Shukta

Shukta (vinegar) is a sour fermented preparation made from various fruits, grains, or sugarcane. It is sour in taste, hot in potency, sharp, and penetrating. It stimulates digestion, relieves colic pain (Shoola), and pacifies Vata and Kapha. Different types of Shukta are prepared from different base materials — Dhanyamla (grain vinegar), Phala Amla (fruit vinegar), and Ikshu Amla (sugarcane vinegar). Shukta is more mature and sour than Kanji. It is used both as a food item and as a therapeutic preparation. Excessive use can aggravate Pitta and Rakta (blood disorders). Verses: 4-6.

• Deepana (appetizing)
• Pachana (digestive)
• Shoolahara (anti-colic)
• Vata-Kapha-shamaka (pacifies Vata and Kapha)

Asava (fermented infusion) :गुडे ु म य मा वीक शु तं लघु यथो तरम ् ॥ ७७ ॥ Asava prepared by using tubers, roots, fruits etc, is similar to shukta.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Drava Vigyaniya Drinkables

Notes :- Shukta – Fermented gruel, Dhanyamla, Sauviraka, Tushodaka etc.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Drava Vigyaniya Drinkables

, milk, Honey with water Shukta – fermented gruel, Madya – wine, Mamsarasa – juice of meat, Mutra – urine of animals or Dhanyamla – wash of grains fermented by keeping overnight, These liquids are commonly used in Gandusha.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Gandushadi Vidhi Gargles

as also in amla dadhi (sour curd), dadhi mastu (whey), shukta (vinegars), sura (type of liquor) and sauviraka (type of wine);

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 21: Erysipelas Treatment (Visarpa Chikitsa / विसर्पचिकित्सा)

If the udavarta continues in spite of the above treatment, then the patient should be purgated with cow’s urine, prasanna (clear top portion of alcohol), dadhimanda (upper liquid portion of curd/ curd-scum) and shukta (vinegar).

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 26: Three Vital Organs Treatment (Trimarmiya Chikitsa / त्रिमर्मीयचिकित्सा)

Excess intake of salty, sour, pungent, alkalies and fatty substances, hot food, consumption of rotten and dried flesh, fleshes of aquatic animals like fish, animals living in the area where there are dense forest and heavy rainfall, cake of oil seeds after extraction of oil (pindyaka), radish (Raphanus sativus), red gram, black gram, green vegetables, palala (grated flesh), sugarcane, curd, sour gruel, sauvira and shukta (vinegar), butter milk, sura and asava (alcohol and medicinal preparations

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 29: Gout Treatment (Vatarakta Chikitsa / वातरक्तचिकित्सा)

The woman who consumes excessive salty, sour, food heavy to digest, pungent,those causing burning sensation,unctous and fatty diets, meat of domestic and aquatic animals, cooked rice with pulse (krishira), rice cooked with milk (payasa), curd, vinegar (shukta), curd water(mastu), alcohol etc.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 30: Gynecological Disorders Treatment (Yonivyapat Chikitsa / योनिव्यापत्चिकित्सा)

Definitions of Varuni and Shukta: that which is fermented from the juice of Tala (Borassus flabellifer — palmyra palm) and Kharjura (Phoenix dactylifera — dates) is called Varuni.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 10: Asavarishta-Sandhanakalpana (Fermented Preparations)

When roots, tubers, fruits, and similar oily substances [undergo acetous fermentation], the result is Shukta (vinegar).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 10: Asavarishta-Sandhanakalpana (Fermented Preparations)

Definitions of Guda Shukta and Ikshu Shukta: when jaggery-water (Guda Ambu) combined with oil (Taila) is fermented with roots, tubers, and fruits, the result is Guda Shukta (jaggery vinegar).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 10: Asavarishta-Sandhanakalpana (Fermented Preparations)

Similarly prepared from sugarcane juice is Ikshu Shukta (sugarcane vinegar), and that made from Mridvika/Draksha (raisins — Vitis vinifera) is Draksha Shukta (grape vinegar).

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 10: Asavarishta-Sandhanakalpana (Fermented Preparations)

Massage with Tara oil and Shukta (vinegar).

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 39: Jvarapratishedha

The juice of matulunga (citron), vinegar (shukta), and the juice of garlic and ginger — each one individually is suitable for ear filling (karnapurana), or oil prepared with them.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 21: Chapter 21

The sour (amla) group includes: dadima (pomegranate), amalaki, matulunga (citron), amrataka, kapittha (wood apple), karamarda, badara (jujube), kola, prachina-amalaka, tindika, koshamraka, bhavya, paravata, vetra fruit, lakucha, amlavetasa, dantashatha, takra (buttermilk), sura (wine), shukta (vinegar), sauvirakam, and tushodaka.

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 42: Rasavishesha-vijnaniya Adhyaya - On Specific Knowledge of Tastes

Among fermented preparations, vinegar (shukta) is best.

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 44: Virechana-dravya-vikalpa-vijnaniya Adhyaya - On Purgative Drug Preparations

Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter, Astringent Groups and Drug Classification (Continued) The sour (amla) group includes: dadima (pomegranate), amalaki, matulunga (citron), amrataka, kapittha (wood apple), karamarda, badara (jujube), kola, prachina-amalaka, tindika, koshamraka, bhavya, paravata, vetra fruit, lakucha, amlavetasa, dantashatha, takra (buttermilk), sura (wine), shukta (vinegar), sauvirakam, and tushodaka.

— Sushruta Samhita, Rasavishesha-vijnaniya Adhyaya - On Specific Knowledge of Tastes