Licorice for Frequent Urination During Pregnancy: Does It Work?
Does Licorice (Yashtimadhu) (Glycyrrhiza glabra, यष्टिमधु) help with frequent urination during pregnancy (Mutra-Atipravritti Garbhini)? The honest, supervised answer: a limited, food-tier yes, only under midwife or Vaidya supervision, and only when the picture is the burning-without-infection, Pitta-aggravated urinary irritation pattern. Licorice is a recognised mild Garbhini support in Bhavaprakash Nighantu, Haritakyadi Varga, but it carries a blood-pressure caution that makes it the most carefully dosed herb in this group.
Pregnancy frequency in Ayurveda is Apana Vayu displaced first by the hormonal Vata-Pitta surge of early pregnancy and then mechanically by the growing uterus. When Pitta in the urinary channels (Mutravaha Srotas) dominates, the picture is small-volume urgency, burning-without-infection, and the raw, irritated sensation that drives the bathroom trip. Licorice is classically Madhura (sweet) and Tikta (bitter) in taste, Sheeta (cold) in potency, and a recognised Pitta Shamaka (Pitta-pacifier) and Shothahara (anti-inflammatory). Its mucous-membrane-soothing action is also well-documented for urinary discomfort, and the herb's overall description in the source material names urination pain among its primary indications.
The classical citation is direct: Bhavaprakash Nighantu, Haritakyadi Varga records Yashtimadhu as a Rasayana with mild Garbhini support, useful for the inflamed, hot, urinary-irritation layer of pregnancy. The dose is food-tier (a quarter-teaspoon of powder in warm milk, not a therapeutic capsule), the duration is short (5 to 7 days at a time, not continuous), and the supervision is non-negotiable.
Critical first: rule out urinary tract infection. Burning with frequency, urgency, fever, lower-back or flank pain, cloudy or blood-tinged urine, foul-smelling urine, these are UTI red flags and need same-day antibiotic care from your obstetrician or midwife. Untreated UTI in pregnancy raises preterm-labour risk and is one of the avoidable causes of preterm birth. Licorice is for benign Pitta-pattern frequency, never for symptomatic infection, and never without supervision in pregnancy.
How Licorice Helps with Frequent Urination During Pregnancy
Licorice works on the Pitta-irritation layer of pregnancy urinary frequency, not on urine volume. Three mechanisms matter, and the third is the reason supervision is required.
1. Mucous-membrane soothing (Kanthya extended to Mutravaha Srotas)
The Bhavaprakash Nighantu, Haritakyadi Varga classifies Licorice as the prime Kanthya drug, the throat-and-mucous-membrane soother. The same demulcent action that calms an inflamed throat extends to other mucous-lined surfaces, including the urinary tract lining. Licorice's documented role as a "mucus membrane toner and soother" sits inside the broader urinary-comfort tradition, and its named application to "urination pain" in the classical source material refers to exactly this soothing effect on an irritated bladder and urethral lining.
2. Pitta Shamaka, Madhura Rasa, Sheeta Virya
Licorice's property profile is the mirror image of warming, drying herbs: sweet and bitter in taste (Madhura, Tikta Rasa), cold in potency (Sheeta Virya), with a dosha effect of VP-minus, K-plus (pacifying Vata and Pitta, mildly aggravating Kapha). In the Vata-Pitta surge of early pregnancy and the Pitta-irritation pattern of small-volume urgency, this cooling, moistening profile is well-matched. The classical Shothahara (anti-inflammatory) action adds a documented reduction of the inflammatory layer that drives the urgency signal.
3. Rasayana support (the limited classical role in pregnancy)
Licorice is recognised in Bhavaprakash Nighantu as a Rasayana, a tissue-nourishing rejuvenative. Its mild Garbhini support comes from this category, the gentle anabolic action that supports tissue tone in pregnancy. This is the reason it is named at all in pregnancy texts, despite its blood-pressure caution. The traditional pairing is licorice in warm milk, the milk softening the heat-and-blood-pressure side of the herb and delivering the soothing and Rasayana actions cleanly.
The blood-pressure caution (why supervision is non-negotiable)
This is the load-bearing safety point. Licorice's active compound, glycyrrhizin, has aldosterone-like activity. Sustained internal use raises blood pressure, increases sodium and water retention, and lowers potassium. In pregnancy, where blood pressure is already monitored at every antenatal visit, this is a significant concern. Pre-existing hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, edema, or a history of any blood-pressure-related complication makes Licorice contraindicated. Even in women without these risks, the dose is kept at food-tier (a quarter-teaspoon in warm milk), the duration is short (5 to 7 days at a time), and a midwife or Vaidya needs to know it is being used.
Where Licorice sits inside the pregnancy-urinary protocol
Licorice is not the lead pregnancy-urinary herb. Shatavari holds that slot. Licorice is a short-course Pitta-cooler used when the burning-without-infection layer is the dominant symptom and gentler herbs (coriander, fennel) have not fully settled it. There is no clinical trial of licorice for pregnancy urinary frequency; the use rests on classical karma description and on supervised tradition.
How to Use Licorice for Frequent Urination During Pregnancy
The pregnancy-safe form of Licorice (Yashtimadhu) is a quarter-teaspoon of root powder stirred into warm milk at bedtime, taken as a short course under supervision. Capsules, standardised extracts, decoctions, and the "licorice tea" doses used outside pregnancy are not appropriate here.
Licorice in warm milk (the classical Madhura-Rasa-Sheeta-Virya delivery)
Warm one cup of milk (or a milk substitute if dairy is not tolerated). Stir in 1 to 2 grams (roughly a quarter teaspoon) of Yashtimadhu root powder. Sip slowly before bed. The milk softens the herb's heat-and-blood-pressure profile and delivers the soothing and Rasayana actions cleanly. This is the only pregnancy-safe internal form, and even this is short-course, not daily-for-months.
Dosage and duration
| Form | Dose | When | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yashtimadhu powder in warm milk | 1 to 2 g (~ 1/4 tsp) | Once daily at bedtime, under supervision | 5 to 7 days maximum per course; pause 2 to 3 weeks before any repeat |
| Licorice capsules / standardised extract | Not recommended in pregnancy | — | — |
| DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) | Only under specialist supervision | — | — |
Who should not take Licorice in pregnancy
- Any history of high blood pressure, including gestational hypertension.
- Preeclampsia, current or past.
- Edema, ankle swelling, or fluid retention beyond normal pregnancy levels.
- Low blood potassium for any reason.
- Pre-existing kidney or heart disease.
- Use of diuretics, corticosteroids, or any blood-pressure medication.
- Any pregnancy complication. Default to Shatavari, coriander, or fennel instead.
Anupana and the protocol context
The classical pairing is licorice plus warm milk, the milk acting as both anupana and protector. Outside the licorice cup, the broader pregnancy-urinary protocol should already be in place: Shatavari in warm milk most evenings as the lead Garbha-poshaka (Licorice replaces Shatavari only during the short Pitta-flare course, not in parallel with it), coriander seed tea after meals for Pitta in the urinary channels, cumin water for gentle urinary antiseptic support, and the broader cooling foods (cucumber, lauki, coconut water, pomegranate).
Trimester guidance
- First trimester: Generally avoid. Default to coriander or fennel for any urinary discomfort. Licorice is not first-line here.
- Second trimester: The safest window for a 5 to 7 day supervised course if the Pitta-irritation layer is strong and gentler herbs have not settled it.
- Third trimester: Generally avoid. Blood pressure is monitored more closely; the risk-benefit balance shifts.
Monitor during use
Blood pressure check before starting and after 3 to 4 days of use. Stop immediately if blood pressure rises, ankle swelling worsens, headache develops, or any preeclampsia symptom appears. Pair the course with adequate potassium intake (banana, leafy greens) and continued generous hydration.
What not to do in pregnancy
- Do not use commercial licorice products, "licorice tea" blends, or candy-style licorice.
- Do not use Licorice to reduce hydration. The goal is calming irritation, not cutting fluid.
- Do not continue past 7 days without re-assessment.
- Do not start Licorice without confirming with your midwife, obstetrician, or a Vaidya experienced in obstetric Ayurveda.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Licorice safe in pregnancy?
Conditionally and supervised. Bhavaprakash Nighantu, Haritakyadi Varga names Yashtimadhu as a Rasayana with mild Garbhini support, and short food-tier courses (a quarter-teaspoon in warm milk, 5 to 7 days) are recognised for the inflamed, hot, Pitta-pattern urinary irritation. The blood-pressure caution is real: the active compound glycyrrhizin has aldosterone-like activity, raising blood pressure, retaining sodium and water, and lowering potassium with sustained use. Any history of high blood pressure, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, edema, or kidney disease makes it contraindicated. Always under midwife or Vaidya supervision.
Licorice vs Shatavari, Coriander, or Fennel for pregnancy urinary frequency?
Different roles. Shatavari is the lead pregnancy Garbha-poshaka, the daily Rasayana taken in warm milk for womb nourishment and gentle urinary support. Coriander seed tea cools Pitta in the urinary channels and is the most universally safe choice across all trimesters. Fennel seed water is gentle digestive carminative support. Licorice is the short-course Pitta-cooler reserved for the burning-without-infection layer when gentler herbs have not settled it, and only under supervision. Start with the safer three; bring Licorice in only if needed.
I am on blood-pressure medication. Can I still take Licorice?
No. Licorice's aldosterone-like effect interacts with antihypertensives, diuretics, and corticosteroids. Sustained use raises blood pressure and lowers potassium, the opposite of what most blood-pressure medication is trying to achieve. The interaction risk is significant. Use Shatavari, coriander, or fennel instead; ask your obstetrician or Vaidya for the herb most suited to your specific dosha-medication picture.
What about DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice)? Is it safer in pregnancy?
DGL has the glycyrrhizin removed, which removes most of the blood-pressure risk. The trade-off is that it also reduces the demulcent and Rasayana actions that make standard Licorice useful for urinary comfort. DGL is more commonly used for peptic ulcers and reflux, not for urinary frequency, and its safety in pregnancy is not robustly established. Default to standard Yashtimadhu under supervision, or skip Licorice entirely and use the gentler herbs (Shatavari, coriander, fennel).
I have burning urination. Should I take Licorice or see a doctor?
See a doctor today. Burning urination, urgency even when the bladder is empty, fever, lower-back or flank pain, cloudy or blood-tinged urine, or foul-smelling urine are all red flags for urinary tract infection. Untreated UTI in pregnancy raises preterm-labour risk and is one of the avoidable causes of preterm birth. Get a urine dipstick, urine culture, and prescribed antibiotics from your obstetrician or midwife. Cystitis in pregnancy is a medical, not herbal, situation. Licorice is for benign, supervised, Pitta-pattern frequency without infection.
Recommended: Start Licorice for Frequent Urination During Pregnancy
If you want to add Licorice (Yashtimadhu) to your pregnancy urinary-comfort routine, the only safe step is a short supervised course of a quarter-teaspoon of powder in warm milk at bedtime, and only after your midwife or Vaidya has cleared it.
Best form: plain Yashtimadhu root powder, food-grade, no capsules, no extracts, no commercial "licorice tea" blends.
Kitchen recipe: warm one cup of milk, stir in 1 to 2 grams (roughly a quarter teaspoon) of Yashtimadhu powder, sip slowly before bed. The milk softens the herb's heat-and-blood-pressure profile and delivers the cooling, mucous-membrane-soothing action cleanly. Run for 5 to 7 days maximum, then pause 2 to 3 weeks before any repeat course.
Trimester fork: first and third trimesters, default to gentler herbs (Shatavari, coriander, fennel) and skip Licorice. Second trimester is the safest window if the burning-without-infection Pitta layer is strong and gentler herbs have not settled it.
Find Yashtimadhu on Amazon ↗ Shatavari Powder ↗
Safety, non-negotiable: rule out UTI first. Burning, urgency, fever, flank or back pain, cloudy or blood-tinged urine, foul smell, these need same-day antibiotic care from your obstetrician or midwife, never a Licorice protocol. Licorice raises blood pressure through aldosterone-like activity; contraindicated with any history of hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, edema, kidney or heart disease, or use of diuretics, corticosteroids, or BP medication. Check blood pressure before starting and at day 3 to 4 of use; stop immediately if BP rises, swelling worsens, or any preeclampsia symptom appears. Do not use Licorice to reduce hydration. Do not start without midwife or Vaidya clearance, supervision is the load-bearing safety condition for this herb in pregnancy.
Safety & Precautions
Licorice is one of the most-used herbs on earth, but it is also one of the very few Ayurvedic herbs with a well-documented, dose-dependent side-effect profile. The active compound glycyrrhizin is the reason for both its power and its cautions. The good news: nearly all of the risk is avoidable by understanding dose and form.
The Hypertension Warning (Read This First)
Glycyrrhizin inhibits the enzyme 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, which allows cortisol to act on mineralocorticoid receptors. The practical result is pseudoaldosteronism, the body behaves as if aldosterone is elevated. This means:
- Sodium and water retention, blood pressure rises
- Potassium loss through urine, risk of hypokalaemia
- In extreme cases: muscle weakness, arrhythmia, and oedema
Classical Ayurveda describes this directly: Licorice "increases water around the heart" and is contraindicated in hridroga (heart disease) and swelling. Modern cardiology agrees. Do not take therapeutic doses of whole-root Licorice if you have high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, low potassium, or a history of stroke. For any of these, DGL is the safe alternative.
Dose Matters Enormously
The difference between "daily tonic" and "adverse event" is dose and duration:
- Culinary/trace amounts (a piece of root in tea, a lozenge), safe for virtually everyone
- 1-3 g/day of powder, short-term (up to 4-6 weeks), safe for most healthy adults
- Above 3 g/day, or daily for months, real risk of BP elevation and potassium loss, even in previously healthy people
- DGL, no glycyrrhizin, effectively no BP risk at any typical dose
Drug Interactions
Licorice can meaningfully interact with several common medications. If you are on any of the following, consult your doctor before using therapeutic doses:
- Diuretics (especially thiazides and loop diuretics), compounds potassium loss dangerously
- Digoxin, low potassium increases digoxin toxicity risk
- Corticosteroids, Licorice extends their half-life and effect
- Warfarin, may alter bleeding risk
- Blood pressure medication, Licorice directly opposes the drug's action
- Oral contraceptives and hormone therapy, phyto-oestrogenic effect may potentiate
- Insulin and oral hypoglycaemics, Licorice can affect blood sugar in either direction
Pregnancy and Nursing
Classical Ayurveda states plainly: do not use in pregnancy. Modern observational data aligns, high Licorice intake during pregnancy is associated with preterm labour and second-trimester bleeding risk. Small culinary amounts and DGL are likely fine, but therapeutic whole-root use should be avoided. During breastfeeding, small amounts appear safe, but avoid prolonged high-dose use.
Other Cautions
- High Kapha individuals, Licorice's sweet, heavy, moist qualities can aggravate Kapha and worsen oedema, congestion, or sluggishness. Combine with ginger or black pepper to offset.
- Low potassium diet, Licorice increases potassium excretion. Pair with potassium-rich foods (banana, spinach, coconut water).
- Calcium absorption, chronic high-dose use may interfere with calcium absorption; classical texts flag caution in osteoporosis.
- Hypoglycaemia, Licorice can lower blood sugar; take with food if prone.
Signs You Are Taking Too Much
Watery weight gain, puffy face, ankle swelling, muscle weakness or cramps, headaches, and unexplained BP elevation. If any of these appear, stop immediately, effects usually resolve within 1-2 weeks once the herb is discontinued.
Other Herbs for Frequent Urination During Pregnancy
See all herbs for frequent urination during pregnancy on the Frequent Urination During Pregnancy page.
▶ Classical Text References (5 sources)
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
Similarly so, are Madhuka – Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra) and Mrdvika (grapes) Madhuka and dry grapes – both have similar qualities.
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, 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 Sutrasthan, Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their
It usually contains Madanaphala (Randia spinosa), Licorice etc.
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Vamana Virechana Vidhi
Sita, Yasthimadhu (licorice), Suvarnatwak, Padmaka, Raktayastika Kustha, tagara and other scents – perfumeries.
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Dhumpana Medicated Smoking
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;
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Kshar-AgniKarma Vidhi
Source: Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Dravyadi Vigyaniya; Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their; Vamana Virechana Vidhi; Dhumpana Medicated Smoking; Kshar-AgniKarma Vidhi
[249] Sauviranjana, tuttha, tapya-dhatu (maksika), manahshila, chaksushya (variety of kulattha), madhuka (Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra), loha bhasma(iron), precious stones, pushpanjana, saindhava, tusk of boar, kataka – strychnos potatorum may be used in the form of either powder or varti as collyrium which is excellent remedies for timira (cataract) and such other eye-diseases.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 26: Three Vital Organs Treatment (Trimarmiya Chikitsa / त्रिमर्मीयचिकित्सा)
[278 ½- 279½] Recipe for restoration of hair: Application of the paste of tila – sesame (Sesamum indicum), amalaki – Phyllanthus emblica, kinjalka, madhuka– Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra and honey over the head restores the color of hair, and promotes hair growth.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 26: Three Vital Organs Treatment (Trimarmiya Chikitsa / त्रिमर्मीयचिकित्सा)
Source: Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 26: Three Vital Organs Treatment (Trimarmiya Chikitsa / त्रिमर्मीयचिकित्सा)
Also: Murva (Marsdenia tenacissima), Madhurasa/Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra — licorice), Danti (Baliospermum montanum), Pushkara Moola (Inula racemosa), Bala (Sida cordifolia), Atibala (Abutilon indicum), Kapikacchu (Mucuna pruriens), and Trikantaka/Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris).
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 10: Asavarishta-Sandhanakalpana (Fermented Preparations)
The famous Dashanga Lepa (ten-ingredient paste) is made from: Shirisha (Albizia lebbeck), Madhuyashti (Glycyrrhiza glabra, licorice), Tagara (Valeriana wallichii), Rakta Chandana (red sandalwood, Pterocarpus santalinus), Ela (Elettaria cardamomum, cardamom), Mansi (Nardostachys jatamansi, spikenard), Nisha Yugma (Curcuma longa and Berberis aristata), Kushtha (Saussurea lappa), and Balaka (Pavonia odorata).
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
By applying a paste of Yashti (licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra), Indivara (blue lotus, Nymphaea stellata), Mridvika (raisins, Vitis vinifera), sesame oil, and ghee, Indralupta (alopecia areata) is cured and the hair becomes dense and strong.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
This nourishing paste combines the anti-inflammatory licorice with cooling blue lotus and nutritive raisins in an oil-ghee base.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
A paste of Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata), Nilotpala (blue lotus, Nymphaea stellata), Daru (Cedrus deodara), Chandana (sandalwood, Santalum album), Madhuka (licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra), and Bala (Sida cordifolia), mixed with ghee and decoction -- this destroys Vata-type Visarpa (erysipelas/herpes).
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
Source: Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 10: Asavarishta-Sandhanakalpana (Fermented Preparations); Uttara Khanda, Chapter 11: Lepa Vidhi (Topical Paste Application)
The intense pain caused by the fall of the surgical instrument on the body is pacified by irrigation with warm ghee mixed with Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra / licorice) (42).
— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 5: Agropaharaniya Adhyaya - Surgical Instruments and Procedures
Key principles: (1) Only close clean wounds, (2) Post-op lifestyle restrictions, (3) Seasonal adjustment of wound care frequency, (4) Emergency exceptions to protocol, (5) Warm ghee with licorice for post-surgical pain — licorice has proven anti-inflammatory properties.
— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 5: Agropaharaniya Adhyaya - Surgical Instruments and Procedures
Milk boiled with saindhava (rock salt), udicya, yashtimadhu (licorice), and pippali (long pepper), reduced to half — is beneficial for irrigation (seka) and also for ashchyotana (eye drops).
— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 9: Vatabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Vata-type Conjunctivitis)
Madhuka (licorice), rajani (turmeric), pathya (haritaki), and devadaru (cedar) should be ground.
— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 9: Vatabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Vata-type Conjunctivitis)
Draksha (grapes), audra, chandana (sandalwood), yashtimadhu (licorice), yoshit-tira, and rajyanka — ground to a paste with ghee, these are recommended for tarpana (eye nourishment), seka (irrigation), and nasya (nasal therapy).
— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 10: Pittabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Pitta-type Conjunctivitis)
Source: Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 5: Agropaharaniya Adhyaya - Surgical Instruments and Procedures; Uttara Tantra, Chapter 9: Vatabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Vata-type Conjunctivitis); Uttara Tantra, Chapter 10: Pittabhishyanda Pratishedha Adhyaya (Chapter on Treatment of Pitta-type Conjunctivitis)
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.