Aravindasava
Aravindasava is a classical Ayurvedic fermented arishta or asava. Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Described in Sahasrayogam and Bhaishajya Ratnavali, categorized under Raktaprasadana Rasayana (blood-enhancing tonics). Traditionally used in Kerala and North Indian Ayurvedic pediatric practice. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 1:4) lists 28 ingredients, beginning with Aravinda, Usira, Kasmari and Nilotpala.
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Referenced in Sahasrayogam and Bhaishajya Ratnavali. Manufactured under Drug and Cosmetics Act, 1940 by licensed Ayurvedic pharmacies. |
|---|
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 1:4 (ARAVINDASAVA), which cites Bhaisajyaratnavali, Balarogadhikara; 185-188. Names, parts and quantities are transcribed as printed and checked row by row against the book. Manufacturers' versions of a classical formulation can differ from the formulary.
| # | Ingredient | Part | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aravinda (kamala) | flower | 48 g. |
| 2 | Usira | root | 48 g. |
| 3 | Kasmari * | fruit | 48 g. |
| 4 | Nilotpala (utpala) * | 48 g. | |
| 5 | Manjistha | root | 48 g. |
| 6 | Ela * | seed | 48 g. |
| 7 | Bala | root | 48 g. |
| 8 | Mamsi (jatamamsi) | rhizome | 48 g. |
| 9 | Ambuda (musta) * | rhizome | 48 g. |
| 10 | Sariva (Svetasariva) | root | 48 g. |
| 11 | Siva (haritaki) * | 48 g. | |
| 12 | Bibhitaka | pericarp | 48 g. |
| 13 | Vaca | rhizome | 48 g. |
| 14 | Dhatri * | pericarp | 48 g. |
| 15 | Sathi * | rhizome | 48 g. |
| 16 | Syama (trivrt) * | root | 48 g. |
| 17 | Nilini * | root | 48 g. |
| 18 | Patola * | Lf./Pl. | 48 g. |
| 19 | Parpata * | 48 g. | |
| 20 | Partha (arjuna) * | stem bark | 48 g. |
| 21 | Madhuka * | 48 g. | |
| 22 | Madhuka (yasti) | root | 48 g. |
| 23 | Mura | root | 48 g. |
| 24 | Draksa | dry fruit | 960 g. |
| 25 | Dhataki | flower | 768 g. |
| 26 | [illegible] * | illegible | |
| 27 | Sarkara | 4.800 kg. | |
| 28 | Maksika (madhu) | 2.400 kg. |
Cells marked illegible are damaged in the source scan. The ingredient name is shown where it was readable, and nothing is inferred to fill a gap.
* The scanned text was damaged at this row and the name was read from the entry's own Sanskrit verse.
The evidence at a glance
1paper on this site for this drug, 0 with a DOI.
- 1Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Aravindasava |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Sahasrayogam and Bhaishajya Ratnavali, categorized under Raktaprasadana Rasayana (blood-enhancing tonics). Traditionally used in Kerala and North Indian Ayurvedic pediatric practice.
How does it work?
- Agni (digestive fire) kindling through Ushna Virya and Katu Vipaka is traditionally held to support appetite and nutrient absorption in children
- Immunomodulatory action through alkaloids and flavonoids is traditionally described as supporting immunity in children
- Raktaprasadana (blood-enriching) activity of Manjishtha and Triphala supports healthy hematopoiesis
- Medhya (intellect-promoting) action of Vacha and Jatamansi supports cognitive and mental development
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Pediatric digestive tonic: traditionally used as a digestive tonic for children. Observational studies have reported improved appetite and weight gain.
- Child growth and development: traditionally used to promote growth and development in children.
- Childhood immunity: traditionally used to strengthen immunity in children. An observational study reported improved IgG and IgA levels.
- Childhood anemia and malnutrition: traditionally used for anemia and malnutrition in children, based on its classical Raktaprasadana (blood-enriching) property.
What do recent studies show?
No study for this section could be traced to a published paper. Classical formulations are researched largely in journals that PubMed does not index, so an absence here reflects the reach of the index rather than the state of the evidence.
Recent safety updates
- Contains self-generated alcohol. NOT suitable for children under 5 years. For children above 5, diluted doses (5-10 ml with warm water) under pediatrician consultation only.
- Large-scale randomized controlled trials specifically on Aravindasava are still missing. Long-term safety assessments in diverse pediatric populations needed. Alcohol content requires careful monitoring.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Asava (fermented infusion), Syrup (modern)
Standard Dosage: 5-10 mL (pediatric) to 15-25 mL (adult) twice daily after meals with equal water. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India attributes this formula to Bhaisajyaratnavali, Balarogadhikara; 185-188.
Optimal Timing: After meals, twice daily. For infants: as directed by physician
Storage: Store in well-closed amber glass or HDPE containers in a cool, dry place. Protect from sunlight. Temperature not exceeding 30°C.
Marker Compounds: Nuciferine, Neferine, Liensinine, Armepavine
Vehicle (Anupana): Equal quantity of water (boiled and cooled for pediatric use)
Synergistic Combinations
- Balarishta
- Bal Chaturbhadra Churna
- Suvarna Prashan
- Ashwagandha Churna
What manufacturers publish about this preparation
Disclosure first. This site is published by Age Ayurveda, which sells Ayurvedic products, though not this preparation. Every cell states what that company's own product page carried when it was read, not our judgement of it. There is no score, no rank and no winner here, and the table is in alphabetical order for that reason.
The formulary entry above fixes the ingredients and the quantity of each. Whether you can check a particular product against it depends on what its manufacturer publishes. Of the 9 companies surveyed that sell a product under this name, this is what their pages carried when they were read on 8 October 2026.
| Company | What its product page publishes |
|---|---|
| AVN Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Maharishi Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Oushadhi | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
| Patanjali Ayurved | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| Sandu Pharmaceuticals | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Shree Dhootapapeshwar | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
| Sitaram Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| SNA Oushadhasala | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
This measures what each company publishes, not the quality of anything it makes. A company that publishes nothing here may make an excellent preparation, and the label in the box is a separate, regulated surface that is not what was read. What disclosure changes is whether a reader, a pharmacist or an answer engine can check a product against the formulary entry it claims.
Method, the full counts across every company surveyed, and what this measurement got wrong the first time: which manufacturers publish what is in the bottle. The URL of every page read is recorded in brand-disclosure.json. If a row here is wrong, including where the correction favours a company other than ours, tell us and we will fix it and say that we did. How the same companies' stated doses compare with the formulary dose, preparation by preparation: Ayurvedic company doses against the Ayurvedic Formulary of India.
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Laboratory and animal studies1
- 1986. Experimental studies on the fermentation of aravindasavaAncient science of life. PMID 22557532
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.