Hingvashtak Churna
Hingvashtak Churna is a classical Ayurvedic churna, a fine herbal powder. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 7:37) lists 8 ingredients: Sunthi 3 g, Marica 3 g, Pippali 3 g, Ajamoda 3 g, Saindhava lavana, Sveta jiraka 3 g, Krsna jiraka 3 g and Hingu-suddha 3 g.
| Also known as | Hingvashtak Churna, HingvashtakChurna |
|---|
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 7:37 (HINGVASTAKA CURNA), which cites Bhaisajyaratnavali. Agnimandyadirogadhikara; 37.. 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 | Sunthi | rhizome | 3 g |
| 2 | Marica * | fruit | 3 g |
| 3 | Pippali * | fruit | 3 g |
| 4 | Ajamoda * | fruit | 3 g |
| 5 | Saindhava lavana | illegible | |
| 6 | Sveta jiraka * | fruit | 3 g |
| 7 | Krsna jiraka | fruit | 3 g |
| 8 | Hingu-suddha | exudate | 3 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 Formulary gives the dose as 1 to 2 g, with anupana, the vehicle it is taken with, of ghee. This is what the Formulary records for the classical preparation. It is not a dose for any product, and not advice to take anything.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Hingvashtak Churna |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Katu, Lavana | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Tikshna | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Agnimandya / Ajirna Rogadhikara). Also referenced in Yoga Ratnakara and Sharangdhara Samhita. The name ‘Ashtak’ signifies the eight primary ingredients.
How does it work?
- Carminative action: Asafoetida (Hing) contains ferulic acid and volatile sulfur compounds that reduce intestinal gas formation and promote gas expulsion.
- Digestive enzyme stimulation: Trikatu (black pepper, long pepper, ginger) stimulates secretion of digestive enzymes including pepsin, lipase, and amylase.
- Antispasmodic effect: Volatile oils from cumin and ajwain relax intestinal smooth muscle, reducing cramping and colic.
- Antimicrobial action: Ferulic acid and thymol have been reported to show laboratory activity against E. coli and S. aureus.
- Gastroprotective mucosal defense: Ginger compounds protect gastric mucosa against NSAID-induced and ethanol-induced ulceration.
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Traditionally used for functional dyspepsia and indigestion. A randomized controlled trial reported improvement in symptoms.
- Traditionally used for flatulence and bloating. An animal study reported a reduction in intestinal gas volume.
- Traditionally used for IBS symptoms. Preliminary clinical studies have reported improvement in pain, bloating, and stool consistency.
- Traditionally used to protect the stomach. Studies in ibuprofen-induced and ethanol-induced ulcer models have reported mucosal protection.
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
- Generally safe at recommended doses. May cause stomach irritation in some patients, particularly those with gastric sensitivity.
- Contains rock salt (Saindhava Lavana); patients with hypertension and kidney-related diseases should use with caution and medical supervision.
- Not advised during pregnancy. Should not be taken without medical advice for prolonged periods. Those on blood pressure or cardiac medications should consult physician.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (fine powder), Capsules (modern), Tablets (modern)
Standard Dosage: 1 to 2 g twice daily with first morsel of food or before meals, as given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 7:37. The formulary’s anupana: ghee. The formulary attributes this formula to Bhaisajyaratnavali, Agnimandyadirogadhikara; 37.
Optimal Timing: Immediately before meals or with first morsel of food (unique classical instruction)
Storage: Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. Strong aromatic, sealed packaging essential. Temperature not exceeding 30°C. Use desiccant (salt component is hygroscopic).
Marker Compounds: Piperine, 6-Gingerol, Cuminaldehyde, Ferulic acid, Thymol
Vehicle (Anupana): Ghee, per the Ayurvedic Formulary of India; also given with first morsel of food, or with warm water/buttermilk before meals
Synergistic Combinations
- Chitrakadi Vati
- Agnitundi Vati
- Lavanbhaskar Churna
- Shankha Vati
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 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Baidyanath | An ingredient list, without quantities (on 3 of its 4 pages for this preparation; the others differ) |
| Maharishi Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Patanjali Ayurved | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| Shree Dhootapapeshwar | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
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.
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.