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Yavakshara Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects, Ingredients, Reference

Yavakshara is an Ayurvedic medicine, used in treating urinary diseases, abdominal pain, bloating, etc. It is also used as ingredient in many medicines. Yava kshara alkali preparation made with whole plant of barley (botanical name – Hordeum vulgare).

Introduction

Here barley – whole plant is dried, burnt to ash in open air, ash is added with water, left over night. Sedimented portion is discarded and decanted clear liquid is filtered many times.

After getting a clear liquid, it is heated and the solid powder which is leftover at the bottom of the vessel is called as Yavakshara.

When barley grains mature, its whole plant should be collected, dried under sunlight and burnt in open fire. Ash is collected in a vessel and 8 parts of water is added, stirred and kept as it is for specific period of time. Then it is filtered through a cloth for 21 times. Next morning, the filtered liquid is subjected to heat. The solid remnant ash part at the bottom of the vessel is collected and stored in an airtight container, which is known as Yava Kshara.

Chemical composition – It’s a mixture of Potassium salts.

Synonyms

Yav Ksar, Jav Kshar, Jav Ksar, Yavaksaram, Yavaja, Yavashukaja
Yavahva, Yavya, Yavagraja
Pakya, Pakya Kshara
Yavashooka, yavaapathya

Uses

  • It is used in the treatment of difficulty in urination and urinary calculi
  • It is also used in treating bloating, abdominal pain, ascites.

Indication

हृत्पाण्डुग्रहणीरोगप्लीहानाहगलग्रहान्|
कासं कफजमर्शांसि यावशूको व्यपोहति||३०५||
तीक्ष्णोष्णो लघुरूक्षश्च क्लेदी पक्ता विदारणः|
दाहनो दीपनश्छेत्ता सर्वः क्षारोऽग्निसन्निभः ||३०६||

– Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana 27
Yava Kshara (an alkali preparation from the plant barley) is useful in
Heart diseases – Hrudroga
Anemia – Pandu
Malabsoprtion syndrome (IBS) – Grahani
Enlargement of spleen – Pleeha
Bloating, constipation -Anaha
Obstruction in throat – Galagraha
Coughing -Kasa
Piles of Slaismika variety, Kaphaja Ashmari
Alkali preparations (Ksharas) in general are sharp, hot, light, unctuous, softening, carminative, corrosive, and caustic, digestive stimulant and depletive. They are cause burns and thereby work like fire.

Properties

हृद्पाण्डुग्रहणीरोग प्लीहानाह गलग्रहान् ।
कासं कफजमर्शांसि यावशूको व्यपोहति ॥ (च. सू. २७/३०५)
hṛdpāṇḍugrahaṇīroga plīhānāha galagrahān |
kāsaṃ kaphajamarśāṃsi yāvaśūko vyapohati || (ca. sū. 27/305)

It cures –

hṛd pāṇḍu grahaṇī roga – heart diseases, anemia, malabsorption syndrome,
pliha – splenic disorders,
ānāha – distention of abdomen,
galagraha – stiffness of neck,
kāsa – cough and
kaphajam arśāṃsi – Kapha type of hemorrhoids.

According to acharya Sushruta –

jñeyo vahnisamau kṣārau svarjikā yāvaśūkajau – svarjika shara and yava kshara have the properties similar to agni or fire,

and it cures –

śukra – diminishes semen,
śleṣma – diminishes Kapha,
vibandha – cures constipation,
arśo – hemorrhoids,
gulma – abdominal tunor and
pliha – splenic disorders

Medicines

Yavakshar is also used as an ingredient in many Ayurvedic medicines. Such as –

Guggulutiktakam Kashayam
Indukantam Ghritam
Shothari Lauh etc.

De Pile Ointment and Tablets – used for the treatment of hemorrhoids.

Classical categorization

Dhanvantari Nighantu – Shatapushpadi Varga
Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Haritakyadi Varga
Raja Nighantu – Pippalyadi Varga

Shloka- Sanskrit verse

Traditional Usage

Katu – pungent
Ushna – hot
Rookshana – drying
Sara – laxative, promotes movement of liquids in channels
Balances Kapha and Vata Dosha
Deepana – improves digestion strength
Laghu – light to digest
Sookshma – minute, piercing

Benefits

Vata type of Udara – Ascites
Arti – pain,
Ama – a product of altered digestion and metabolism
Shoola – abdominal colic
Ashmari – urinary calculi
Krichra – Mutrakrichra – dysuria, difficulty to pass urine
Visha – toxic conditions
Shwasa – asthma, respiratory disorders involving difficulty in breathing
Galamaya – throat disorders
Pandu – Anemia, initial stages of liver disorders
Arsha – Hemorrhoids
Grahani – Malabsorption syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Gulma – abdominal tumor, distension
Pleeha – Spleen related disorders, splenomegaly
Anaha – bloating, gaseous distension of abdomen
Hrudamaya – cardiac disorders

Dosage

125 mg – 500 mg used in various combination, for oral intake and also for external application.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic/modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then, after a gap of 15 – 30 minutes, take Ayurvedic medicine or as directed by the physician.

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

With supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most of the dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

Side Effects

It is best to avoid in high Pitta conditions, bleeding disorders, as it is hot, strong and piercing in nature. 
Since it is a Kshara, it is best avoided in men seeking treatment for infertility, as it may affect the quality and quantity of sperm production. Watch here

In higher doses, it may cause burning sensation.
It is not ideal to use this medicine in people with excessive tiredness, emaciation and who are underweight.

Ingredients

Yava  – Barley – Hordeum vulgare – 1 part
Water – 4 parts

Reference and Manufacturer

 Sushruta Samhita Uttaratantra 42/40

Manufacturers:  Dindayal, Zandu, Vyas

Method Of Preparation

  • Whole plant of Barley (Hordeum vulgare) are collected, cleaned well, dried completely in sunlight.
  • It is taken in a big iron pan and burnt completely in open air.
  • After it cools down on its own, the ash is collected and mixed with 4 times of water (6 times of water according to other reference) then mixed well, filtered with cloth, into an Iron vessel.
  • These contents are kept for one night as it is.
  • Next day morning the clear supernatent part of water is filtered with a cloth into another vessel.
  • This process of filtering is repeated for 3 – 4 times.
  • Then this water is heated over mild fire, till the water content gets totally evaporated.
  • White colored Yava Kshar is produced. It is stored in an air tight glass contained.

Expiry date

5 years, if stored in air tight containers. Once the bottle containing this medicine is opened, it should be emptied within a month or two.

Reference

Sushruta Samhita Sutra Sthana 40/44

Research

Effect on BPH
The control study has been carried out in two different groups. Each group made of 30 patients. In trial group 30 patients treated with Yavakshara. In control group 30 patients were treated with capsule Pyginal. It contains Pygeum Africanum which is useful in BPH. Phytotherapy refers to use of plant extract, which is popular in Europe as a herbal medicine for many years & also mentioned in modern text book of smith urology & commonly practiced by allopathic urologist. Patient was selected randomly irrespective of their religion, race, occupation etc. In BPH irritative and obstructive symptoms like frequency, urgency, staining, weak stream, incomplete emptying, nocturia, residual urine and uroflow rate were observed over the month of treatment from onset of treatment. Observations were made & results were analyzed with the help of unpaired ‘t’ test at 0.05 level of significance.

Please consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
This article is written by Dr. Janardhana V Hebbar BAMS, MD (Ayu), PGDPSM, Managing Director, Easy Ayurveda Hospital.
It is reviewed by Dr. Raviganesh Mogra BAMS, MD (Ayu), Chief Medical Officer, Easy Ayurveda Hospital

25 thoughts on “Yavakshara Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects, Ingredients, Reference”

  1. This site is amazing as I got all the information about yava kashra leaving its scientific name I would like you to add its scientific name also

    Reply
  2. Good effort…kindly clear my doubtd
    Here filtering was advised as 3-4times..describe in detail.
    1)after 1st filtration, whether the obtained liquid was refiltered for 2 more times or have you again added 4times water to the sediment left for night & then filtered…
    2)if ash was washing every time…why only 4times times it was washed ..any specification…

    Reply
    • Hi,
      1. After 1st filtration, the obtained liquied is re-filtered for 2 more times. Do not add water to it further.
      2. That is the traditional method which is prescribed to make this product. Usually in making kashaya, ghrita etc also 4 times principle is applied. The ancient seers might have used trial and error method to come to this conclusion.

      Reply
  3. Dear doctor,
    what is the dose for using yavakshara to keep in the mouth to break up the accumulation of kapha in that region? And for how much time.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  4. Sir I am a Post graduate student and my thesis topic on BPH. I already prescribe or add yavakshar in the basti for management of BPH. I get results but I want to know the action or mode of the action of yavakshar while use as bastighatak In the management of BPH.
    secondly have you know the reference of yavakshar guna in authentic Samhita? if you know pls note that reference for me
    and lastly I want that article or research work which you are mention in youir article kindly help me for that
    Thank you

    Reply

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