Draksharishta
Draksharishta is a classical Ayurvedic fermented arishta or asava. Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I. Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Agnimandya / Pandu Rogadhikara). Also referenced in Ayurvedic Formulary of India. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 1:20) lists 12 ingredients, beginning with Draksa, Guda, Tvak and Ela.
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I. Approved in the National Formulary of Ayurvedic Medicine (Bangladesh, 2011). Referenced in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Quality standards documented though comprehensive safety evaluation methods are still being established. |
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Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 1:20 (DRAKSARISTA), which cites Sarngadharasamhita, Madhyamakhanda, Adhyaya 10 ; 69-71. 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 | Draksa * | dry fruit | 2.400 kg |
| 2 | Water for decoction * | 49.152 l. reduced to 12.288 l. | |
| 3 | Guda * | 9.600 kg | |
| Praksepa dravyas | |||
| 4 | Tvak * | stem bark | 48 g |
| 5 | Ela (suksmaila) * | seed | 48 g |
| 6 | Patra (tejapatra) * | leaf | 48 g |
| 7 | Kesara (nagakesara) * | stamens | 48 g |
| 8 | Priyangu | flower | 48 g |
| 9 | Marica * | fruit | 48 g |
| 10 | Krsna (pippali) | fruit | 48 g |
| 11 | Vidanga | fruit | 48 g |
| 12 | Dhataki * | flower | 384 g |
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
3papers on this site for this drug, published 1983 to 2016, 2 with a DOI.
- 3Laboratory 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 | Draksharishta |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Agnimandya / Pandu Rogadhikara). Also referenced in Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Draksharishta is one of the classical arishta preparations described for general debility, anemia, and respiratory conditions in traditional texts.
How does it work?
- Peripheral analgesic action: Grape-derived polyphenols (resveratrol, catechin, gallic acid) inhibit prostaglandin synthesis at peripheral inflammation sites.
- Anti-inflammatory pathway: Suppresses inflammatory pain through COX-mediated pathways (effective against carrageenan-induced inflammation but not neurogenic pain).
- Digestive enzyme stimulation: Polyphenols and fermentation metabolites modulate pepsin, amylase, and lipase secretion, improving nutrient absorption.
- Antioxidant protection: Resveratrol and catechin provide potent free radical scavenging, protecting tissues from oxidative stress during convalescence.
- Fermentation-enhanced bioavailability: Self-generated alcohol and organic acids from Dhataki-mediated fermentation improve solubility and absorption of lipophilic grape polyphenols.
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity: animal studies using carrageenan-induced paw edema and acetic acid writhing models have reported anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
- General debility and convalescence: traditionally used for general debility and during convalescence. Clinical observations have reported improved appetite and energy.
- Digestive impairment: traditionally used for digestive impairment. Early research has reported modulation of digestive enzymes.
- Antioxidant markers: TLC profiling has reported the presence of resveratrol and catechin.
What do recent studies show?
- Kabir AU, Samad MB, D Costa NM and others 2012. Investigation of the central and peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of Draksharishta an Indian Ayurvedic formulation. Journal of basic and clinical pharmacy. PMID 24826047 · doi:10.4103/0976-0105.105335
Carrageenan-induced paw edema and acetic acid writhing tests showed significant results (P < 0.05), indicating peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory action. DRK significantly suppressed inflammatory pain (P < 0.05) but not neurogenic pain. - Pillai D, Pandita N 2016. Determination of Quality Standards for Draksharishta, a Polyherbal Ayurvedic Formulation. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences. PMID 27168691 · doi:10.4103/0250-474x.180262
TLC profiling identified gallic acid, catechin, and resveratrol as key bioactive markers. Established physicochemical quality standards including pH, specific gravity, alcohol content, total solids, and reducing sugars.
Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. 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
- No serious side effects reported in medical literature at recommended doses (15-30 mL twice daily after meals). Excessive use may cause mild gastric irritation or mouth ulcers.
- Contraindicated in diabetes mellitus due to jaggery content that may spike blood sugar levels. Pregnant women and lactating mothers should consult a doctor before use.
- Contains self-generated alcohol; patients with liver disease, alcohol sensitivity, or those on hepatotoxic medications should exercise caution. Overuse may cause loose stools.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Arishta (fermented decoction), Syrup (modern)
Standard Dosage: 15-30 mL twice daily after meals with equal water. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India attributes this formula to Sarngadharasamhita, Madhyamakhanda, Adhyaya 10; 69-71.
Optimal Timing: After meals, twice daily. Traditionally used as a general tonic and in debility.
Storage: Store in well-closed amber glass or HDPE containers in a cool, dry place. Temperature not exceeding 30°C. Protect from sunlight.
Marker Compounds: Resveratrol, Trans-resveratrol, Quercetin, Gallic acid, Catechin, Tartaric acid
Vehicle (Anupana): Equal quantity of water
Synergistic Combinations
- Abhayarishta
- Lohasava
- Punarnavadi Mandura
- Dhatri Loha
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 6 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 |
| Kerala Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| Maharishi Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Sitaram Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without 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 studies3
- 2016. Determination of Quality Standards for Draksharishta, a Polyherbal Ayurvedic FormulationIndian journal of pharmaceutical sciences. PMID 27168691 · doi:10.4103/0250-474x.180262
- 2012. Investigation of the central and peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of Draksharishta an Indian Ayurvedic formulationJournal of basic and clinical pharmacy. PMID 24826047 · doi:10.4103/0976-0105.105335
- 1983. Experimental studies on the fermentation in asavas and aristas part - 1 draksaristaAncient science of life. PMID 22556971
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.