Saraswatarishta
Saraswatarishta is a classical Ayurvedic fermented arishta or asava. Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI), Parts I and II. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India attributes it to Bhaisajyaratnavali, Rasayanadhikara. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 1:36) lists 24 ingredients, beginning with Brahmi, Satavari, Vidarika and Abhaya.
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI), Parts I and II. Referenced in Bhaishajya Ratnavali. Recognized by PCIM&H. Available in AYUSH-approved manufacturing standards. |
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Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 1:36 (SARASVATARISTA), which cites Bhaisajyaratnavali, Rasayanadhikara; 178-184.. 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 | Brahmi * | whole plant | 960 g. |
| 2 | Satavari | root | 240 g. |
| 3 | Vidarika (vidari) * | root tuber | 240 g. |
| 4 | Abhaya (haritaki) | pericarp | 240 g. |
| 5 | Usira | root | 240 g. |
| 6 | Ardraka (sunthi) * | rhizome | 240 g. |
| 7 | Misi (misreya) * | fruit | 240 g. |
| 8 | Water for decoction * | 12.288 l. reduced to 3.072 l. | |
| 9 | Maksika (madhu) | 480 g. | |
| 10 | Sita | 1.200 kg. | |
| 11 | Dhataki * | flower | 240 g. |
| 12 | Renuka * | seed | 12 g. |
| 13 | Trivrta (trivrt) | root | 12 g. |
| 14 | Kana (pippali) | fruit | 12 g. |
| 15 | Devapuspa (lavanga) | flower bud | 12 g. |
| 16 | Vaca | rhizome | 12 g. |
| 17 | Kustha | root | 12 g. |
| 18 | Vajigandha (asvagandha) * | root | 12 g. |
| 19 | Bibhitaki | pericarp | 12 g. |
| 20 | Amrta (guduci) * | stem | 12 g. |
| 21 | Ela (suksmaila) * | seed | 12 g. |
| 22 | Vidanga | fruit | 12 g. |
| 23 | Tvak | stem bark | 12 g. |
| 24 | Svarnapatra | 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 12 to 24 ml. 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
4papers on this site for this drug, published 2014 to 2025, every one with a DOI.
- 4Laboratory 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 | Saraswatarishta |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. Originally classified as a Medhya Rasayana (mind rejuvenator) from the Vedic period (circa 1000 BCE). Used in classical texts for neurological imbalances including neurosis, psychosis, epilepsy, and stuttering.
How does it work?
- Cholinergic modulation by Brahmi and Shankhapushpi is a proposed mechanism linked to memory and cognition
- BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) boosting by Ashwagandha supports synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection
- GABAergic and serotonergic modulation by Vacha and Brahmi is a proposed mechanism for anxiolytic and anti-epileptic activity
- Neuroprotective action through antioxidant compounds reduces oxidative stress in neural tissue
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Memory enhancement and cognitive support: traditionally used for memory and cognitive support. Animal studies in mice and a clinical study have reported effects on memory.
- Speech disorders and stuttering in children: traditionally used for speech disorders and stuttering in children.
- Anxiety and mental fatigue: traditionally used for anxiety and mental fatigue. Research has reported GABA and serotonin modulation.
- Epilepsy (adjunct): traditionally used as an adjunct in epilepsy. A network pharmacology analysis has reported pathways linked to anticonvulsant activity.
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
- Contains self-generated alcohol from fermentation. Should be used cautiously in children, pregnant women, and individuals with liver conditions.
- Vacha (Acorus calamus) contains beta-asarone which has regulatory restrictions in some countries. Long-term use should be monitored by a qualified physician.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Arishta/Asava (fermented liquid), Syrup (modern adaptation)
Standard Dosage: 12 to 24 ml with equal water for brain health, as given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 1:36. The formulary attributes this formula to Bhaisajyaratnavali, Rasayanadhikara; 178-184.
Optimal Timing: After meals, twice daily
Storage: Room temperature, tightly sealed, away from direct sunlight. Do not refrigerate.
Marker Compounds: Bacosides A+B, Withanolides
Vehicle (Anupana): Equal quantity of water after meals
Synergistic Combinations
- Key herbs: Brahmi (Bacopa), Shatavari, Ashwagandha, Haritaki, Dhataki
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 9 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 |
| Maharishi Ayurveda | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Patanjali Ayurved | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| Sandu Pharmaceuticals | Neither an ingredient list nor quantities |
| Shree Dhootapapeshwar | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
| Sitaram Ayurveda | An ingredient list, without quantities |
| SNA Oushadhasala | Ingredients and the quantity of each |
| 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 studies4
- 2023. Effects of two Ayurvedic formulations, Dhanwantaram Kashaya and Saraswatarishta on life history parameters and toxic aggregates in Drosophila models of Huntington's and Alzheimer's diseaseJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 36603787 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.116080
- 2014. Effect of Saraswatarishta in animal models of behavior despairJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 25336844 · doi:10.4103/0975-9476.140469
- 2024. Efficacy of ayurveda medications, Brahmi vati and Saraswatarista, in generalized anxiety disorder- a randomized controlled trialJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 39626587 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2024.101033
- 2025. Efficacy of Mamsyadi Ghana capsule and Saraswatarista in the management of Insomnia Disorder - A Randomized Controlled Clinical TrialJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 40633355 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2025.101160
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.