Ashtavargam Kashayam Health Benefits and Side Effects

Ashtavargam Kashayam is a polyherbal ayurvedic medicine. It is a herbal decoction prepared from 8 ingredients viz. Bala, Sahachara, Eranda, Sonth, Rasna, Devdar, Nirgundi and Lahsuna. It is used in the treatment of Vata roga.

Here is given more about this medicine, such as benefits, indication/therapeutic uses, composition, and dosage.

• Type of medicine: Classical Medicine
• Purpose: Vata Dosha (Diseases due to predominance of Vata)
• Suitable for: All types of rheumatic disorders.
• Synonym: Ashtavargam Kwatham, Ashtavargam Kashaya
• Reference: Sahasra Yoga
• Availability: As Dry powder from (Kwath Churna), liquid, and in tablets forms

Ingredients of Ashtavargam Kashayam

1. Bala Root 1 Part
2. Sahchara Plant 1 Part
3. Eranda Root 1 Part
4. Sunthi Rhizome 1 Part
5. Rasna Root or Leaves 1 Part
6. Suradruma / Devdaru Heartwood 1 Part
7. Sinduvara / Nirgundi Root 1 Part
8. Lasuna Garlic Bulb 1 Part
9. Water for decoction preparation

About the ingredients

Sida-Cordifolia, is Latin name of herb Bala or Country Mallow. In Hindi it is known as Bariar. It is found growing in tropical and subtropical parts of India. It is a medicinal herb. In Ayurveda, it is considered Sweet in taste, Cold in potency and Sweet after digestion. It balances Vata-Pitta and Kapha. It mainly works on the nerves of the body. It has pain relieving, demulcent, diuretic, and tonic properties. It gives strength to the body (hence names Bala which means strength giving in Hindi), and used in the treatment of diseases of heart, facial paralysis, inflammatory conditions, pain in nerves, chronic rheumatism and arthritis.

Sahachara is dried whole plant of Barleria prionitis Linn. belonging to family Acanthaceae. It is a bushy, prickly undershrub reaching up to 0.6-1.5 m high and found throughout hotter parts of the country and also cultivated as a hedge plant.

It is known as Kurantaka, Koranda, Kerandaka in Sanskrit. It mainly consists of Alkaloids, β-Sitosterol, Potassium. It is sweet and bitter in taste, hot in potency and pungent after digestion (Katu Vipak). It balances Kapha, and destroys poison. It is especially useful in gout.

Rasna is dried leaf of Pluchea lanceolata Othe liver & Hiern.(Fam. Asteraceae). It is an annual undershrub having spreading roots extending to several meters. It is found growing in sandy soils in upper Gangetic plain and Rajasthan. It flowers during cold season. Rasna, mainly contains Flavonoids – Quercetin and Isorhamnetin. It tastes bitter. It is heavy to digest, hot in potency and pungent after digestion (Katu Vipak). Rasna is main drug of choice for inflammation, Vata roga, arthritis, gout, rheumatism due to its Ama pachana (digests the ama, waste product due to incomplete digestion) and Vata-Kaphahar properties.

Eranda is dried, mature roots of Ricinus communis Linn. (Family Euphorbiaceae). It is a tall glabrous shrub or almost small tree of 2-4 m height. It is found throughout India, mostly growing wild on waste land and also cultivated for its oil seeds. Gandharvahasta, Vatari, Panchngula, Citra, Urubu, Rubu are few Sanskrit synonyms of the plant. The main active constituent Alkaloid (ricinine).

It is sweet in taste, heavy and oily in action and hot in potency. It is sweet after digestion (Madhur Vipak). Eranda roots are Vata har, Vrishya and Ama Pachana. It is mainly indicated in Vata Vyadhis such as inflammation of joints, arthritis, waist pain, lower back pain, gout and similar conditions.

Shunthi consists of dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roxb. (Family Zinglberaceae). It is widely cultivated in India for its medicinal and edible uses. The main phytochemicals present in it are Essential oil, gingerol and shogaol, resinous matter and starch. It is pungent in taste and sweet after digestion. It is easy to digest and hot in potency. It reduces Vata / wind in the body due to it warming and carminative action. It improves digestion and reduces Ama inside the body. It is used to treat digestive weakness, cough, respiratory ailments and arthritis.

Devdaru consists of dried heartwood of Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) Loud. (Family Pinaceae). It is a very large and tall ever green tree, up to 75m in height and ranging from 2.4 to 3.6 m in girth, found in North Western Himalayas from Kashmir to Garhwal, between 1200 to 3000 m and also cultivated in Kumaon.

The main constituent of wood are Terpenoids, Flavonoids and Glycosides. It is bitter in taste, easy to digest, hot in potency and pungent after digestion. It is Kaphahara, Vatahar and wound purifying. It gives relief in swelling, flatulence, Kapha, and arthritis.

Sinduvara / Nirgundi consists of dried root of Vitex Negundo Linn. (Family Verbenaceae). It is a large aromatic shrub or sometimes a small tree, up to 4.5 m in height. It is common throughout the country ascending to an altitude of 1500 m in the lower Himalayas.It is common in waste places around village, river bank, moist localities and deciduous forests.

Nirgundi is bitter, pungent and astringent in taste. It post digestion effect is pungent.

Nirgundi balances Vata inside the body and gives relief in pain. Due to these properties, it is used in the treatment of inflammatory condition of joints.

Lasuna consists of bulb of Allium sativum Linn. (Family Liliaceae). It is a perennial bulbous plant, cultivated as an important condiment crop in the country. It is also known as Rasona in Ayurveda. It is hot in potency, and pungent in both taste and post digestion. Lahsun supports better digestion, and balances Vata.

Benefits of Ashtavargam Kashayam

1. It supports better digestion.
2. It is carminative in action and reduces Vata inside the body.
3. It also reduces Kapha due to drying nature.
4. It burns Ama. Ama is toxic waste produces in the body due to Agnimandya or weakness of digestive fire. Ama acts as poison in the body and it is the principal cause for all metabolic disorders.
5. It gives relief in pain, inflammation and stiffness of joints.
6. It is warming medicine.

Important Therapeutic Uses of Ashtavargam Kashayam

1. Vata Roga
2. Arthritis
3. Gout
4. Osteoarthritis
5. All rheumatoid ailments
6. Acute hemiplegia
7. Acute facial palsy, paralysis
8. Pain in muscles
9. Inflammatory conditions of joints
10. Ama Dosha

The Dosage of Ashtavargam Kashayam

The recommended dosage for this medicine 10-15 ml with 50 ml warm water, twice a day, in empty stomach or as directed by a physician. This medicine is effective in Vata dominant joint disorders.

This is a hot potency medicine and increases Pitta. It may cause acidity, gastritis and discomfort.

You can buy this medicine online or from medical stores.

This medicine is manufactured by Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Ashtavargam Kashayam Tablets), Nagarguna (Ashtavargam Kashayam Tablets), Kottakal Arya Vaidya Sala (Ashtavargam Kashayam), AVP (Ashtavargam Kashayam), Vaidyaratnam (Ashtavargam Kashayam) and many other Ayurvedic pharmacies.