Here is a recipe for a herbal, home made cough syrup. Given below is a multi step process.
Overview
Step 1- Scooping out Aloe Vera Gel from the leaves and adding to it 50 ml of Pelctranthis amboinicus juice
Step 2: Making a decoction of herbs
Step 3: Mixing the Aloe Vera Gel from step 1 with the decoction of herbs obtained in step 2 and letting it boil for a minute or two
Step 4: Final Step- Cooling the above liquid, adding Kumari Asava and Honey.
Detailed Procedure
Step 1:
Take two Aloe Vera Leaves. Let the resin drain and then slice it horizontally so that you split the leaf into upper and lower halves. Scoop out the gel and put it in a vessel. Approximately 100-150ml of Aloe Vera Gel.
To this vessel add about 50ml Juice from the leaves of Doddapatra (Thick succulent Coleus Leaf, scientific name: Plectranthus amboinicus ). Blend them together. Keep it aside. This would be used later on in Step 3
Step 2:
Take 400ml of water
Add 25 grams of Tulsi Leaves
25 grams of Italian Basil Leaves
2 tablespoons of Lemon Grass leaves ( Subject to availability)
2 tablespoons of Mint/Pudina Leaves
1 small piece of crushed Ginger
20-30 Cloves
After adding all the above ingredients boil it till you get the Aroma from the herbs
Once the Kashyam (decoction) starts boiling, decrease the flame (sim it) and then add the following ingredients
1/2 tsp of Yashtimadhu (Mulethi powder)
1/2 tsp of Turmeric
1/4th tsp of Tinospora cordifolia / Giloy powder (subject to availability)
After adding the above ingredients let the Kashyam ( decoction) simmer till the quantity of liquid is almost half – that is approx. 200ml
Turn off the heat,let the Kashyam cool a little bit and then filter it through a fine sieve/cloth.
Step3:
Mix the aloe vera and Coleus mixture obtained in step 1 with the filtered decoction obtained in step 2. Reheat the mixture in a stainless steel vessel till it starts boiling. Turn off the flame as soon as the mixture starts to boil and then let it cool.
Step 4:
To the above mixture add
100 ml of Baidyanath Kumari Asava and
200-300 ml of Honey.
Mix well and refrigerate.
Dosage:
For cough and cold / Throat irritations / Congestion
Adults-Take about 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day
Children-1tsp 2-3 times a day
Note: If Doddapatra leaf (Pelctranthis amboinicus ) is not available, you can make the cough syrup without it
Here are a few advantages of this home made syrup over the ones available in the market
1. Cough Syrups in the market contain preservatives ( Even the ayurvedic ones contain preservatives. Some of these preservatives can be toxic and can impact the body after prolonged usage )
2. Syrups available in the market contain thickening agents to modify viscosity
3. The ones in the market may also contain sugar syrups, since honey is too expensive. Some of these sugar syrup thickeners could do more harm that good, especially if they contain an unnaturally high amount of Fructose