Sahacharadi Thailam
Sahacharadi Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic taila, a medicated oil. Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Sahasrayogam (Taila Prakarana); also referenced in Ashtanga Hridayam. A signature Kerala Ayurvedic formulation specifically designed for lower body Vata disorders. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 8:59) lists 33 ingredients, beginning with Sahacara, Bilva, Syonaka and Gambhari.
| Also known as | Sahacharadi Thailam, SahacharadiThailam |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Recognized by AYUSH ministry. Manufactured by licensed Kerala Ayurvedic pharmacies under GMP standards. |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 8:59 (SAHACARADI TAILA), which cites Astangahrdaya, Cikitsasthana, Adhyaya 21; 66 - 67½.. 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 | Sahacara * | whole plant | 4.800 kg. |
| 2 | Bilva * | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 3 | Syonaka * | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 4 | Gambhari * | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 5 | Patala * | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 6 | Ganikarika (agnimantha) * | root or stem bark | 480 g. |
| 7 | Salaparni * | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 8 | Prsniparni * | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 9 | Brhati | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 10 | Kantakari * | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 11 | Goksura | whole plant | 480 g. |
| 12 | Abhiru (satavari) * | root tuber | 2.400 kg. |
| 13 | Water for decoction | 49.152 l. reduced to 12.288 l. | |
| 14 | Sevya (usira) | root | 48 g. |
| 15 | Nakha (vyaghranakha) | fruit | 48 g. |
| 16 | Kustha | root | 48 g. |
| 17 | Hima (sveta candana) | heart wood | 48 g. |
| 18 | Ela (suksmaila) * | seed | 48 g. |
| 19 | Sprk (sprkka) * | whole plant | 48 g. |
| 20 | Priyangu | flower | 48 g. |
| 21 | Nalika | stem bark | 48 g. |
| 22 | Ambu (hrivera) * | root | 48 g. |
| 23 | Silaja (saileya) | whole plant | 48 g. |
| 24 | Lohita (manjistha) * | root | 48 g. |
| 25 | Nalada (jatamansi) * | Rz./Rt. | 48 g. |
| 26 | Loha (agaru) | heart wood | 48 g. |
| 27 | Surahva (devadaru) | heart wood | 48 g. |
| 28 | Kopana (coraka) | rhizome | 48 g. |
| 29 | Misi (misreya) | fruit | 48 g. |
| 30 | Turuska | exudate | 48 g. |
| 31 | Nata (tagara) | Rt./Rz. | 48 g. |
| 32 | Ksira (godugdha) | illegible | |
| 33 | Taila (tila) * | oil | illegible |
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 6 to 12 g. 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 | Sahacharadi Thailam |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Sahasrayogam (Taila Prakarana); also referenced in Ashtanga Hridayam. A signature Kerala Ayurvedic formulation specifically designed for lower body Vata disorders.
How does it work?
- Catechins and tannins from Sahachara are proposed to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis
- Curcuminoids (from turmeric component) are proposed to act as antioxidants and inhibit NF-kB inflammatory pathways
- Manjistha’s anthraquinones (purpurin) provide blood-purifying action and mild analgesia, improving microcirculation in the affected lower extremities
- Gokshura and Shalaparni are traditionally used to support muscle function, and diuretic effects are attributed to them
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Gridhrasi (sciatica): traditionally used for sciatic pain. Clinical studies have reported reduced sciatic pain and disability scores with Kati Basti application.
- Lower back pain and chronic lumbar conditions: traditionally used for these conditions.
- Peripheral vascular insufficiency and lower limb weakness due to Vata: traditionally used for these 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
- Generally well-tolerated for external application. Mild skin warming is normal. Patch test recommended for sensitive skin. Not recommended for application over open wounds or acute inflammatory skin conditions.
- Internal use should be under Ayurvedic practitioner supervision. No significant drug interactions reported for external use. Caution advised in individuals with severe varicose veins - gentle application preferred over vigorous massage.
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: Thailam (medicated sesame oil), External application
Standard Dosage: 6 to 12 g, as given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 8:59. External massage for Vata/neurological conditions. The formulary attributes this formula to Astangahrdaya, Cikitsasthana, Adhyaya 21; 66 - 67½.
Optimal Timing: External: before bath or at bedtime. Internal: before meals
Storage: Airtight amber glass/HDPE container, room temperature, protected from light
Marker Compounds: Sesamin, Lupeol
Vehicle (Anupana): External: massage into affected area. Internal: with warm water/milk
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 |
| Patanjali Ayurved | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
| Sitaram Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without 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.
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.