Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Ketaki

Pandanus odorifer

Ketaki (Pandanus odorifer) is a plant used in Ayurveda. Kewra water constituents have >80% oral bioavailability. Terpenoids from leaf extracts show moderate absorption. Arka (distillate) provides pre-dissolved volatile constituents with rapid absorption.

Key facts
Botanical namePandanus odorifer
FamilyPandanaceae
OrderPandanales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 5327293 · Wikidata Q15578898 · NCBI Taxonomy 1165086

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishKetaki

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Tikta, MadhuraPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)LaghuPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)KatuPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Arka (distillate/hydrosol), Taila (infused oil), Lepa (paste), Churna (powder), Attar (essential oil perfume), Kewra water (flavoring)

Standard Dosage: 5-10 mL Arka twice daily; 3-5 g powder; external oil application as needed; Kewra water: 5-10 drops as flavoring agent

Bioavailability: Volatile aromatic compounds (2-phenylethyl alcohol, methyl ether derivatives) are rapidly absorbed through inhalation and GI routes. Kewra water constituents have >80% oral bioavailability. Terpenoids from leaf extracts show moderate absorption. Arka (distillate) provides pre-dissolved volatile constituents with rapid absorption.

Optimal Timing: Arka and internal preparations: after meals; aromatic/calming preparations: evening or before bed; no specific restriction for external applications

Standardized Extract: Kewra essential oil standardized to minimum 40% 2-phenylethyl methyl ether and 15% terpineol by GC-MS; Arka standardized to aromatic volatile content by refractometry

Shelf Life: 12 months for Kewra water (hydrosol); 24 months for essential oil; 18 months for leaf powder; 36 months for attar (in sealed containers)

Storage: Kewra water in dark glass bottles, refrigerated (2-8°C) for optimal aroma retention. Essential oil in amber glass at 15-25°C. Powder in airtight containers. Attar in traditional copper/glass containers sealed with wax.

Marker Compounds: 2-Phenylethyl methyl ether, Terpineol, Linalool, Geraniol, Beta-phenylethyl alcohol, Pandanamine (alkaloid from leaves), Methyl beta-phenylpropionate

Extraction Methods

  • Steam distillation of male flower spadix (for Kewra water and essential oil)
  • Hydrodistillation for attar preparation (co-distilled with sandalwood oil)
  • Water distillation for Arka preparation
  • Solvent extraction (hexane) for absolute
  • Enfleurage (traditional) for delicate flower essence

Synergistic Combinations

  • Chandana (Sandalwood) for attar and cooling formulations
  • Gulab (Rose) for Hridya (cardiotonic) combinations
  • Ushira (Vetiver) for cooling and anti-pitta therapy
  • Jatamansi for calming and anxiolytic preparations

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.

Other clinical studies and reviews1

  1. Panda KK, Achary VM, Krishnaveni R and others. 2011. In vitro biosynthesis and genotoxicity bioassay of silver nanoparticles using plantsToxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA. PMID 21419840 · doi:10.1016/j.tiv.2011.03.008

Laboratory and animal studies9

  1. Oliva PMP, Castro SG, Manzano JAH and others. 2026. Antiglycation and Amyloid-β Inhibitory Activities of Pandanus odorifer Extracts and Isolated Constituents: In Vitro and Molecular Docking InsightsChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 42672905 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.71641
  2. Patil SS, Nadaf AB, Pable AA and others. 2025. Heterologous overexpression of Pandanus odorifer Asparagine synthetase 1 (PoASN1) confers enhanced salinity tolerance in Escherichia coli and RicePhysiologia plantarum. PMID 40189802 · doi:10.1111/ppl.70200
  3. Chang JT, Lee TC, Valchanova AK and others. 2025. Match of fruit-scented cone volatile composition with genetic boundary in Cycas revoluta and implications for fruit mimicry pollinationPlant biology (Stuttgart, Germany). PMID 40605693 · doi:10.1111/plb.70052
  4. Cheruvanachari P, Pattnaik S, Mishra M and others. 2023. Deciphering the antibiofilm potential of 2-Phenylethyl methyl ether (PEME), a bioactive compound of Kewda essential oil against Staphylococcus aureusMicrobial pathogenesis. PMID 37004966 · doi:10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106093
  5. Kumar Paul G, Mahmud S, Aldahish AA and others. 2022. Computational screening and biochemical analysis of Pistacia integerrima and Pandanus odorifer plants to find effective inhibitors against Receptor-Binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein of SARS-Cov-2Arabian journal of chemistry. PMID 34909068 · doi:10.1016/j.arabjc.2021.103600
  6. Hussain A, Oves M, Alajmi MF and others. 2019. Biogenesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Pandanus odorifer leaf extract: anticancer and antimicrobial activitiesRSC advances. PMID 35514831 · doi:10.1039/c9ra01659g
  7. Rashmi D, Barvkar VT, Nadaf A and others. 2019. Integrative omics analysis in Pandanus odorifer (Forssk.) Kuntze reveals the role of Asparagine synthetase in salinity toleranceScientific reports. PMID 30700750 · doi:10.1038/s41598-018-37039-y
  8. Hussain A, Alajmi MF, Khan MA and others. 2019. Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticle (AgNP) From Pandanus odorifer Leaf Extract Exhibits Anti-metastasis and Anti-biofilm PotentialsFrontiers in microbiology. PMID 30853939 · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.00008
  9. Nasim N, Behera JK, Sandeep IS and others. 2018. Phytochemical analysis of flower from Pandanus odorifer (Forssk.) Kuntze for industrial applicationNatural product research. PMID 29298498 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2017.1422184

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