 1 karsh – 12gms.

PRESERVATION:
Churnas should be packed in air tight containers. Polythene and foil packing also
gives damp proof protection.
It is said that the churnas retain their potency for two months and then gradually
deteriorate. But if it is stored properly and not affected by moisture or fungi, the churna
keep active for a year.
Churnas containing kshara should not be stored in loha patras.

ADVANTAGES:
 Powder form is more stable than liquids, because chemical reactions take place
more rapidly in atmospheric conditions when the drugs are in liquid form.
 Less chances of incompatibilities in case of powder than liquids.
 The finer particle size dissolve more rapidly in the body fluids than other solid
dosage forms like tablet, capsules, pills.
 Powders are more economical when compared to other preparations.
 Transportation is easy and less risky.
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Churna Kalpana | Prepared by Mr. Kunalsinh Gohil

DISADVANTAGES:
 Drugs which deteriorate when exposed to atmospheric conditions are not
suitable for dispensing in the powder form.
 Bitter, corrosive and unpalatable drugs cannot be dispensed in powder form.
 Hygroscopic drugs cannot be dispensed in powder form.
 Volatile drugs are also not suitable for powder form.
EXAMPLES:
 Sitopalaadi churna
 Hingwashtak churna
 Lawanbhaskar churna
 Triphala churna
 Avipattikar churna, etc…

Churna Kalpana | Prepared by Mr. Kunalsinh Gohil