Overview
Onion is one of the herbs traditionally used in Ayurveda for parasites and worms. Palandu (Onion) is one of the most universally used vegetables in Indian cooking. It is pungent when raw, sweet when cooked. It is heavy, oily and hot. It strengthens the body and is considered aphrodisiac. It pacifies Vata. Different varieties — white, red and pink. It is used in virtually all Indian preparations. Verse: 63.
How Onion Helps with Parasites and Worms
According to Ayurvedic pharmacology, Onion has specific properties that make it valuable for addressing parasites and worms:
- Potency (Virya): Ushna (hot)
- Post-digestive (Vipaka): Madhura (sweet)
- Taste (Rasa): Madhura (sweet), Katu (pungent)
- Qualities (Guna): Guru (heavy), Snigdha (unctuous), Tikshna (sharp)
Safety & Precautions
As a common food, onion is familiar and widely eaten. The cautions Ayurveda raises are about heat and about which form you use.
Pitta and heat
Onion has a heating potency, and both raw and cooked onion can aggravate Pitta, the dosha of heat and metabolism, when taken in quantity. The Ashtanga Hridaya also notes that onion increases Pitta. If you run hot or are prone to acidity, flushing or inflammation, keep amounts modest and favor cooked onion.
Raw onion and Vata
Raw onion aggravates Vata, the dosha of movement and dryness, even though cooked onion calms it. If you tend toward Vata imbalance, use onion cooked rather than raw.
First-aid uses need medical backup
Onion's traditional roles in fainting, convulsions and fever are first-aid measures for the moment, not treatments for the cause. Any fainting episode with chest pain or palpitations, any seizure, and any fainting that does not resolve within a minute or two needs prompt medical care.
The texts in our records do not address specific drug interactions, pregnancy or overdose. If you are pregnant, nursing, on medication, or planning to take onion juice daily as a remedy, check with a qualified practitioner first.
Other Herbs for Parasites and Worms
See all herbs for parasites and worms on the Parasites and Worms page.
▶ Classical Text References (3 sources)
109-111 पला डु ता गुण यूनः ले मलो ना त प तलः Palandu (onion) is inferior in the above qualities, increases of pitta.
— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food
Source: Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Annaswaroopa Food
Onion cooked with butter-milk or upodika along with badaramla (sour vinegar prepared of badara) or the soup of masura made sour by adding butter-milk should be given in bleeding hemorrhoids.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)
Onion taken alone or along with meat soup, khada (pungent drink), yusha (vegetable soup) and yavngu (thick gruel) cures excessive bleeding and aggravated vata.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)
Large quantity of onion cooked with the trunk of a young goat should be given by adding alternatively, sweet and sour ingredients if there is diminution of stool and blood.
— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)
Source: Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)
Trikatu (three pungents), palandu (onion), madhuka (licorice), the best salt, lac with gairika (red ochre) as collyrium pills;
— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Source: Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 19: Chapter 19
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.