Panchatikta Ghrita
Panchatikta Ghrita is a classical Ayurvedic ghrita, a medicated ghee. Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI); Panchatikta Guggulu Ghrita in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API); standard quality parameters established for manufacturing. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 6:26) lists 10 ingredients: Nimba 480 g, Patola 480 g, Vyaghri 480 g, Guduci 480 g, Vasaka 480 g, Water for decoction 12.288 l., reduced to 3.072 l, Haritaki 128 g, Bibhitaka 128 g, Amalaki 128 g and Ghrta 768 g.
| Also known as | Panchatikta Ghrita, PanchatiktaGhrita |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI); Panchatikta Guggulu Ghrita in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API); standard quality parameters established for manufacturing |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 6:26 (PANCATIKTA GHRTA), which cites Bhaisajyaratnavali, Kusthadhikara; 114-116.. 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 | Nimba | stem bark | 480 g. |
| 2 | Patola * | 480 g. | |
| 3 | Vyaghri (kantakari) * | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 4 | Guduci * | stem | 480 g. |
| 5 | Vasaka (vasa) | root | 480 g. |
| 6 | Water for decoction * | 12.288 l., reduced to 3.072 l. | |
| 7 | Haritaki | pericarp | 128 g. |
| 8 | Bibhitaka | pericarp | 128 g. |
| 9 | Amalaki | pericarp | 128 g. |
| 10 | Ghrta (go ghrta) | 768 g. |
* 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 milk, warm water. 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 2016 to 2021, every one with a DOI.
- 1Randomised controlled trials
- 2Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Panchatikta Ghrita |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Bhaishajya Ratnavali Kushta Adhikara (Panchatikta Ghrita); Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana; Sushruta Samhita
How does it work?
- Five bitter herbs (Panchatikta) provide potent Pitta-Rakta pacification, reducing inflammatory cascades in blood and skin
- Neem (nimbidin, azadirachtin) delivers antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory action targeting dermatological pathogens
- Guduchi is described as an immunomodulator
- Ghee base serves as Snehana (oleation) medium for Panchakarma preparatory procedures
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Kushta (skin diseases including psoriasis, eczema): traditionally used for these skin conditions. Multicenter clinical trials have reported improvement when it was combined with supportive therapies.
- Raktapitta (bleeding disorders): traditionally used for its blood-purifying and pitta-pacifying action.
- Vrana (non-healing ulcers): traditionally used topically and internally for chronic wounds.
- Snehapana (Panchakarma oleation): used in classical practice as a preparatory medium before Virechana in dermatological conditions.
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
- Due to bitter taste, may cause mild nausea in sensitive individuals; ghee content requires caution in hyperlipidemic and diabetic patients
What is it made of?
The Ayurvedic Formulary of India recipe, every ingredient with its part and quantity, is in the composition table near the top of this page.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Ghrita (medicated ghee), Capsule (for convenience)
Standard Dosage: 12-24ml for skin conditions and detox
Optimal Timing: Before meals on empty stomach for best absorption
Storage: Airtight glass/stainless steel container, cool dry place, protected from light and moisture
Marker Compounds: Vasicine, Tinosporin
Vehicle (Anupana): Warm water or warm milk
Synergistic Combinations
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.
Randomised controlled trials1
- 2019. Assessing the Effectiveness of Panchatikta Ghrita, a Classical Ayurvedic Formulation as Add-on Therapy to Vitamin D(3) and Calcium Supplements in Patients with Osteopenia: A Randomized, Open-Labeled, Comparative, Controlled Clinical StudyJournal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). PMID 31460771 · doi:10.1089/acm.2019.0124
Laboratory and animal studies2
- 2021. Does Panchatikta ghrita have anti-osteoporotic effect? Assessment in an experimental model in ovariectomized ratsJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 31708331 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2019.04.006
- 2016. An experimental study to evaluate the antiosteoporotic effect of Panchatikta Ghrita in a steroid-induced osteoporosis rat modelIndian journal of pharmacology. PMID 27298501 · doi:10.4103/0253-7613.182881
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.