In the Handbook of Domestic Medicine and Common Ayurvedic Remedies, out of the 370 compound formulations, 210 contain either Trikatu or its individual components. Trikatu, a Sanskrit word meaning three acrids, has black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn.), long pepper (Piper longum Linn.) and ginger (Zingiber officinalis Roscoe) in the ratio of 1:1:1 (Debabrata et al., 2009). This combination streamlines the metabolism of the body, this is the reason it is indicated in a wide range of health problems like asthma, fever, cold, cough, obesity, indigestion, high cholesterol, slow metabolism, hypothyroidism, congestion and edema. Some modern ayurvedic practitioners have tried to investigate the scientific basis underlying the use of three herbs. These ingredients form a powerful, energizing tonic, purgative, carminative and used worldwide as spices. They are also used as important ingredient in folklore medicines in many Asian countries (Malvankar and Abhyankar, 2012). Apart from its ayurvedic use Trikatu has gained importance in the traditional system of medicine due to its chief alkaloidal constituent, piperine. Several studies have been reported for bioavailability enhancement of drugs, like vasicine, sparteine, rifampicin, phenytoin, sulphadiazine, propranolol, theophylline, oxyphenylbutazone, oxytetracycline, indomethacinand pefloxacin when co-administered with Trikatu or its ingredients (Lala et al., 2004, Singh et al., 2005, Dama et al., 2008). Trikatu enhance the rate of absorption of drugs into a bloodstream and increasing its availability at the site of action. Improved oral bioavailability of poorly absorbed drugs can help in altering the therapeutic dosages of such drugs or even routes of drug administration. Considering the importance of Trikatu as an adjuvant in modern medicine, the present letter has been written to focus the effects of concomitantly administered Trikatu on the bioavailability profile of modern drugs.

SUGGESTED READINGS
Dama MS, Varshneya C, Dardi MS, Katoch VC. Effect of Trikatu pretreatment on the pharmacokinetics of pefloxacin administered orally in mountain Gaddi goats. Journal of Veterinary Science. 2008;9:25-29.
Debrarata C, Karuna S, Anirban P, Suaib L, Dnyaneswar UB, Dayanandan M, et al. Safety evaluation of Trikatu, a generic Ayurvedic medicine in Charles foster rat. The Journal of Toxicological Sciences. 2009;34:99-108.
Lala LG, Mello PM, Naik SR. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies on interaction of “Trikatu” with diclofenac sodium. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2004;91:277-280.
Malvankar PR, Abhyankar MM. Antimicrobial activity of water extracts of trikatu churna and its individual ingredient. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. 2012;3:1087-1089.
Singh M, Varshneya C, Telang RS, Srivastava AK. Alteration of pharmacokinetics of oxytetracycline following oral administration of Piper longum in hens. Journal of Veterinary Science. 2005;6:197-200.