Overview
Yashtimadhu / Mulethi / Liquorice is one of the herbs traditionally used in Ayurveda for brain fog & memory. One of the most frequently used drugs in Ayurveda. Prime Kanthya (throat-soothing) drug. Ingredient of Sitopaladi Churna, Talisadi Churna. Dried root/stolon is used.
How Yashtimadhu / Mulethi / Liquorice Helps with Brain Fog & Memory
According to Ayurvedic pharmacology, Yashtimadhu / Mulethi / Liquorice has specific properties that make it valuable for addressing brain fog & memory:
- Potency (Virya): Sheeta (cold)
- Post-digestive (Vipaka): Madhura
- Taste (Rasa): Madhura (sweet)
- Qualities (Guna): Guru (heavy), Snigdha (unctuous)
Ayurvedic Properties
- Taste (Rasa)
- Sweet (Madhura)
- Quality (Guna)
- Heavy (Guru), Unctuous (Snigdha)
- Potency (Virya)
- Cold (Sheeta)
- Post-digestive (Vipaka)
- Madhura
- Key Constituents
- 5-20% (Glycyrrhizin (Glycyrrhizic acid, 5-20%, 50x sweeter than sugar), Asparagin)
- Also Known As
- Sanskrit: यष्टीमधु, मधुक, क्लीतक, यष्ट्याह्वा
Hindi: मुलेठी, जेठीमधु, मुलहठी
What the Classical Texts Say
Meat juice (Mamsarasa) which is not very thick, Rasala (curds churned and mixed with pepper powder and sugar), Raga (syrup which is sweet, sour and salty) and Khandava (syrup which has all the tastes, prepared with many substances), Panaka panchasara, (syrup prepared with raisins (draksha), madhuka, dates (karjura), kasmarya, and parushaka fruits all in equal quantities, cooled and added with powder of cinnamon leaves, cinnamon and cardamom etc) and kept inside a fresh mud pot, along with leav
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 3: Ritucharya adhyaya Seasonal
117-118 मोचखजूरपनसना रकेलप षकम ् आ ाततालका मयराजादनमधूकजम ् सौवीरबदरा कोलफ गु ले मातको वम ् वातामा भशुका ोडमक ु ू लक नकोचकम ् उ माणं यालं च बं ृहणं गु शीतलम ् दाह त यहरं र त प त सादनम ् वाद ुपाकरसं ि न धं व टि भ कफशु कृत ् Mocha (plantain), kharjura (dates) panasa (jack fruits) narikela (cocoanut ) parusaka amrataka , tala, kasmarya, rajadana, madhuka, badara, ankola, phalgu, slesmataka, vatama, abhisuka, aksoda, mukulaka, nikocaka, urumanam, and priyala make the body stout, not easily di
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 6: Annaswaroopa Food
Similarly so, are Madhuka – Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra) and Mrdvika (grapes) Madhuka and dry grapes – both have similar qualities.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 9: Dravyadi Vigyaniya
Similarly so, are Madhuka – Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra) and Mrdvika (grapes) Madhuka and dry grapes – both have similar qualities.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 9: Dravyadi Vigyaniya
But dry grape has mild purgative action, but Madhuka does not.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 9: Dravyadi Vigyaniya
, Rishabhaka, Madhuka – Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra, Madhuka – Madhuka longifolia, Bimbi – Coccinia grandis / indica, Vidari – Pueraria tuberosa, the two Sravani – Mundi and Sravani, Ksheerasukla, Tugaksiri, the two Ksheerini, Gambhari, the two Saha, milk, sugarcane, Gokshura, Ksaudra, Draksa etc.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 10: Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their
, Rishabhaka, Madhuka – Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra, Madhuka – Madhuka longifolia, Bimbi – Coccinia grandis / indica, Vidari – Pueraria tuberosa, the two Sravani – Mundi and Sravani, Ksheerasukla, Tugaksiri, the two Ksheerini, Gambhari, the two Saha, milk, sugarcane, Gokshura, Ksaudra, Draksa etc.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 10: Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their
It usually contains Madanaphala (Randia spinosa), Licorice etc.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 18: Vamana Virechana Vidhi
Similar is the case of Anuvasana – fat enema and Matra basti – fat enema with very little oil 34-36 Anu taila जीव तीजलदे वदा जलद व से यगोपी हमं दाव व मधुक लवागु वर पु ा व ब वो पलम ् धाव यौ सरु भं ि थरे कृ महरं प ं ु ट रे णक ु ां कि ज कं कमला वलां शतगुणे द ये अ भ स वाथयेत ् ३७ तैला सं दशगण ु ं प रशो य तेन तैलं पचेत ् स ललेन दशैव वारान ् पाके पे चदशमे सममाजद ु धं न यं महागुणमुश यणुतैलमेतत ् ३८ Jivanti, Jala, Devadaru, Jalada, Twak, Sevya, Gopi (sariva), Hima, Darvi twak, Madhuka, Plava, A
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 20: Nasya Vidhi Nasal
13-15 For Shamana- Madyama, medium kind of smoke शमने श लक ला ा प ृ वीका कमलो पलम ् य ोधोद ु बरा व थ ल रो वचः सताः यि टमधु सुवण वक् प कं र तयि टका ग धा चाकु ठतगराः useful drugs are - shallaki, Laksha,Prithvika, Kamala, Utpala, Barks of Nyagrodha, Udumbara, Asvattha, Plaksa and Rodhra; Sita, Yasthimadhu (licorice), Suvarnatwak, Padmaka, Raktayastika Kustha, tagara and other scents – perfumeries.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 21: Dhumpana Medicated Smoking
Herbal smoking blends – Dhuma dravyani – For Mridu- mild kind of smoke, म ृदौ त या यगु गु गुलु मु त थौणेयशैलेयनलदोशीरवालकम ् वय गकौ तीमधुक ब वम जैलवालुकम ् ीवे टकं सजरसो यामकं मदनं लवम ् श लक कुं कुमं माषा यवाः कु द ु काि तलाः नेहः फलानां साराणां मेदो म जा वसा घ ृतम ् useful drugs are-Aguru, Guggulu, Musta, sthauneya, Shaileya, Nalada, Usheera, Valaka, Varanga, Kounti, Madhuka, Bilvamajja, elavaluka, Shrivestaka, Sarjarasa, Dhyamaka, Madana, Plava, Shallaki, Kumkuma, Masha, Yava, Kunduruk
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 21: Dhumpana Medicated Smoking
For Greeshma (summer) – कुमुदो पलक हारद ुवामधुकच दनम ् Kumuda, Utpala, Kalhara, Durva, Madhuka and Chandana (Sandalwood).
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 22: Gandushadi Vidhi Gargles
the ulcer should be covered with cotton swab soaked in a mixture of honey, melted ghee, Anjana – Srotonjana, ash of Ksyauma (flax), Phalini, fruit of Shallaki, Rodhra and Madhuka; then bandaging and other measures done as described previously.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 29: Shastrakarma Vidhi
If the site of the burn does not get torn from an ulcer because of being deep rooted, then a paste of seed of Dhanyamala-(sour gruel), Yashti (licorice) and tila (sesame) should be applied; तलक क: समधुको घ ृता ता णरोपण: । Paste of tila (sesame), and Madhuka mixed with ghee heals the ulcer.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 30: Kshar-AgniKarma Vidhi
If the site of the burn does not get torn from an ulcer because of being deep rooted, then a paste of seed of Dhanyamala-(sour gruel), Yashti (licorice) and tila (sesame) should be applied; तलक क: समधुको घ ृता ता णरोपण: । Paste of tila (sesame), and Madhuka mixed with ghee heals the ulcer.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 30: Kshar-AgniKarma Vidhi
Source: Astanga Hridaya, Ch. 3, Ch. 6, Ch. 9, Ch. 9, Ch. 9, Ch. 10, Ch. 10, Ch. 18, Ch. 20, Ch. 21, Ch. 21, Ch. 22, Ch. 29, Ch. 30, Ch. 30
Other Herbs for Brain Fog & Memory
See all herbs for brain fog & memory on the Brain Fog & Memory page.
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.