Narayana Thailam
Narayana Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic taila, a medicated oil. Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I. Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Vatavyadhi Chikitsa, verses 140-150) by Govind Das Sen. The foundational Narayana formulation containing 33 herbs (the 'Maha' version adds Ashtavarga to reach 50+ herbs). The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 8:23) lists 34 ingredients, beginning with Bilva, Agnimantha, Syonaka and Patala.
| Also known as | Narayana Thailam, NarayanaThailam |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) Part I. Primary reference in Bhaishajya Ratnavali (verses 140-150). One of the most widely used Vata-pacifying Tailas in Ayurvedic practice. Manufactured by all major licensed Ayurvedic pharmacies under GMP standards. |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 8:23 (NARAYANA TAILA), which cites Bhaisajyaratnavali, Vatavyadhyadhikara; 140-144.. 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 | Bilva * | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 2 | Agnimantha | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 3 | Syonaka * | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 4 | Patala | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 5 | Paribhadra | stem bark | 480 g. |
| 6 | Prasarani * | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 7 | Asvagandha | root | 480 g. |
| 8 | Brhati | illegible | 480 g. |
| 9 | Kantakari * | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 10 | Bala | root | 480 g. |
| 11 | Atibala | root | 480 g. |
| 12 | Svadamstra (goksura) * | illegible | 480 g. |
| 13 | Punarnava (rakta punarnava) | root | 480 g. |
| 14 | Water for decoction * | 49.152 l. reduced to 12.288 l. | |
| 15 | Taila (tila) | oil | 3.072 kg. |
| 16 | Satapuspa (Satahva) | fruit | 96 g. |
| 17 | Devadaru | heart wood | 96 g. |
| 18 | Mamsi (jatamamsi) * | Rz./Rt. | 96 g. |
| 19 | Saileyaka (Saileya) * | whole plant | 96 g. |
| 20 | Vaca | rhizome | 96 g. |
| 21 | Candana (rakta candana) | heart wood | 96 g. |
| 22 | Tagara | Rt./Rz. | 96 g. |
| 23 | Kustha | root | 96 g. |
| 24 | Ela (stksmaila) | seed | 96 g. |
| 25 | Salaparni | illegible | 96 g. |
| 26 | Prsniparni | illegible | 96 g. |
| 27 | Mudgaparni | illegible | 96 g. |
| 28 | Masaparni * | illegible | 96 g. |
| 29 | Rasna | Rt./Lf. | 96 g. |
| 30 | Turagagandha (asvagandha) | root | 96 g. |
| 31 | Saindhava lavana | 96 g. | |
| 32 | Punarnava (rakta punarnava) | root | 96 g. |
| 33 | Satavararasa (satavari) * | root tuber | 3.072 l. |
| 34 | Gavya ksira (go dugdha) * | 12.288 l. |
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 anupana, the vehicle it is taken with, as warm water, milk. This is what the Formulary records for the classical preparation. It is not a dose for any product, and not advice to take anything.
The evidence at a glance
3papers on this site for this drug, published 2013 to 2025, every one 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 | Narayana Thailam |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Vatavyadhi Chikitsa, verses 140-150) by Govind Das Sen. The foundational Narayana formulation containing 33 herbs (the ‘Maha’ version adds Ashtavarga to reach 50+ herbs). Named after Lord Narayana (Vishnu) for its protective and restorative properties.
How does it work?
- Sesame oil lipid medium serves as a transdermal delivery vehicle for lipophilic saponins, lignans, and phenolics
- Dashamoola’s combined action of 10 root extracts is proposed to provide anti-inflammatory activity through simultaneous inhibition of multiple inflammatory pathways (COX, LOX, NF-kB)
- Tagara’s valepotriates and Jatamansi’s nardostachin provide dual nervine sedative and antispasmodic action, addressing both the pain and spasm components of Vata disorders
- Ashwagandha’s withanolides and Bala’s ephedrine alkaloids are proposed to support neuromuscular function and to have analgesic effects
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Vatavyadhi (Vata-related conditions), including paralysis, tremors, and muscular atrophy: traditionally used for these conditions. Observational studies have reported improvement in neuromuscular function.
- Lower back pain and lumbar spasm: traditionally used for these complaints. A pilot clinical study reported improvement in pain with nightly oleation and Swedana.
- Osteoarthritis stiffness and swelling: traditionally used for these complaints. Observational studies have reported reduced symptoms with regular Abhyanga.
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 for external application (Abhyanga). Balanced formulation suitable for regular use. Mild skin warmth is normal after application. Patch test recommended for sensitive individuals. No significant drug interactions for external use reported.
- Internal administration (Basti, Nasya, oral use) should only be under Ayurvedic practitioner supervision. Not recommended during acute Pitta flare-ups or fever. Caution in individuals on anticoagulant or anti-inflammatory medications. The Maha Narayana version is more potent but also heavier and less suitable for daily use.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Thailam (medicated sesame oil), External application
Standard Dosage: External massage and Basti: 30-60ml
Optimal Timing: External: before bath or at bedtime. Internal: before meals
Storage: Airtight amber glass/HDPE container, room temperature, protected from light
Marker Compounds: Shatavarin, Withanolides
Vehicle (Anupana): External: massage into affected area. Internal: with warm water/milk
Synergistic Combinations
- Key herbs: Shatavari, Ashwagandha, Dashamoola; oil base acts as lipid carrier for enhanced tissue penetration
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 |
|---|---|
| AVN Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| 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 studies3
- 2013. Role of Nasya and Matra Basti with Narayana Taila on anovulatory factorAyu. PMID 24049410 · doi:10.4103/0974-8520.115453
- 2025. Evaluation of Yograj Guggulu, Ashwagandha Churna and Narayana Taila in management of Osteoarthritis Knee: A study in tribal dominant communityJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 40215578 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2024.101077
- 2017. Clinical evaluation of Vatari guggulu, Maharasnadi kwatha and Narayan taila in the management of osteoarthritis kneeJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 28757225 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2017.02.001
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.