Brihati for Parasites and Worms: Does It Work?
Does Brihati (Badi Kateri) help with parasites and worms? The Bhavaprakash Nighantu (Varga 3) classes it as anthelmintic (Krimighna) and names worms (Krimi) among its five classical uses, alongside cough, asthma, fever and hiccup.
Ayurveda calls parasites Krimi and describes them as bred by excess Kapha, the heavy, moist dosha, along with sweat, blood and stale feces.
Brihati is a prickly undershrub of the nightshade family and a member of the Laghu Panchamula, the classical group of five small roots. It is pungent (Katu) and bitter (Tikta), light, dry and sharp in quality, and hot in potency (Ushna Virya), with strong Kapha-reducing action.
How Brihati Helps with Parasites and Worms
Kapha is the dosha our sources link directly to Krimi, and weak digestion leaves behind Ama, the sticky residue of undigested food in which worms thrive.
Reducing Kapha
The Bhavaprakash Nighantu lists Brihati as Kapha- and Vata-alleviating. Its pungent and bitter taste and light, dry, sharp qualities run directly against Kapha's heavy, wet nature.
Kindling digestion
It is also a kindler of the digestive fire (Deepani). Stronger Agni leaves less Ama for parasites to live on.
Its constituents are steroidal alkaloids, chiefly solanine and solasodine. Our sources contain no modern research on Brihati for parasites.
How to Use Brihati for Parasites and Worms
Our sources give no worm-specific preparation. The root powder is the most practical internal form, since it targets Kapha and digestion directly.
| Form | Dose | Why for worms | When to take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root powder (Churna) | 1 to 3 g | Reduces Kapha, kindles digestion | Once or twice daily, with warm water or honey |
| Root decoction (Kashaya) | 30 to 50 ml | A stronger Vata-Kapha form | Once or twice daily, warm |
Vehicle
Warm water or honey are the recorded vehicles (anupana). Honey suits a Kapha pattern.
Course and follow-up
Our sources give no worm-specific course length. The classical Krimi plan clears the bowel afterward, often with Triphala, and cuts back on heavy, sweet and stale foods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brihati safe in pregnancy?
Avoid it unless a qualified practitioner directs otherwise, because of its alkaloid content.
Who else should avoid Brihati?
The Ashtanga Hridaya notes that the two Brihatis increase Pitta. Skip it with burning, acidity or active gastritis.
Is Brihati a dedicated worm herb?
Worms are one of its five classical uses, but it is best known for cough and asthma. It fits best when worms come with Kapha congestion.
Brihati vs Black Pepper or Ajwain for worms?
All three are pungent and heating. Black Pepper and Ajwain are kitchen spices with well-known doses.
Recommended: Start Brihati for Parasites and Worms
If you want to start using Brihati for parasites today, here is the simplest starting point.
Best form: Brihati root powder, 1 to 3 g once or twice daily. It reduces Kapha and kindles digestion, the two levers Ayurveda uses against worms.
Kitchen version: mix the powder with a little honey, a vehicle that also suits a Kapha pattern.
Find Brihati on Amazon ↗ Raw Honey ↗
Safety: avoid Brihati in pregnancy and with acidity or gastritis, and see a doctor before treating a child for worms.
Safety & Precautions
Brihati is a useful classical herb, but it is not a gentle one. It belongs to the nightshade genus and contains steroidal alkaloids, chiefly solanine and solasodine. That is the main reason it is treated as a practitioner herb rather than something to experiment with at home.
Who Should Avoid It
- Pregnancy: avoid Brihati unless a qualified practitioner directs otherwise, because of its alkaloid content.
- Excess Pitta: the Astanga Hridaya notes that the two Brihatis increase Pitta, the dosha of heat. Skip it with burning, acidity, red and inflamed skin or scalp, or hot, burning eye flares.
- Active gastritis or hyperacidity: its heating, sharp nature can aggravate these.
- Autoimmune conditions or immunosuppressant medication: consult a practitioner first, as Solanum alkaloids may interact.
Practical Cautions
- Never put Brihati juice, paste, or extract into the eye.
- Do not forage the plant or eat the raw berries.
- Patch test any topical paste on the inner forearm for 24 hours first, and stop or dilute if it irritates.
- Stay within classical dose ranges and avoid long, unsupervised use.
Hiccups lasting longer than 48 hours, or eye symptoms with vision changes or no improvement in a few days, need medical evaluation.
Other Herbs for Parasites and Worms
See all herbs for parasites and worms on the Parasites and Worms page.
▶ Classical Text References (5 sources)
- Kasa (cough)
- Shwasa (asthma/dyspnea)
- Jwara (fever)
- Krimi (worms/parasites)
- Hikka (hiccup)
Source: Bhavaprakash Nighantu, Varga 3
प तलं द पनं भे द वात नं ब ृहती वयम ् The two Brihatis (Brihati and Kantakari) increases pitta, promote hunger, breaks the hard faeces.
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food
It is astringent and bitter in taste, not in potency and mitigate kapha and anila (vata ) 167 वं ब ृह यंशुमती वयगो ुरकैः म ृतम ् वाद ुपाकरसं ना तशीतो णं सवदोशिजत ् Brihatidwaya (brihati and kantakari), amsumatidwaya (saliparni and prsniparni) and goksurakatogether are known as hrasva panchamula (Laghu panchamoola).
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food
Tikta Gana – group of bitters :त तः पदोल ाय ती वालकोशीर च दनम ् भू न ब न ब कटुका तगरा गु व सकम ् न तमाला वरजनी मु त मूवाट पकम पाठापामागकां यायोगुडू चध वयासकम ् प चमल ू ं महा या यौ वशाल अ त वषावचा Patoli, Trayanti – Gentiana kurroa, Valaka, Usira – Vetiveria zizanioides, Chandana – Sandalwood, Bhunimba – The creat (whole plant) – Andrographis paniculata, Nimba – Neem – Azadirachta indica, Katuka – Picrorhiza kurroa, Tagara – Indian Valerian (root) – Valeriana wallichi, Aguru, Vatsaka – Hol
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their
21-24 योषकटवीवरा श ु वड गा त वषाि थराः ह गुस ौवचलाजाजीयवानीधा य च काः नशी ब ृह यौ हपुषा पाठामूलं च के बुकात ् एषां चूण मधु घ ृतं तैलं च सदशांशकम ् स तु भः षोडशगुणैयु तं पीतं नहि त तत ् अ त थौ या दकान ् सवा ोगान यां च त वधान ् ोगकामलाि व वासकासगल हान ् बु मेधा म ृ तकरं स न या ने च द पनम ् Powder of Vyosha- (Trikatu – pepper, long pepper and ginger), Katvi, Vara (Triphala), Shigru (drum stick), Vidanga (False black pepper – Embelia ribes), Ativisha, Sthira (Desmodium gangeticum), Hingu – (A
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Dvividha Upakramaneeya
Source: Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food; Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their; Dvividha Upakramaneeya
ity amr̥tādyaṁ tailam Guduchi, madhuka, laghu panchamula (shalparni, prishnaparni, choti kateri, badi kateri, gokshura), punarnava, rasna, eranda moola, herbs of jeevaniya gana (each 4 kg), bala (20 kg), kola (Zizyphus jujuba), bilwa, yava, masha (black gram) and kulattha (horse shoe gram ) each 2.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 29: Gout Treatment (Vatarakta Chikitsa / वातरक्तचिकित्सा)
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)
Bala, vidari, hrasva panchamula (shalaparni, prsniparni, brihati, kantakari and gokshura), punarnava, and the sungas (terminal buds) of five kshirivrikshas (nyagrodha, udumbara, asvattha, madhuka and plaksha)- one pala of each of these drugs should be made to a decoction.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 11: Chest Injury and Emaciation Treatment (Kshatakshina Chikitsa / क्षतक्षीणचिकित्सा)
One pala of each of tvak-kshiri, shravani (munditika), draksha, murva, rushabhaka, jivaka, vira (vidarikanda), riddhi, kshirakakoli, brihati, kapikacchu, fruit of kharjura and meda should be made into paste by triturating with milk.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 11: Chest Injury and Emaciation Treatment (Kshatakshina Chikitsa / क्षतक्षीणचिकित्सा)
280 Kg of gandeera, bhallataka, chitraka, trikatu, vidnaga, kantakari and brihati and add 1.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)
Source: Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 29: Gout Treatment (Vatarakta Chikitsa / वातरक्तचिकित्सा); Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 11: Chest Injury and Emaciation Treatment (Kshatakshina Chikitsa / क्षतक्षीणचिकित्सा); Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 12: Edema Treatment (Shvayathu Chikitsa / श्वयथुचिकित्सा)
The fruit of Brihati (Solanum indicum) is Rechana (evacuative for semen).
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Purva Khanda, Chapter 4: Dipana-Pachana Adikathanam (Digestive Actions etc.)
The two Brihati (Solanum indicum and Solanum xanthocarpum), Kantakari, Shati (Hedychium spicatum), Pushkaramula (Inula racemosa), Vacha (Acorus calamus), and Vibhitaka (Terminalia bellirica) — this decoction alleviates Vata-Kapha disorders.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 2: Kvathakalpana (Decoction Preparations)
The ingredients are: Patala (Stereospermum suaveolens), Aranikas (Premna mucronata and Clerodendrum phlomidis), Kashmarya (Gmelina arborea), Bilva (Aegle marmelos), Araluka (Ailanthus excelsa), Gambhari (Gmelina arborea), the two Brihatis — Brihati (Solanum indicum) and Kantakari (Solanum surattense), Pippali (Piper longum), Shringi (Pistacia integerrima), Draksha (Vitis vinifera), Amrita/Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), and Abhaya/Haritaki (Terminalia chebula).
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 8: Avalehakalpana (Confection/Electuary Preparations)
Other pastes for Indralupta (alopecia areata): Brihati (Solanum indicum) juice with honey;
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
: black pepper (Maricha, Piper nigrum), Saindhava (rock salt), Krishna (Pippali/long pepper), Tagara (Valeriana wallichii), and Brihati fruit (Solanum indicum).
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
Source: Sharangadhara Samhita, Purva Khanda, Chapter 4: Dipana-Pachana Adikathanam (Digestive Actions etc.); Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 2: Kvathakalpana (Decoction Preparations); Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 8: Avalehakalpana (Confection/Electuary Preparations); Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
Place the paste inside the fruit of brihati (Solanum) from Magadha region when the fruit ripens.
— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 11: Kaphabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Kapha-type Conjunctivitis)
One should wear (as amulets) Lakshmana, Sahadeva, and Brihati (Solanum indicum).
— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 30: Shakunipratishedha
Eranda (castor) root in equal measure, with double the portion of brihati.
— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Source: Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 11: Kaphabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Kapha-type Conjunctivitis); Uttara Tantra, Chapter 30: Shakunipratishedha; Uttara Tantra, Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Ayurvedic treatments should be pursued under the guidance of a qualified practitioner (BAMS/MD Ayurveda). Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new treatment. Content is sourced from classical Ayurvedic texts and may not reflect the latest medical research.