Vidangarishta
Vidangarishta is a classical Ayurvedic fermented arishta or asava. Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Sharangadharasamhita Madhyamakhanda. Also referenced in Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (16th century CE) and Yogaratnakara for anthelmintic indications. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 1:34) lists 20 ingredients, beginning with Vidanga, Granthika, Rasna and Kutaja-tvak.
| Pharmacopoeia status | Listed in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). Referenced in Sharangadharasamhita and Bhavaprakasha. Vidanga (Embelia ribes) monograph in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. |
|---|
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 1:34 (VIDANGARISTA), which cites Sarngadharasamhita, Madhyamakhanda,Adhyaya 10;47-50. (printed exactly so at lines 5396-5397; the Devanagari colophon at line 5433 repeats it as शार्गधरसंहिता, मध्यमखण्ड, अध्याय 10; 47-50. 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 | Vidanga | fruit | 240 g. |
| 2 | Granthika (pippali) | root | 240 g. |
| 3 | Rasna | Rt/Lf. | 240 g. |
| 4 | Kutaja-tvak * | stem bark | 240 g. |
| 5 | Kutaja-Phala * | seed | 240 g. |
| 6 | Patha * | root | 240 g |
| 7 | Elavaluka * | stem bark | 240 g. |
| 8 | Dhatri (amalaki) * | pericarp | 240 g. |
| 9 | Water for decoction * | 98.304 l. | |
| reduced to | 12.288 l. | ||
| 10 | Ksaudra (madhu) | 14.400 kg. | |
| 11 | Dhataki * | 960 g. | |
| 12 | Tvak * | 96 g. | |
| 13 | Ela (suksmaila) * | seed | 96 g. |
| 14 | Patra (tejapatra) | leaf | 96 g. |
| 15 | Priyangu | flower | 48 g. |
| 16 | Kancanara | stem bark | 48 g. |
| 17 | Lodhra * | stem bark | 48 g. |
| 18 | Sunthi | rhizome | 384 g. |
| 19 | Marica * | fruit | 384 g. |
| 20 | Pippali | fruit | 384 g. |
* The scanned text was damaged at this row and the name was read from the entry's own Sanskrit verse.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Vidangarishta |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Sharangadharasamhita Madhyamakhanda. Also referenced in Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (16th century CE) and Yogaratnakara for anthelmintic indications.
How does it work?
- Embelin (from Vidanga) is regarded as the main anthelmintic constituent, traditionally used against intestinal parasites (roundworms, tapeworms)
- Kutaja provides anti-dysenteric and anti-amoebic action complementing the antiparasitic activity
- Pippali-mediated bioavailability enhancement increases systemic absorption of embelin and other active compounds
- Triphala and Rasna are traditionally regarded as immunomodulatory
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Intestinal parasites (Krimi Roga): traditionally used for intestinal parasites. A clinical pilot study reported a reduction in worm load.
- Abdominal bloating and flatulence: traditionally used as a digestive and carminative for abdominal bloating and flatulence.
- Skin abscesses and boils: traditionally used for skin abscesses and boils. Antibacterial profiling studies have reported antibacterial activity.
- Urinary disorders and prostate enlargement: traditionally used for urinary disorders and prostate enlargement. Its components are traditionally regarded as anti-inflammatory and diuretic.
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 5-10% self-generated alcohol. Embelin has a narrow therapeutic index; adherence to recommended dosage is critical. Overdose may cause nausea and vomiting.
- Not recommended during pregnancy (embelin has anti-implantation properties). Liver function monitoring recommended during prolonged use. May interact with conventional anthelmintic drugs.
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Arishta/Asava (fermented liquid), Syrup (modern adaptation)
Standard Dosage: 15-30ml with equal water for anthelmintic action
Optimal Timing: After meals, twice daily
Storage: Room temperature, tightly sealed, away from direct sunlight. Do not refrigerate.
Marker Compounds: Embelin, Vilangin
Vehicle (Anupana): Equal quantity of water after meals
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 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 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.