Til / Sesame (Sesamum Indicum)- Ayurvedic Properties, Effects On Doshas & Dosage

Description

Ayurveda is the first circadian treatment system that offers restored admittance to our knowledge. Ayurveda holds the way to a settling entity making a distinction. Consequently, this old management technique offers the commitment to a more agreeable future for every individual living on earth. The standards of this old insight method told us that the whole snare of life is complicatedly joined. The art and science of Ayurveda work to harmonise our internal and external environment. The groundwork of Ayurvedic treatment depends on perceiving when qualities have become exorbitant or insufficient, as this is known to cause doshas unevenness and lead to illness. Ayurveda applies the contrary characteristics to get back to adjusting those imbalanced doshas. This ancient practice has various methods to get control over tissues and return the doshas to their proper basics. The principles of this ancient therapy remind us that the entire route of life is connected so try to maintain your health and well-being so you can live disease-free. In this article, we are going to discuss the herb til which is used in every home for various uses like it can be used for eating, for auspicious works, for medicinal purposes, and many more.

General Information

Til is the oldest oilseed crop commonly famous as the name of Sesame used for its nutritional, medicinal, and industrial purposes. This can be used by various means, like its edible, can be used for cosmetic purposes, and is highly nutritious. This herb is widely famous for the til, tal in Gujarati, in Telugu gubbulu, and in English, it is called Sesamum. Apart from being edible, it is also used in soap making, as a carrier of pharmaceutical drugs, paints, lighting, and as a lubricant so we can say that there are various uses for sesame seeds in various preparations. Its seeds are highly useful in weak patients as they are rich in carbohydrates, calories, etc. Sesame grows well with sweet corn cultivation and is profound with improved nutritional status. This herb blooms from October to December and its fruiting time is December to January.

Special Note About This Plant

• There are two varieties of sesame seeds one is white and one is black. They said it like black sesame variety is the best for every purpose and white one is of medium quality and red and brown colour variety is of lower quality.
• Sesame seeds consist of vitamin E so are a natural and good antioxidant, also contain Vitamin K has also included magnesium, sulphur, calcium, and many more.
• It is known as the ‘queen of oil seeds’, Sesame seeds are a powerhouse of protein for building muscle mass and is a host of B vitamins.
• In Charaka Samhita this herb maintains its proper place as well as in Sushrut Samhita, this herb is said to be a great vata anulomak in nature.
• In Bhav Prakash or Bhaishajya Ratnavali, its indications and properties are well explained with its popular formulation.

Ancient Verses

Shloka - 1

स्निग्धोष्णो मधुरस्तिक्तः कषायः कटुकस्तिल:।
त्वच्यः केश्यश्च बल्यश्च वातघ्न: कफपित्तकृत्।।

Reference - Charak Samhita Sutra Sthana / 27

Interpretation of Shloka - Til is moist, hot in potency, sweet, bitter, and astringent, and is used to improve the texture of the skin, good for lustrous hair, strengthening the muscles, specifically pacifies the Vata dosha but may aggravate the Kapha and Pitta dosha.

Shloka - 2

कषायानुरसं स्वादु सूक्ष्ममुष्णं व्यवायि च।
पित्तलं बद्धविण्मूत्रं न च श्लेषामभिवर्धनम्।।
वातघ्नेषूत्तमम् बल्यं त्वच्यम् मेधाग्निवर्ध्नम्।
तैलं संयोगसंस्कारात् सर्वरोगापहं स्मृतम्।।

Reference - Charak Samhita Sutra Sthana / 27

Interpretation of Shloka - Til are somewhat kashaya (astringent), sweet in taste, small in size, hot in potency, and works faster. Aggravating the pitta dosha, removes the retention of urine, and may help to slightly increase the Kapha dosha, Til is said to be the great vatahara, provides strengthening to the body,  increases memory, and digestive fire effectively. When it is used with oil this will help to pacify all the diseases.

Shloka - 3

ईषत् कषायो मधुरः सतिक्तः सांग्राहिकः पित्तकरस्तथोष्णाः।
तिलो विपाके मधुरो बलिष्ठ: स्निग्धो वृणालेपन एव पथ्य:।।
दन्त्योऽग्निमेधाजननोऽल्पमूत्रस्त्वच्योऽथ केश्योऽनिलहा गुरुश्च।
तिलेषु सर्वेष्वसित: प्रधानो मध्याः सितो हीनतरास्त्थाऽन्ये।।

Reference - Sushrut Samhita Sutra Sthana / 46

Interpretation of Shloka - This herb is somewhat kashaya (astringent), madhur (sweet), and tikta (bitter), helps to control the motions, and helps to increase the pitta dosha due to its ushna (hot) potency. Its post-digestion effect is Madhur (sweet), provides strength to the body, moisturizes the body, and is used as an external application over the wound to heal it fast, this is helpful in making stronger teeth, enhancing the digestive fire, memory power, retention of urine, good for skin, hair but is heavy in digestion. The black sesame seeds are the best, white is of medium quality, and the rest of the seeds including red are of inferior quality.

Shloka - 4

तिल: कृष्णः सितो रक्तः सवन्योऽल्पतिल: स्मृतम्।
तिलो रसे कटुस्तिक्तको मधुरस्तुवरो गुरुः।।
विपाके कटुक: स्वादु: स्निग्धोष्णाः कफपित्तनुत्।
बल्यः केश्यो हिमस्पर्शस्त्वच्यः स्तन्यो व्रणे हित:।।
दन्त्योऽल्पमूत्रकृद् ग्राही वातघ्न ऽग्निमतिप्रदा:।
कृष्णः श्रेष्ठतमस्तेषु शुक्रलो मध्यम: सित:।।
अन्ये हीनतर: प्रोक्तास्तज्ज्ञै रक्तद्यस्तिला:।।

Reference - Bhavprakash Nighantu / Amradiphala Varga

Interpretation of Shloka - Til is of three types, black white, and red, those are found in forests they are called vanyatil and alptil. Til is tikta (bitter), katu (pungent), Madhur (sweet), kashaya (astringent), its post digestion is of katu (pungent) rasa, these are good in taste, heavy, moist, hot, Kapha and pitta pacifying, provides proper strength to the body, good for hair, good for skin complexion, good for healing, helps to cure the dental problems, slight diuretic, absorbent, vata pacifying, appetizer, enhancing the memory power, The black sesame seeds are the best and works as an aphrodisiac, white is of medium quality, and the rest of the seeds are including red that are of inferior quality.

Shloka - 5

तिलो रसे कटुस्तिक्तको मधुरस्तुवरो गुरुः।।
विपाके कटुक: स्वादु: स्निग्धोष्णाः कफपित्तनुत्।
बल्यः केश्यो हिमस्पर्शस्त्वच्यः स्तन्यो व्रणे हित:।।
दन्त्योऽल्पमूत्रकृद् ग्राही वातघ्नऽग्निमतिप्रदा:।

Reference - Dhanwantri Nighantu / Suvarnadi Varga

Interpretation of Shloka - Tila’s are tikta (bitter), katu (pungent), Madhur (sweet), kashaya (astringent), its post digestion is of katu (pungent) rasa, these are good in taste, heavy, moist, hot, Kapha and pitta pacifying in nature, provides proper strength to the body, good for hair, enhances the skin complexion, good for fast healing of wounds and ulcers, helps to manage the dental problems, slight diuretic, good absorbent, and vata pacifying in nature.

Systemic Classification

• Botanical Name - Sesamum indicum
• Family - Pedaliaceae
• Genus - Sesamum
• Species - S. Indicum.

Habitat

• This is an erect annual plant of the family Pedaliaceae, grown for its seeds, which grow up to 3 feet in height and are opposite to leaves.
• The leaves of this plant are broad and lanceolate, narrow at the base of the plant.
• The Flowers are tubular with a four-lobed mouth. Its flowers may change in colour, its flowers may be different and of white, purple or yellow in colour, most commonly white colored variety is common in India.
• Its fruit is pubescent, rectangular in sectional cutting.
• Sesame seeds are very small in size, have numerous varieties, ovate in shape, thinner at the eye and the coat covering of the seed is smooth and ribbed.
• It is a flowering plant mostly found in the tropical regions of India and Africa, flowering time of the plant is from October to December and the fruiting time is December to January.

Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste) - Madhur (Sweet)
• Anuras - Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent)
• Guna (Quality) - Guru (Heavy), Snigadh (Moist)
• Veerya (Potency) - Ushna (Hot)
• Vipaka (Post digestive effect) - Madhur (Sweet)
• Karma (Action) - Balances the Vata and vitiates the Pitta Kapha dosha
• Projyang (Part used) - Seeds and their oil are used

Effects On Doshas

• Balances the Vata dosha effectively.
• It may aggravate the pitta and Kapha dosha but it works as yogavahi, if used with proper medicines it can help in maintaining tridoshas.

Practical Uses

• Due to its guru, snigadh, Madhur, and ushna guna this herb is helpful in maintaining the vata dosha.
• This is beneficial in lubrication, pacifying the pain good for healing old wounds.
• This also acts as brain boosting and is helpful in strengthening the neuro-muscular tissues.
• Due to the snigdha guna, this herb is beneficial in making the gums stronger, enhancing the digestive fire and good for moisturising the skin as well as the whole body.
• Sesame seeds are an amazing source of fibre, promote digestion, provide good heart health, and prevent Diabetes mellitus.
• seeds contain natural compounds like oxalates, which contribute to having healthy bones.
• This has various anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, cardio-protective, and liver-protective properties which can prevent heart diseases or kidney diseases.
• Sesame seeds can control higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides levels.
• Sesame seeds may also give strength to the body and reduce oxidative stress, in blood and in other important organs.
• Vitamin E is found in a great amount so is helpful in all skin conditions.
• This is rich in protein so helpful in liver diseases, kidney diseases, or malnourished patients to maintain the proper body built.