Sugarcane Juice

Fresh sugarcane juice (Ikshu Rasa) is sweet, heavy, unctuous, and cooling. It is highly nourishing, strengthening, aphrodisiac, and diuretic. It promotes lactation and is beneficial in conditions of debility, emaciation, and burning sensation. Fresh sugarcane juice spoils rapidly, so it should be consumed soon after extraction. When sugarcane juice ferments or becomes sour, it becomes harmful — increasing Pitta and producing Ama. Fresh sugarcane juice alleviates Pitta and Vata. It is especially useful in Mutrakrichra (dysuria), Raktapitta (bleeding disorders), and conditions of debility. Varieties of sugarcane produce juice of varying sweetness and properties. Verses 3-5.

• Vrushya (aphrodisiac)
• Brumhana (nourishing)
• Balya (strengthening)
• Mutrala (diuretic)
• Rechana (purgative/laxative)
• Snehana (oleating)
• Sheetala (cooling)

Iksu Varga – (group of sugarcane juice and its products) Iksurasa Guna – (properties of sugarcane juice) :अथे ु वगः इ ोः सरो गु ः ि न धो बं ृहणः कफमू कृत ् ४२ व ृ यः शीतो अ प त नः वाद ुपाकरसो रसः Juice of sugar cane is Sara (laxative), Guru – heavy to digestion Snigdha – unctuous Brihmana – nutritive, improves weight Kaphakrut – increases Kapha Mutrakrut – increases urine volume Vrushya – aphrodisiac Sheeta – coolant Asrapittaghna – useful in bleeding disorders Swadupaka rasa – sweet.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Drava Vigyaniya Drinkables

शकरे ु वकाराणां फा णतं च वरावरे । Among the products of sugarcane juice, sugar is the best and Phanita (half cooked molasses) is the least.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Drava Vigyaniya Drinkables

The Aged, children, the debilitated, VIPs and cowards, should be made to drink wine, milk, sugarcane juice or meat juice added with honey and Saindhava salt, appropriate to the disease, to their maximum capacity.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Vamana Virechana Vidhi

56 य ोधा दगण वाथप का द सतायुतौ प ते वाद ु हमौ सा य ीरे ुरसमा कौ In case of increase of Pitta, one enema consisting of decoction of drugs of Nyagrodhadi gana and Padmakadi gana made sweet and cold and mixed with ghee, milk , sugarcane juice and honey will be ideal.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Vasti Vidhi Enema

In case of diminution of mutra, sugarcane juice, varuni type of wine, manda (thin gruel), liquid food articles and substances having madhura, lavana,and amla tastes and sticky nature should be administered.

— Charaka Samhita, Sharira Sthana — Human Body & Embryology, Chapter 6: Analysis of the Body (Sharira Vichaya Sharira / शरीर विचय शरीर)

Two prasthas of ghee should be cooked with the juice dhatri (two prasthas), juice of vidari (two prasthas), sugarcane juice (two prasthas), soup of the meat of goat (two prasthas), milk (two prasthas), and the paste (one karsha each) of jivaka, rsabhaka, vira, jivanti, nagara, shati, shalaparni, prushniparni, mashaparni, mudgaparni,meda, mahameda, kakoli, kshirakakoli, kantakari, bruhati, shveta punarnava, rakta punarnava,madhuka, atmagupta, shatavari, riddhi,parushaka, bharangi, mridvika, briha

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 11: Chest Injury and Emaciation Treatment (Kshatakshina Chikitsa / क्षतक्षीणचिकित्सा)

This paste, juice of dhatri (two prasthas), juice of vidari (two prasthas), sugarcane juice (two prasthas), and ghee (two prasthas) should be cooked together.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 11: Chest Injury and Emaciation Treatment (Kshatakshina Chikitsa / क्षतक्षीणचिकित्सा)

The above mentioned drugs should be made to a paste by triturating with sugarcane juice before adding to the recipe.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 11: Chest Injury and Emaciation Treatment (Kshatakshina Chikitsa / क्षतक्षीणचिकित्सा)

Food comprising rakta shali (Oryza sativa), yava (Hordeum vulgare), mudga (Phaseolus radiatus), meat soup of dry land animals, milk, cow’s urine, asava (fermented infusions), arishtha (fermented decoctions), honey, sidhu (alcoholic preparation from sugarcane juice) and sura (alcoholic preparation made by fermenting a mixture of water, flour of rice and jaggery).

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 13: Abdominal Diseases Treatment (Udara Chikitsa / उदरचिकित्सा)

The suitable Anupanas (after-drinks/vehicles) for Avaleha are: milk, sugarcane juice, meat broth (Yusha), decoction of Dashamoola (ten roots), or decoction of Vasa (Adhatoda vasica) — these should be used as adjuvants according to the disease being treated.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 8: Avalehakalpana (Confection/Electuary 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)

Give ghee, sugarcane juice, grapes, milk, sugar water, or sweet-sour substances to pacify.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 9: Dhumapana Vidhi (Medicated Smoking Therapy)

Flowers of the two brihatis (Solanum species) and bimbi (Coccinia), in equal parts with manjishtha (Rubia), ground with honey or sugarcane juice.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 12: Raktabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Blood-type Conjunctivitis)

Sugarcane juice is sweet, heavy, cool, unctuous, nourishing, strengthening, aphrodisiac, and promotes Kapha.

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 45: Dravadravya-vidhi Adhyaya - On Liquid Substances

Sugarcane Products (Ikshu-varga) and Alcoholic Beverages (Madya-varga) (Verses 148-216) Sugarcane juice is sweet, heavy, cool, unctuous, nourishing, strengthening, aphrodisiac, and promotes Kapha.

— Sushruta Samhita, Dravadravya-vidhi Adhyaya - On Liquid Substances