1. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 7(4), October 2008, pp. 548-556
Traditionally fermented biomedicines, arishtas and asavas from Ayurveda
S Sekar* & S Mariappan
Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu
E-mail:sekarbiotech@yahoo.com; sekarbiotech@bdu.ac.in
Received 5 December 2006; revised 7 August 2007
Ayurveda comprises of various types of medicines including the fermented forms namely arishtas (fermented
decoctions) and asavas (fermented infusions). These are regarded as valuable therapeutics due to their efficacy and desirable
features. The bulk of knowledge on these fermented medicines remains undocumented, unrecognized and invalidated. In the
paper, the fundamental concepts in the designing of arishtas and asavas with representative examples have been
highlighted. It further focuses on the art of preparation, fermentation, storage and usage of these products. The trends in
commercial utilization are also investigated. The entire group of these fermented medicines comprising of 79 products are
analyzed based on their utility in treating various illness of humans and a comprehensive grouping is evolved. The possible
avenues of further investigations using the tools of modern science for the characterization, validation and improvement of
these traditional products are indicated.
Key words: Arishta, Asava, Ayurveda drugs, Fermentation, Traditional medicine
IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P1/02, A61P1/04, A61P1/06, A61P1/14, A61P13/00
Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medicinal system self). Ayurveda contains 8 branches of sciences and
being practiced for thousands of years. More than 10 different diagnostic tools based on tridosha
1,200 species of plants, nearly 100 minerals and over theory (three humours of body). Ayurveda also
100 animal products comprise the Ayurvedic advocates a system of prevention of diseases by
Pharmacopoeia. Considerable research on pharma- stipulating a set of practices as daily routine
cognosy, chemistry, pharmacology and clinical (Dinacharya) and seasonal routine (Ritucharya).
therapeutics of Ayurveda has been carried out and Ayurvedic treatment system also takes into account
thereby numerous drugs have entered into the individual variations. Ayurvedic medicines are of
international pharmacopoeia1. World Health various types, so as to meet the diverse requirements
Organization indicated that primary health needs of in the treatment of human illness. They are herbal
countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are met teas, infusions, decoctions, tinctures, capsules and
by traditional medicines. Such traditional medicines powders, infused oils, ointments, creams, lotions etc.
are adapted to industrialized countries as along with arishtas (fermented decoctions) and
Complementary or Alternative Medicines (CAM)2. asavas (fermented infusions)4. Arishtas and asavas
Ayurvedic system of treatment has been estimated to are considered as unique and valuable therapeutics in
meet 70-80% of the healthcare needs of India3. Ayurveda. Though traditional knowledge in
Ayurvedic system of treatment is designed to literature as well as in practice exists about arishtas
attain svasthya (to establish one’s own natural state and asavas, there was little effort to document,
on perfect health) and advocates samadosa preserve and improve this knowledge for betterment
(structural and physiologically equilibrium), of mankind. The objective of the paper is to
samagni (equilibrium of metabolic processes), document this knowledge available in the traditional
samadhatu (equilibrium of body tissues), literature as well as from the traditional practices,
samamalakriya (equilibrium of eliminative systems), bring out the technological details, analyze and list
prasannendriya (equilibrium of senses), out their medical applications. Finally, scope for
prasannamana (equilibrium of mind) and futuristic developments in the arena of microbial
prasannatma (state of pure awareness or contended fermentation and biomedical applications based on
__________ the tools of modern scientific investigations is
* Corresponding author discussed.
2. SEKAR & MARIAPPAN: TRADITIONALLY FERMENTED AYURVEDA BIOMEDICINES 549
Arishta and asava about the basis of designing them. In Asokarishta, the
Arishtas and asavas are self-generated herbal main herb is asoka (Saraca asoca De Wilde)11. Those
fermentations of traditional Ayurvedic system. They contribute for flavours are Cuminum cyminum L.,
are alcoholic medicaments prepared by allowing the Santalum album L. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe.
herbal juices or their decoctions to undergo Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz as fermentation
fermentation with the addition of sugars. Arishtas are initiator and jaggery as a source of sugar are also
made with decoctions of herbs in boiling water while present. Similarly in Kanakasava, Kanaka (Datura
asavas are prepared by directly using fresh herbal metel L.) is the main herb while Piper longum L. and
juices5-9. Fermentation of both preparations is brought Zingiber officinale Roscoe contribute for flavour12.
about by the addition of a source of sugar with Further, Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz as well as
dhataki (Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz) flowers5. Many sugar and honey are present.
contain additional spices for improving their
assimilation. They are moderately alcoholic (up to Process of preparation
12% by volume) and mostly sweetish with slight The proportion of the different ingredients are
acidity and agreeable aroma. These medicinal wines water 32 seers (or 1024 tolas; 1 tola =12 gm), treacle
have several advantages, like better keeping quality, or jaggery 12 and half seers (or 400 tolas), and honey
enhanced therapeutic properties, improvement in the 6¼ seers (or 200 tolas), medicinal substances (such as
efficiency of extraction of drug molecules from the roots, leaves or barks, etc. of plants cut into pieces)
herbs and improvement in drug delivery into the 1¼ seers (or 40 tolas), in powder or decoction7. The
human body sites10. The most cited traditional basic drugs from which the extract is to be prepared
literature about Indian Ayurvedic literature with the are first cleaned and rinsed in water to get rid of dirt.
coverage of arishta and asava includes Charaka In the case of fresh plants, they are cleaned,
Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Astanga Hridaya, pulverized and pressed for collection of juice. If the
Bhaishajya Ratnavali, Sarngadhara Samhita, drug is dry and to be used in the preparation of asava,
Khadhanigragam, Arsaschikitsha, Sagasrayogam, it is coarsely crushed and added to water to which the
Chikitshasthanam, Yogaratnagaram, Asavarishtasan- prescribed quantities of honey, jaggery and/or sugar
gragam, Howshathagunasangraham and Astangasan- are added. If it is an arishta, a decoction is obtained
graham. by boiling the drugs in the specified volume of water
as given in the recipe. The water used should be
Traditional preparation of Arishta and asava
clean, clear and potable6. When the extracts are
The basic equipments required are: an earthen pot
obtained, the sugar (cane sugar), jaggery and/or honey
sufficiently large and strong with glazed exterior or a
are added and completely dissolved. Sometimes, any
glazed; porcelain jar of suitable size; a lid of correct
one or more of these sugary substances are omitted if
size to close the vessel; a cloth ribbon to seal the
so directed in the recipe. The sugar, jaggery and
vessel; a paddle like stirrer; a clean cloth of fine and
honey should be pure. The jaggery to be added should
strong texture for filtering; a vessel to keep the juices
be very old (prapurana) because fresh jaggery
or boil the drugs6. The major components are divided
aggravates kapha and suppresses the power of
into 4 types according to their specific role in the
digestion8. The flavouring agents are coarsely
process6. These include: the main herbs from which
powdered and added to the sweetened extract. Too
the extract or decoction is taken out as the case may
fine a powder of the flavouring agent is undesirable as
be. They yield drugs, which are pharmacologically
it causes sedimentation in the prepared medicine and
and therapeutically much important in the given
its filtration is difficult. Even if the recipe does not
medicine and the name of the medicine is derived
prescribe the addition of any flavouring agents, they
from these herbs denoting their importance. The
can be added in the same proportion as for other
flavouring agents are herbs besides contributing to the
asava or arishta. In asavas, the avapa (drugs which
flavour of the medicine have their own
are added in powder form at the end) should be one in
pharmacological action too. The fermentation initiator
tenth in quantity and honey should be three fourth in
provides inoculum for the fermentation to start. The
quantity of jaggery.
medium of sugars is required for fermentation.
Analysis of components of typical arishta and asava The earthen pot or jar intended for fermenting the
(Table 1) could also support and provide insights medicine is tested for weak spots and cracks and
3. 550 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 7, No. 4, OCTOBER 2008
similarly a lid is also chosen6. It should be prepared of they also contain wild yeasts. When fire flame flowers
the soft mud collected from the silt in the bank of are not used in some preparations, the inoculum of
river or lake. It should be greasy, thick, light and yeasts either from the mahua (Madhuca longifolia
smooth. It should be free from holes or cracks and Macbr.) flowers, the honey or raisins suffice initiating
homogenous. Echo should come out from inside of the process of fermentation. The yeasts multiply
this jar. Its circumference in the middle should be 42 rapidly by division in a short time6. Finally, the vessel
angulas (1 angula = ¾ inches) and its height should should be closed and sealed. Sealing is done by
be 43 angulas. Its wall should be one angula in winding around a long ribbon of cloth smeared with
thickness and compact. In shape (pot shape), it should clay on one surface. While sealing, the blank surface
be like the fruit of bakula (Mimusops elengi L.)8. The of the ribbon should line the rim of the vessel and lid
internal surfaces of the pot and the lid are wiped with and the clay side should be external. After sealing, the
a clean dry cloth and cow’s ghee is smeared on this vessel is placed in a dark place without much
surface to prevent oozing out of the contents when circulation of air. It may be kept in a grain store
poured and kept for fermentation. The pot should be buried in a heap of grain or into a pit in the soil. Soft
perfectly dry before ghee is smeared and if it be packing of straw should be provided around the vessel
moist, ghee will not stick, penetrate and block the to prevent breakage by any force6.
pores. The infiltration of the pot besides preventing
oozing strengthens the pot also. Glazed porcelain The fermentation process
ware may also be used instead of earthen ware6. In During autumn and summer seasons, fermentation
large scale, the fermentation is carried out in huge takes place in 6 days. In winter, it takes 10 days.
wooden vats with wooden covers (Fig.1). The vat is During rainy season and spring, fermentation takes
made air tight. The filtration is carried out by electric place in 8 days8. The fermentation vessel is left
filter presses with filter sheets which efficiently undisturbed for a month and then opened. The
separate the suspended particles and isolate clear medicine is filtered and taken for use. If the filtered
medicine. The powdering, grinding and mixing are medicine shows further sedimentation, it is allowed to
done by mills, pulverizers and mixing machines. The stand for few more days and again filtered to separate
decoctions are prepared in large steam jacketed the sediment. In the usual practice, 7-10 days are
boilers, heated by super heated steam under pressure6. enough in the hot tropical climate and the long period
of 30 days is allowed in cool temperature climate
Inoculum when biological activity is at its low6. In old practices,
When the pot or the jar is ready, the sweetened and performing fermentation in a heap of whole grain of
flavoured drug extract is poured into it up to three that season was indicated.
fourth of the capacity. The unfilled space provides
room for the fermenting liquid when it rises up due to Storage and usage
frothing and evolving of a large amount of gases. The filtered medicine is stored in tightly stoppard
Otherwise, the medium may damage the container glass bottles and taken for use whenever necessary.
and flow out. Then, the inoculum has to be added to The asava and arishta maintain good for any length
initiate fermentation. The process of fermentation of time and actually the medicinal value of the
necessitates the presence of fermenting micro- preparation is said to increase with time. If asava or
organisms, yeasts. In the preparation of alcoholic arishta shows any sign of mould development at any
medicaments in the Ayurvedic Systems, the inoculum stage, it should be rejected as unfit for use. Asava or
of yeasts comes from the dhataki flowers, which arishta are mixed with an equal volume of water
contain the wild species of yeast. These flowers are before consumption. The container should be kept
nectariferous and highly tanniferous. The flowers well closed as these sweet medicines attract flies and
contain the yeast spores in the dry nectariferous ants6.
region6,13,14. The presence of tannin both in hops and
in these flowers favours suitable environment for Doses
yeast growth. The flowers are added and the contents The dose of both the asava and arishta is one pala
are stirred well to distribute the inoculum of yeast. (48 ml approx.). Arishta is better than asava as the
Apart from the fire flame flowers (dhataki), if other former is light because of boiling. Their properties are
ingredients like honey and raisins (gum) are added, determined on the basis of the property of drugs used
4. SEKAR & MARIAPPAN: TRADITIONALLY FERMENTED AYURVEDA BIOMEDICINES 551
Table 1-Typical representation of an Arishta and Asava
Contents Families Plant parts used Quantity
Asokarishta
Saraca asoca (Roxb.)De Wilde Caesalpiniaceae Bark 400 tola
Nigella sativa L. Ranunculaceae Seeds 4 tola
Jaggery -- -- 800 tola
Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae Tubers 4 tola
Zingiber officinale Roscoe Zingiberaceae Rhizome 4 tola
Coscinium fenestratum Colebr. Menispermaceae Rhizome 4 tola
Kaempferia rotunda L. Zingiberaceae Rhizome 4 tola
Terminalia chebula Retzius Combretaceae Fruits 4 tola
Phyllanthus emblica L. Euphorbiaceae Fruits 4 tola
Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. Combretaceae Fruits 4 tola
Mangifera indica L. Anacardiaceae Seeds 4 tola
Cuminum cyminum L. Apiaceae Seeds 4 tola
Adhatoda vasica Nees Acanthaceae Root bark 4 tola
Santalum album L. Santalaceae Wood powder 4 tola
Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz Lythraceae Flowers 64 tola
Water -- -- 4 drona
Kanakasava (Datura metel L.) Solanaceae Whole plant 16 tola
Adhatoda vasica Nees Acanthaceae Root & bark 16 tola
Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Fabaceae Root 8 tola
Piper longum L. Piperaceae Fruits 8 tola
Solanum surattense Burm.f. Solanaceae Root 8 tola
Mesua nagassarium (Burm.f.) Kosterm. Clusiaceae Flowers 8 tola
Zingiber officinale Roscoe Zingiberaceae Rhizome 8 tola
Clerodendrum serratum (L.) Moon Verbenaceae Root 8 tola
Abies spectabilis (D.Don) G.Don Pinaceae Flowers 8 tola
Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz Lythraceae Flowers 64 tola
Vitis vinifera L. Vitaceae Fruits 80 tola
Sugar -- -- 400 tola
Honey -- -- 200 tola
Water -- -- 15 liter
1 tola = 12 gm; 1 drona = 12.288 kg
Table 2 Categorization of Arishta and Asava
Ailments Name of the arishta/asava
Pediatrics
Fever Arvindasava
Cough Arvindasava
Digestive disorders Arvindasava
Intestinal problems Mustharishta
Constipation Arvindasava
Scabies and boils Moolakadyarishta
Skin diseases Moolakadyarishta
Rickets Arvindasava
Inflammation Moolakadyarishta
Appetizer Arvindasava
Growth promoter Arvindasava
General tonic Balamritha
Immunity enhancer Arvindasava, Balamirtha
Nervous system
Paralysis Dasamoolarishta, Dhanwanthararishta, Vidangasava, Balarishta
Nervous disorder Balarishta, Jeerakadhyarshta, Aswagandharishta, Mrigamadasava
Contd
7. 554 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 7, No. 4, OCTOBER 2008
Table 2 Categorization of Arishta and Asava Contd
Ailments Name of the arishta/asava
Pediatrics
Skin problems
Skin diseases Aragwadharishta, Loharishta, Babularishta, Nimbamrithasava, Chitrakasava,
Devadarvyarishta, Gomoothrasava, Khadirarishta, Lodharasava, Nimbarishta, Sarivadhyasava,
Sarivadyarishta, Panchathiktarishta, Lohasava
Foul wounds Aragwadharishta, Lohasava, Nimbamrithasava
Leucoderma Aragwadharishta, Chitrakasava, Gomoothrasava, Loharishta
Infectious Diseases
Malaria Amritarishta, Vasakasava, Panchathiktarishta
Pneumonia Dasamoolarishta, Drakshasava
Influenza Drakshasava
Leprosy Khadirarishta, Vasakasava
Cholera Ahifenasava, Muktakarishta
Others
Poisonous bites Sirisharishta
Alcoholism Srikhandasava
Fig. 1 Preparation of arishtas and asavas by traditional methods
in their preparation15. A person should take these Arishta and asava products for treatment
preparations in such a dose as would not cause Compilation of arishta and asava products could
intoxicated movement of eye balls and perversion of end up with 79 products, of which 37 falls into the
mental activities8. category of asava, 38 into arishta and the remaining
8. SEKAR & MARIAPPAN: TRADITIONALLY FERMENTED AYURVEDA BIOMEDICINES 555
4 arishta are named as amirtha (Viswamritha, improvement in drug extraction and drug delivery.
Balamritha and Swasamrutha, Vyoshamritha). These The potential of the arishtas and asavas, which is
products have also been commercialized. Further, controlled by the profile of chemical compounds, can
the number of arishta and asava products and the be modulated based on the nature of ingredients, type
nature of information available are compiled. of fermentation and microorganisms involved.
Usefulness of arishta and asava products is Though there is an extensive list of arishta and asava
categorized in relation to human system of diseases products with diverse medicinal properties, there is lot
(Table 2). There are arishta and asava meant for the of scope to work with them microbiologically,
treatment of various problems in pediatrics, nervous biochemically and pharmacologically. This will make
system, blood and circulatory system, respiratory arishta and asava as scientifically validated products
system, digestive and excretory system, urinary for the betterment of human life
system, reproductive system, immune system, skin
problems, worm infections, general illness and Acknowledgement
infectious diseases etc. The financial support in the form of a research
project granted by the Department of Secondary and
Conclusion Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource
The study demonstrates the therapeutic potential Development, Government of India is
of arishta and asava products. Though arishta and acknowledged. Authors are indebted to TN
asava are preparations from plant materials, the role Narayanan Varier and TR Sasi Varier of Ashtanga
of microorganisms in this fermentation process is not Ayurvedics (P) Ltd, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu for
at all realized. In fact, all arishta and asava their fruitful discussions, for providing some
preparations are biomedical fermentations mediated literature and help in the translation of certain
by microorganisms. There is rarely any attempt to Sanskrit words.
access the nature of microorganisms and their role in
therapeutic properties. There were few reports on References
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