Ayurveda Codex›Herbs›Chitraka

Last verified: April 2026

Chitraka — Chitraka

Plumbago zeylanica L. — Family: Plumbaginaceae
चित्रक — Chitraka — "The spotted one; the brightly marked one"

Chitraka is the fire herb. Where Shunthi is warm and Maricha is hot, Chitraka is classified in the classical texts as intensely heating — the Deepaniya herb prescribed when other digestive herbs are insufficient. Charaka Samhita uses Chitraka specifically in conditions of severe Agni impairment, heavy Ama accumulation, and metabolic disorders where the gentle warmth of ginger is not enough. It is simultaneously the most powerful Agni-kindler in the materia medica and the most likely to produce Pitta aggravation — a precision instrument requiring precise prescription.

Important noticeWhat follows documents what classical Ayurvedic texts record about Chitraka. This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner (BAMS or MD Ayurveda). Full disclaimer →
One sentence
Charaka Samhita documents Chitraka as the most potently heating Deepaniya (Agni-kindling) herb in the classical materia medica — used specifically for the most severe cases of Agni impairment, heavy Ama accumulation, and Kapha-dominant digestive disorders where gentler herbs are insufficient, while being the most precisely contraindicated herb in the Pitta-aggravating category.

The spotted root gives the herb its name — Chitraka means 'the brightly marked one.' The root has a distinctive appearance that classical practitioners used for identification, but the name also carries a secondary meaning: in Sanskrit literature, Chitraka is associated with intensity, clarity, and the precise action of fire. The classical pharmacological documentation matches: Chitraka is the Agni-kindling herb prescribed when the digestive fire has become so impaired that gentler herbs cannot restore it.

Charaka Samhita documents Chitraka most prominently in the treatment of Grahani — the most severe classical digestive disorder, characterised by malabsorption, variable bowel function, and severe Agni impairment. Grahani is documented as one of the most difficult conditions to treat in the classical system, and Chitraka is the frontline herb because its intense heating action can restart a nearly extinguished digestive fire that cooler herbs cannot reach.

The critical contraindication is the most precisely stated in the classical literature. Charaka Samhita, Ashtanga Hridayam, and Bhavaprakasha all specifically document Chitraka as contraindicated in Pitta conditions, bleeding disorders, pregnancy, and anyone with significant inflammation. The Pitta aggravation from Chitraka is not mild or gradual — it is documented as producing acute heat symptoms, burning sensations, and potentially inflammatory flares in susceptible individuals. This is the reason Chitraka is almost always prescribed in compound formulations (Chitraka Haritaki, Chitrakadi preparations) where other herbs moderate its intensity rather than as a standalone single herb.

This documents what Charaka Samhita records about Chitraka. Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before use. This herb requires particular practitioner oversight due to its intensity.

Classical pharmacological profile — the fire spectrum

Rasa: Katu (pungent) dominant with Tikta (bitter) secondary. The pungent taste at the highest intensity in the common materia medica — documented as stronger than black pepper and long pepper in its immediate heating effect.

Guna: Laghu (light), Tikshna (sharp), and Ruksha (dry). The combination of sharp and dry makes Chitraka the most penetrating and drying herb in the Deepaniya category — explaining both its potency for severe Kapha conditions and its risk for Vata and Pitta aggravation with extended use.

Virya: Ushna (intensely hot) — documented as the hottest Virya among common Ayurvedic herbs. The classical texts use specific language to distinguish Chitraka's heat from the moderate Ushna of ginger or the standard Ushna of Maricha.

Vipaka: Katu (pungent) — no sweet post-digestive nourishment, confirming that Chitraka is purely a clearing and stimulating herb with no Rasayana quality.

Classical text — Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana 4.7
Charaka Samhita documents in the Deepaniya chapter: "Chitraka deepaniyam pachakam Lekhakam Krimighnam / Arshognam Grahanirogam hanti vatakaphaharam." Translation: "Chitraka kindles digestive fire (Deepaniya), digests Ama (Pachaka), scrapes accumulations (Lekhaka), is antimicrobial (Krimighna), addresses haemorrhoids (Arshogna), treats Grahani (malabsorption disorders), and reduces Vata and Kapha."
How practitioners use Chitraka
A qualified Ayurvedic practitioner uses Chitraka almost exclusively in compound formulations where its intensity is moderated by other herbs. Key classical compounds: Chitraka Haritaki (Chitraka with Haritaki — documented for constipation, piles, and malabsorption); Chitrakadi Vati (classical tablet formulation for digestive disorders); and in Lehya preparations where the honey or jaggery base moderates the heating action. The practitioner's specific role here is constitution assessment — only Kapha-dominant constitutions with confirmed Manda Agni (sluggish fire) without active Pitta aggravation are candidates for Chitraka-containing preparations. Duration is typically short (7–14 days) before reassessment.

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India monograph

API Volume I, Part I, Monograph No. 1.1.14 specifies: root of Plumbago zeylanica L., Family Plumbaginaceae; plumbagin content (by HPLC): not less than 0.1%; total ash: not more than 8%; alcohol-soluble extractive: not less than 6%; water-soluble extractive: not less than 8%. TLC identity uses plumbagin as reference standard — the primary naphthoquinone and the most pharmacologically studied compound in this species.

Classical and technical detail
Primary active compound: plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) — a naphthoquinone present at 0.1–2% of dry weight depending on plant part and growing conditions. Plumbagin is among the most pharmacologically active compounds in Ayurvedic herbs in terms of intensity per unit dose. Documented properties: potent anti-inflammatory (NF-κB and AP-1 pathway inhibition), antimicrobial against both bacteria and Plasmodium (anti-malarial — consistent with classical Krimighna documentation), and anti-proliferative in multiple cancer cell lines. The digestive-stimulating mechanism involves direct gastric acid secretion stimulation and increases in pepsinogen activity — a molecular mechanism that directly explains the Deepaniya action and the Pitta-aggravating potential. Critical safety note: plumbagin at high doses is documented as cytotoxic and mutagenic in animal studies — this is consistent with the classical contraindications and the clinical tradition of using Chitraka in small doses within compound preparations under practitioner supervision, never as a standalone high-dose supplement. The traditional preparation within complex formulations at classical doses is considered safe within the classical framework; concentrated plumbagin extracts are not.

Related herbs and pages

Herb
Shunthi — gentler Deepaniya
Herb
Pippali — Trikatu companion
Herb
Maricha — Trikatu companion
Foundation
Agni — Chitraka's domain
Foundation
Ama — what Chitraka addresses
Herb
Guduchi