Ayurveda Codex›Formulations›Asava

Last verified: April 2026

Asava

आसव — Asava — "Fermented fresh juice; that which distils"

Asava is the fresh-juice counterpart to Arishta. Where Arishta begins with boiled decoction, Asava begins with fresh herb juice (Svarasa) — preserving heat-sensitive compounds the decoction process would destroy. The clinical choice between Asava and Arishta depends on whether the herb's active principles are heat-stable or heat-labile.

Important noticeThis page documents what classical texts record about Asava preparations. This is not medical advice. Which formulation is appropriate requires assessment by a qualified practitioner (BAMS or MD Ayurveda). Full disclaimer →
Definition
Fresh herb juice combined with water, jaggery, honey, and Dhataki flowers and fermented for 30 days at room temperature — identical to Arishta except no boiling. Preserves volatile aromatics, heat-labile vitamins, and enzymes destroyed by decoction.

The heat-labile vs heat-stable distinction

Sharangadhara Samhita documents: "For herbs whose potency resides primarily in volatile fractions or heat-degradable compounds — use Asava. For herbs whose active principles survive boiling — use Arishta." A sophisticated pharmacological distinction made over seven hundred years before modern chemistry.

Modern pharmacology confirms: volatile terpenes, unstable glycosides, vitamin C, and certain enzymes are destroyed or significantly reduced by boiling. Fresh juice fermentation preserves these within the alcoholic medium. Classical herbs prescribed as Asava typically include aromatic or volatile-rich species where the fresh plant's Katu (pungent) qualities diminish with drying or boiling.

Asava vs Arishta — the clinical choice
A qualified practitioner considers: the specific herb's thermal stability profile; whether active management requires volatile compounds only Asava preserves; and patient constitution — Asava is generally slightly more stimulating, making it more appropriate for Kapha-dominant presentations.

Identical to Arishta except fresh herb juice (Svarasa) used instead of boiled decoction. Herbs juiced fresh, combined with water in specified proportions, jaggery, honey, and Dhataki flowers added, sealed, and fermented for 30 days. Same completion tests applied.

Practical challenge: fresh juice requires access to fresh plant material, which is seasonal. Classical texts specify Asava preparations should be made during the primary herb's fresh season — part of the formulation's Kala (timing) specification.

Classical prescription criteria

Under the same broad criteria as Arishta, with specific additional indication for: conditions where volatile aromatic compounds are therapeutically significant — respiratory (documented bronchodilatory and expectorant effects), digestive (mucosal secretion stimulation), and conditions requiring the most complete preservation of the fresh herb's phytochemical profile.

Dose and administration: identical to Arishta — 15–30ml diluted in equal warm water, twice daily after meals.

Example Asava preparations

KumaryasavaFresh Aloe vera-based — for digestive, gynaecological, and liver conditions.
ChandanasavaSandalwood-based — for urinary and Pitta-type conditions.
PippalyasavaPippali-based — for respiratory conditions and digestive stimulation.
DrakshasavaGrape-based — documented in Charaka Samhita for cardiac and respiratory.
AbhayarishtaHaritaki-based — for digestive and eliminative conditions.