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Talk:Atasi

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Talk:Atasi

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Created page with "{{#seo: |title=Charak Samhita |titlemode=append |keywords=Atasi, Alsi, Flax, Flaxseed, Linseed, Linum usitatissimum, Charak Samhita, carakasamhitaonline, carakasamhita, caraka samhita, Ayurveda, Charak Samhita English translation, ancient Ayurveda text, Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda, Charak, Charaka Samhita, agnivesha, atreya, gopal basisht, yogesh deole, charak samhita wikipedia edition, charak samhita new edition, charaka samhita new edition, carak samhita new..."

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|title=Charak Samhita

|titlemode=append

|keywords=Atasi, Alsi, Flax, Flaxseed, Linseed, Linum usitatissimum, Charak Samhita, carakasamhitaonline, carakasamhita, caraka samhita, Ayurveda, Charak Samhita English translation, ancient Ayurveda text, Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda, Charak, Charaka Samhita, agnivesha, atreya, gopal basisht, yogesh deole, charak samhita wikipedia edition, charak samhita new edition, charaka samhita new edition, carak samhita new edition, caraka samhita new edition, research on charak samhita, text book charak samhita, fundamental principles of ayurveda, basic concepts of ayurveda,

|description=Atasi (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a classical Ayurvedic herb referred to in Charak Samhita in dietary categories (Shamidhanya, Krutanna), as a source of Sthavara Sneha, and in external therapies such as Upanaha and Sweda.

|image=http://www.carakasamhitaonline.com/resources/assets/ogimgs.jpg

|image_alt=charak samhita

|type=article

}}[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax Linum usitatissimum L.]

{{Infobox

|title = Atasi

|label1 = Section/Chapter

|data1 = Herb database/Atasi

|label2 = Botanical name(s)

|data2 = [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax Linum usitatissimum L.]

|label3 = Family

|data3 = Linaceae

|label4 = Availability

|data4 = Available

|label5 = Contributors

|data5 = [[Team Dravyaguna]]

|label6 = Year of publication

|data6 = 2026

|label7 = Publisher

|data7 = [[Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre]]

|label8 = DOI

|data8 = Awaited

}}

'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax Linum usitatissimum L.]''', popularly known as '''Atasi''' (Alsi), is an erect annual herb, 0.6-1.2 m high, extensively cultivated throughout the plains of India up to an altitude of 800 m. The dried, ripe seeds are the part used medicinally.<ref name="API23">Anonymous. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part I. 1986; Volume I:23</ref> In [[Ayurveda]] it is described both as a food grain (Shamidhanya) and as a source of Sthavara Sneha (plant-origin lipids), and it is widely used in external applications such as Upanaha and Sweda. It is a commonly used medicinal plant.

==English name ==

Flax, Flaxseed, Linseed

==Therapeutic Use==

Krimiroga (worm infestation), Kushtha (diseases of skin), Prameha (obstinate urinary disorders including diabetes mellitus), Shiroroga (diseases of head)<ref name="API24">Anonymous. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Department of Ayush, Minitry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part I. 1986; Volume I:24</ref>

==Other Varieties==

* L. usitatissimum var. stenophyllum (Boiss.) Rech.f.
* L. usitatissimum var. usitatissimum

== Synonyms in Charak Samhita==

Atasi, Uma, Picchila, Devi, Medagandha, Madotkata, Kshuma, Hemavati, Masruna

== Ayurvedic pharmacological properties ==

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Properties

|-

! Sr.no. !! Pharmacological criteria !! Properties

|-

| 1 || Taste ([[rasa]]) || Sweet (madhura), Bitter (tikta)

|-

| 2 || Potency ([[veerya]]) || Hot (ushna)

|-

| 3 || Post digestion effect ([[vipaka]]) || Pungent (katu)

|-

| 4 || Qualities ([[guna]])|| Heavy (guru), Unctuous (snigdha)

|-

| 5 || Actions ([[karma]]) || Pacify [[vata]], [[pitta]] and [[kapha]]

|-

| 6 || Extra ordinary effect ([[prabhava]]) || --

|}

== Reference in Charak Samhita and its actions ==

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Herbs and their activities

|-

! Sr.no. !! Reference in Charak Samhita !! Activity

|-

| 1 ||Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 27/34 || Shamidhanya Varga

|-

| 2 ||Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 27/292 || Krutanna Varga

|-

| 3 ||Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 13/10 || Sthavara Sneha Yoni (Vegetable origin of lipids)

|-

| 4 ||Cha.Sa.[[Sutra Sthana]] 14/36 || Dravya for Upanaha Sweda

|-

| 5 ||Cha.Sa.[[Nidana Sthana]] 5/6 || Nidana of Kustha

|-

| 6 ||Cha.Sa.[[Vimana Sthana]] 6/26 || Abhyantar Krimi Chikitsa

|-

| 7 ||Cha.Sa.[[Sharira Sthana]] 8/34 || Garbhasya pratimasik karma

|-

| 8 ||Cha.Sa.[[Sharira Sthana]] 8/47 || Jatamatra balak paricharya

|-

| 9 ||Cha.Sa.[[Sharira Sthana]] 8/61 || Kshirajanan karma

|-

| 10 ||Cha.Sa.[[Kalpa Sthana]] 11/11 || Saptala Shankhini Yoga

|-

| 11 ||Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 5/141 || ''Svedan'' in ''Kaphaj Gulma''

|-

| 12 ||Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 6/20 || ''Pathya'' diet in ''Kaphaj Prameha''

|-

| 13 ||Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 8/176 || As an ''Utsadan dravya Bahyaprayogarth''

|-

| 14 ||Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 17/84 || Used for mridu svedana

|-

| 15 ||Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 25/51 || As an ingredient of Tiladi upanaha for Shophapaka

|-

| 16 ||Cha.Sa.[[Chikitsa Sthana]] 25/53 || Used for Pakvasopha prabheda

|-

|}

==Dose==

3-6 gm of the drug in the powder form.<ref name="API24" />

==Important Formulations==

As per A.P.I.<ref name="API24" />

* Sarshapadi Taila

==Constituents==

Fixed oil, mucilage and protein.<ref name="API24" />

==Phytoconstituents==

{| class="wikitable"

! Sr.no. !! Class !! Major compounds / Remarks

|-

| 1 || Fixed oil (fatty acids) || α-Linolenic acid (ALA, omega-3) is the major fatty acid (39.00–60.42 % of the oil), followed by oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids. Flaxseed is one of the richest plant sources of ALA.<ref name="Goyal2014">Goyal A, Sharma V, Upadhyay N, Gill S, Sihag M. Flax and flaxseed oil: an ancient medicine & modern functional food. J Food Sci Technol. 2014;51(9):1633-1653. doi:10.1007/s13197-013-1247-9. PMID: 25190822.</ref>

|-

| 2 || Lignans || Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is the major lignan. After ingestion it is converted in the colon into the mammalian lignans enterodiol and enterolactone.<ref name="Toure2010">Touré A, Xueming X. Flaxseed lignans: source, biosynthesis, metabolism, antioxidant activity, bio-active components, and health benefits. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2010;9:261-269.</ref>

|-

| 3 || Cyanogenic glycosides and other anti-nutritive compounds || Linustatin, neolinustatin, linamarin and lotaustralin (cyanogenic glycosides); also linatine, phytic acid and protease inhibitors. Cyanogenic glycosides can release hydrogen cyanide on hydrolysis, so raw seed intake and processing need care.<ref name="Dzuvor2018">Dzuvor CKO, Taylor JT, Acquah C, Pan S, Agyei D. Bioprocessing of functional ingredients from flaxseed. Molecules. 2018;23(10):2444. doi:10.3390/molecules23102444. PMID: 30250012.</ref>

|}

==Therapeutic Efficacy: Scientific Evidence==

The studies below were carried out on whole or ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil or lignan preparations, which are not identical to classical Ayurvedic preparations of Atasi. They are given to support the traditional uses and should be read as supportive evidence only.

===Lipid-lowering effect===

A meta-analysis of 28 randomized trials found that flaxseed interventions reduced total and LDL cholesterol (by 0.10 and 0.08 mmol/L, respectively). The reductions were significant with whole flaxseed and lignan supplements but not with flaxseed oil, and no significant change was seen in HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. The effect depended on the type of intervention, sex and the initial lipid profile.<ref name="Pan2009">Pan A, Yu D, Demark-Wahnefried W, Franco OH, Lin X. Meta-analysis of the effects of flaxseed interventions on blood lipids. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(2):288-297. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27469. PMID: 19515737.</ref>

===Effect on blood pressure===

A systematic review and meta-analysis (11 studies, 14 trials) reported that flaxseed supplementation lowered systolic blood pressure by 1.77 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.58 mm Hg. The authors concluded that flaxseed may lower blood pressure slightly, with a greater effect on diastolic pressure when whole seed was taken for 12 weeks or more.<ref name="Khalesi2015">Khalesi S, Irwin C, Schubert M. Flaxseed consumption may reduce blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. J Nutr. 2015;145(4):758-765. doi:10.3945/jn.114.205302. PMID: 25740909.</ref>

===Glycemic control (Prameha)===

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized, placebo-controlled trials (30 treatment arms) found that flaxseed supplementation was associated with a significant reduction in blood glucose (weighted mean difference −2.94 mg/dL) and insulin levels, whereas no significant effect on HbA1c was found. The benefit was seen only with whole flaxseed and not with flaxseed oil or lignan extract.<ref name="Mohammadi2018">Mohammadi-Sartang M, Sohrabi Z, Barati-Boldaji R, Raeisi-Dehkordi H, Mazloom Z. Flaxseed supplementation on glucose control and insulin sensitivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Nutr Rev. 2018;76(2):125-139. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nux052. PMID: 29228348.</ref>

===Constipation and bowel function===

In a single-blinded randomized controlled trial, 53 constipated patients with type 2 diabetes received 10 g of flaxseed in cookies twice daily or placebo cookies for 12 weeks. Compared with placebo, the flaxseed group showed significantly greater improvement in constipation symptom scores, and also in body weight, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.<ref name="Soltanian2018">Soltanian N, Janghorbani M. A randomized trial of the effects of flaxseed to manage constipation, weight, glycemia, and lipids in constipated patients with type 2 diabetes. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2018;15:36. doi:10.1186/s12986-018-0273-z. PMID: 29760761.</ref>

===Skin condition (Kushtha)===

In a 12-week study in healthy volunteers with sensitive skin, daily supplementation with flaxseed oil (compared with safflower seed oil) significantly decreased skin sensitivity (after nicotinate irritation), transepidermal water loss, roughness and scaling, and increased smoothness and hydration. The study was done on sensitive skin and not on Kushtha as described in Ayurveda.<ref name="Neukam2011">Neukam K, De Spirt S, Stahl W, Bejot M, Maurette JM, Tronnier H, Heinrich U. Supplementation of flaxseed oil diminishes skin sensitivity and improves skin barrier function and condition. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2011;24(2):67-74. doi:10.1159/000321442.</ref>

===Research gaps===

Clinical studies on the other Ayurvedic indications listed by the API (Krimiroga and Shiroroga) are not included here. Further well-designed trials using classical Atasi preparations are needed.

==References==

<references />

[[Category: Database of herbs and minerals | Herbs]]

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