Vamshalochana
Bambusa bambos (the source plant; the drug is the siliceous concretion from its internodes, not the plant)
Vamshalochana is bamboo manna, the siliceous concretion that forms inside the internodes of the bamboo Bambusa bambos, and not a plant part. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India names it in five classical preparations and records its part as a silicaceous concretion. The Unani and Persian name Tabasheer denotes the same material.
| Botanical name | Bambusa bambos (the source plant; the drug is the siliceous concretion from its internodes, not the plant) |
|---|---|
| Family | Poaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Poales |
| Also known as | Vamshalochana, Vamsha Lochana, Tabasheer, Tabashir, Banslochan, Bamboo Manna |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2705752 · Wikidata Q15509516 · NCBI Taxonomy 207296 |
Siliceous concretion from the internodes of female bamboo, Vamsha (Bambusa bambos, also published as B. arundinacea). It is not a plant part: the Ayurvedic Formulary of India records its part as a silicaceous concretion in every entry that uses it. Classical Ayurveda treats it as a cooling, astringent, medhya and kasahara dravya. It is a key prakshep dravya in classical Avaleha pharmacy, including Chyawanprash and related Rasayanas.
Identification
Translucent to opaque whitish-grey siliceous nodules, hard and brittle, sourced by splitting mature female bamboo internodes. Classical name Tabasheer (Unani/Persian) denotes the same material. Over 90% hydrated amorphous silica (SiO₂·nH₂O), trace potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron. Sweet-astringent taste, cold in virya, madhura-vipaka.
Classical references
- Charaka Samhita, named in medhya-rasayana contexts
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu; cites Kasahara and Daurbalyahara actions
- Raja Nighantu, “Vamsharochana”
- Sharangadhara Samhita, prakshep in Avaleha kalpana
Use in Chyawanprash
Added in the Prakshep phase (lukewarm, post-paka) along with Pippali, Twak, Ela, Tejpatra and Nagakesara. Provides the sweet-cooling balancing note and the classical medhya-rasayana signature.
Adulteration note
The commodity market is heavily adulterated with calcium silicate (chemically synthesized), borax, or chalk. Authentic Vamshalochana tests: soluble in HF but insoluble in HCl; gives clear silica fusion with Na₂CO₃; XRD shows amorphous halo (no sharp calcite peaks). Premium sourcing, hand-sorted nodules from Western Ghats or Northeast Indian bamboo belts.
Safety
Generally regarded as safe at classical prakshep doses (50–500 mg/day as part of compounded Avalehas). High silica content: avoid standalone mega-doses in renal disease.
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.