Chyawanprash: A Traditional Indian Bioactive Health Supplement

Abstract

Chyawanprash (CP) is an Ayurvedic health supplement which is made up of a super-concentrated blend of nutrient-rich herbs and minerals. It is meant to restore drained reserves of life force (ojas) and to preserve strength, stamina, and vitality, while stalling the course of aging. Chyawanprash is formulated by processing around 50 medicinal herbs and their extracts, including the prime ingredient, Amla (Indian gooseberry), which is the world’s richest source of vitamin C. Chyawanprash preparation involves preparing a decoction of herbs, followed by dried extract preparation, subsequent mixture with honey, and addition of aromatic herb powders (namely clove, cardamom, and cinnamon) as standard. The finished product has a fruit jam-like consistency, and a sweet, sour, and spicy flavor. Scientific exploration of CP is warranted to understand its therapeutic efficacy. Scattered information exploring the therapeutic potential of CP is available, and there is a need to assemble it. Thus, an effort was made to compile the scattered information from ancient Ayurvedic texts and treatises, along with ethnobotanical, ethnopharmacological, and scientifically validated literature, that highlight the role of CP in therapeutics. Citations relevant to the topic were screened.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Home Remedies for Immunity Boosting

“…It acts as antioxidant, anti-stress, anti-in lammatory, anti-microbial, vaccine adjuvant, and confer immunity against diseases (Rastogi, 2010). Rasayana like Brahma Rasayana, Chyavanprasha or Amrit Bhallataka shows promising immunomodulant activity (Sharma et al, 2019;Rege et al, 1999).…”

Emblica officinalis (Amla) with a Particular Focus on Its Antimicrobial Potentials: A Review

“…E. officinalis is an important herbal component of chyawanprash due to its immunomodulatory, rejuvenative, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and cardiotonic activity. It also enhances the general vitality and cognitive function in the consumers 162 . The constituents that are responsible for these activities are 6-ethenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-3,6-dimethyl-5isopropenyl-trans-benzofuran, 8,9-dehydro9formyl-cycloisolongifolene, γ-elemene and eucalyptol 162 .…”

Telomeres, DNA Damage and Ageing: Potential Leads from Ayurvedic Rasayana (Anti-Ageing) Drugs

“…Chyawanprash is also a popular health supplement traditionally used for rejuvenation, and displays cytoprotective and genoprotective effects [53], though more evidence is required to reinforce its longevity claims related to parameters, such as telomerase activation or telomere lengthening.…”