Pinda Thailam
Pinda Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic taila, a medicated oil. Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Vatavyadhi Chikitsa); also referenced in Sahasrayogam. A specialized Pitta-Vata pacifying formulation notable for its simplicity, traditionally used for inflammatory skin and joint conditions. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 8:28) lists 6 ingredients: Madhucchista, Manjistha 455 g, Sarja rasa 186 g, Sariva 455 g, Taila and Water 24 l.
| Also known as | Pinda Thailam, PindaThailam |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Referenced in Bhaishajya Ratnavali and Sahasrayogam. Manufactured by licensed Ayurvedic pharmacies under GMP standards. Quality markers include presence of anthraquinones from Manjistha. |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 8:28 (PINDA TAILA), which cites Astangahrdaya, Cikitsasthana, Adhyaya 22:22.. 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 | Madhucchista * | illegible | |
| 2 | Manjistha | root | 455 g. |
| 3 | Sarja rasa (sarja) | exudate | 186 g. |
| 4 | Sariva * | 455 g. | |
| 5 | Taila (tila) * | oil | illegible |
| 6 | Water * | 24 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 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 | Pinda Thailam |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Vatavyadhi Chikitsa); also referenced in Sahasrayogam. A specialized Pitta-Vata pacifying formulation notable for its simplicity, traditionally used for inflammatory skin and joint conditions.
How does it work?
- Anthraquinones (purpurin, munjistin) from Manjistha are reported to have anti-inflammatory activity; Manjistha is classically associated with Rakta Dhatu (blood tissue)
- Sariva’s hemidesmin and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde are reported to have cooling and anti-inflammatory activity
- Beeswax provides an occlusive barrier layer that holds the herbal constituents in contact with the skin for longer
- Oleic and linoleic fatty acids from sesame oil are reported to support transdermal penetration of active herbal compounds to deeper tissue layers
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Inflammatory skin conditions (psoriasis, eczema): traditionally used for these conditions. Pharmacological studies have reported anti-inflammatory anthraquinones and phytosterols in Manjistha and Sariva.
- Gout and inflammatory joint conditions: traditionally used for these conditions. A clinical study of oil-based therapy reported reduced pain in knee osteoarthritis.
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 well-tolerated for external application on inflamed skin and joints. Mild warming or cooling sensation is normal. Patch test recommended for individuals with very sensitive or eczematous skin. Avoid on open or infected wounds.
- Large-scale multi-centric RCTs on long-term safety are still lacking. Caution advised in individuals with known sesame allergy. Not a replacement for medical treatment in severe psoriasis or inflammatory arthritis - should be used as complementary therapy.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Thailam (medicated sesame oil), External application
Standard Dosage: External for eczema
Optimal Timing: External: before bath or at bedtime
Storage: Airtight amber glass/HDPE container, room temperature, protected from light
Marker Compounds: Alizarin, Purpurin
Vehicle (Anupana): External: massage into affected area
Synergistic Combinations
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 5 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 |
| 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 studies1
- 2004. Topical anti-inflammatory activity of pinda thailam, a herbal gel formulationAncient science of life. PMID 22557143
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.