Ikshu
Saccharum officinarum
Ikshu (Saccharum officinarum) is a plant used in Ayurveda. [Flavonoids and phenolic acids from sugarcane: Distribution in the plant, changes during processing, and potential benefits to industry and health](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38369931/). Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety.
| Botanical name | Saccharum officinarum |
|---|---|
| Family | Poaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Poales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2703912 · Wikidata Q3391243 · NCBI Taxonomy 4547 |
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Ikshu |
Key Phytochemical Constituents
- Sucrose (12-17% in juice)
- Polyphenols: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid
- Flavonoids: luteolin, apigenin, tricin
- Anthocyanins (in colored varieties)
- Policosanols (octacosanol)
- Phytosterols
- Minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese
- Vitamins: C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6
- Organic acids: aconitic, malic, citric acid
- Amino acids: asparagine, glutamine
How does it work?
- Hepatoprotective: Flavonoids and phenolic acids protect hepatocytes through CYP2E1 inhibition, Keap1/Nrf2 antioxidant pathway activation, and NF-kB inflammatory cascade suppression
- Diuretic (Mutrala): High potassium content and natural sugars promote renal osmotic diuresis; alkaline minerals help flush urinary tract
- Cooling and Pitta-pacifying: Sweet taste and cooling virya directly counteract Pitta-related heat, burning sensations, and acid conditions; phenolic antioxidants reduce oxidative heat
- Policosanol-mediated cardiovascular benefit: Octacosanol and other long-chain alcohols in sugarcane wax lower LDL cholesterol and inhibit platelet aggregation
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
- Kamala (jaundice/liver disorders): Hepatoprotective polyphenols (chlorogenic acid, flavonoids) and the CYP2E1/Keap1/NF-kB pathway modulation validate traditional use of fresh sugarcane juice in jaundice treatment
- Mutrakricchra and Ashmari (dysuria and kidney stones): Diuretic and alkalinizing properties of sugarcane juice scientifically support traditional use in urinary disorders
- Daha (burning sensation/Pitta conditions): Cooling virya, antioxidant polyphenols, and high potassium content validate traditional use as a Pitta-pacifying cooling agent
What do recent clinical trials show?
- Hewawansa UHAJ, Houghton MJ, Barber E and others 2024. Flavonoids and phenolic acids from sugarcane: Distribution in the plant, changes during processing, and potential benefits to industry and health. Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety. PMID 38369931 · doi:10.1111/1541-4337.13307
Comprehensive review identified six key polyphenol classes in sugarcane with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticancer activities; processing significantly reduces polyphenol content, supporting Ayurvedic preference for fresh juice. - Wang M, Zhao L, Wang Y and others 2025. Sugarcane Molasses Polyphenol Extract Attenuates Alcohol-Induced Chronic Liver Damage via Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and CYP2E1/Keap1/NF-κB Pathway Modulation. Nutrients. PMID 40362898 · doi:10.3390/nu17091589
Sugarcane polyphenols mitigate alcoholic liver damage via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms through CYP2E1/Keap1/NF-kB pathway modulation; novel strategy for hepatoprotection.
1 further claim previously listed here could not be traced to a published paper and has been removed. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.
Recent safety updates
- Fresh sugarcane juice has high glycemic load despite moderate GI; diabetic patients should consume in limited quantities under medical guidance
- Rapid microbial contamination of fresh juice at ambient temperature; should be consumed within 30 minutes of extraction or refrigerated
- Sugarcane juice from fields treated with excess pesticides may contain organophosphate residues; organic sourcing preferred
- Processing into refined sugar destroys all beneficial polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals; only fresh juice or minimally processed forms (jaggery) retain therapeutic value
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Swarasa (fresh juice), Sharkara (sugar preparations), Guda (jaggery forms), Kashayam (decoction of root), Capsule (root extract)
Standard Dosage: 50-100ml fresh sugarcane juice daily; 3-6g root powder; 10-20g jaggery as vehicle
Bioavailability: Saccharum officinarum juice is rich in sucrose, polyphenols (including policosanols and flavonoids), and minerals with high oral bioavailability for sugars and minerals. Policosanols show moderate absorption (~10-15%). Octacosanol (C28 alcohol) absorption is enhanced with dietary fats. Root extract phenolics have variable bioavailability.
Optimal Timing: Fresh juice in morning or between meals; root decoction before meals
Standardized Extract: Policosanol extract standardized to >60% octacosanol (from sugarcane wax); root aqueous extract for traditional applications
Shelf Life: 1 day (fresh juice, unpreserved); 6 months (pasteurized juice); 2 years (root powder); 3 years (policosanol extract capsule)
Storage: Fresh juice: refrigerate and consume within hours. Dried preparations: cool, dry place below 25°C. Jaggery: airtight containers, protect from moisture.
Marker Compounds: Octacosanol, Triacontanol, Policosanols (C24-C34 fatty alcohols), Luteolin, Apigenin, Tricin
Extraction Methods
- Cold pressing/crushing (fresh juice)
- Aqueous decoction of roots
- Ethanol extraction of root for phenolic-enriched fraction
- Industrial wax extraction for policosanol fraction
Synergistic Combinations
- With Amalaki to reduce Pitta
- With Yashtimadhu for soothing urinary tract
- With Draksha (grape) for nutritive tonic action
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 trials4
- 2022. Rosa damascena together with brown sugar mitigate functional constipation in children over 12 months old: A double-blind randomized controlled trialJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 35963416 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115582
- 2019. A randomized controlled double blinded trial to evaluate efficacy of oral administration of black strap molasses (sugarcane extract) in comparison with polyethylene glycol on pediatric functional constipationJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 30946967 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2019.111845
- 2012. Influence of different supplements and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars on intake, digestible variables and methane production of dairy heifers under tropical conditionsTropical animal health and production. PMID 22476735 · doi:10.1007/s11250-012-0136-y
- 2006. Phoenix sylvestris Roxb pollen allergy: a 2-year randomized controlled trial and follow-up study of immunotherapy in patients with seasonal allergy in an agricultural area of West Bengal, IndiaJournal of investigational allergology & clinical immunology. PMID 17153886
Other clinical studies and reviews3
- 2024. Flavonoids and phenolic acids from sugarcane: Distribution in the plant, changes during processing, and potential benefits to industry and healthComprehensive reviews in food science and food safety. PMID 38369931 · doi:10.1111/1541-4337.13307
- 2019. What Has Been the Focus of Sugarcane Research? A Bibliometric OverviewInternational journal of environmental research and public health. PMID 31509963 · doi:10.3390/ijerph16183326
- 2016. D-003 (Saccharum officinarum): The forgotten lipid-lowering agentPharmacological research. PMID 27751878 · doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2016.10.008
Laboratory and animal studies1
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.