Asava

Asava & Arishta Natural fermented liquid medicines

• • Medicinal preparations processed by soaking drugs in the powdered forms or in the form of their decoction (known as kasaya in Ayurveda), in a solution of sugar or jiggery (gur), for a specified period of time.

  • During soaking, it undergoes fermentation generating alcohol and in process facilitating extraction of active constituents contained in the drugs.

  • Alcohol so generated also serves as preservative in the product.

  • Absolute cleanliness is maintained during the preparation of arishta and asava.

  • The wooden pots (vessels) are fumigated with pippali (long pepper) churna and also smeared with ghee before the fermentation liquids are poured into them.

  • They can be kept indefinitely, should be stored in well stoppered bottles or jars.

Dhoopana Why fumigation?

• • • The fermentation vessels are subjected to dhoopana, a process of fumigation to prevent the growth of naturally occurring microorganisms that may contaminate or hamper the process of fermentation. Molasses or powders of crude drugs like Indian valerian, agaru (Aquilaria agallocha), chandan (Santalum album), marich (Piper negrum, Black pepper) and such are sprinkled on hot embers and burnt to fumigate.

    • These crude drugs may contain volatile oils that have antibacterial, antiseptic action thereby providing a specific eco- system similar to present day sterilization procedures.

Lepana – Why Smearing and Coating Process?

• • • The fermentation vessels are porous to outside air that may affect fermentation process.

    • Process to smear and coat the inner surface of the fermentation vessel is prescribed to edge out such adverse effects.

    • Ghee, honey or cow‟s urine are used as base with herbs like Pippali (long pepper) Chavya (Piper retrofractum), Priyangu (Callicarpa macrophylla) made into the form of paste that is smeared evenly to provide a coat on the inner surface of the fermentation vessel.

    • Such a coat forms protective layer to prevent any unwanted interaction between the fermentation material and outside air. Most ingredients used for smear have pungent or sharp attributes.

Asava (Definition by Sushruta)

• The medication which is prepared by mixing together different kinds of medicinal juices, decoction, jaggery (molasses) and flowers of dhataki (Woodfordia fruticosa) in an earthen vessel buried deep into a heap of grains for flavoring and to initiate fermentation.

Asava (Fermented infusion)

• Required quantity of water and jiggery or sugar is taken, boiled, cooled and transferred to fermentation vessel or barrel.

• Finely powdered crude drugs and other ingredients as mentioned in the formula are then added to it

• The container is covered with the lid and edges are sealed with clay smeared cloth, wrapped in seven consecutive layers. Normally the vessels used for processing of asava are placed in cellar(basement) of a specific period in order to facilitate sadhana (fermentation) process.

• The contents are examined for completion of sadhana process and asava is filtered and bottled.

• Filtered asava should be clear and without any froth (foam) at the top.

• It should not become sour on standing.

• It has characteristic, aromatic and alcoholic odour.

• Examples: Kumariasava, Punarnavasava, Chandanasava, Arvindasava, Kanakasava, Madhukasava