What is Kashayam (Kwath) & List of Kashayam (Kwath List)

April 22, 2018Last Updated: March 28, 2019

3 minutes read

Kashayam (also called Kwath and Kashaya) is a type of ayurvedic formulation prepared by boiling herbs in water. Water and herbs are main ingredients of these preparations. However, herbs can be different according to the purpose of use and therapeutic indications. These formulations contain water extract of prescribed herbs and highly beneficial for providing quick relief in the most of diseases.

In modern science, these are called decoctions. Decoction means the extraction of water-soluble substances or alkaloids from plant parts by boiling them in water. The formulations are in liquid form. In other words, Kashayam can also be considered as herbal teas of different herbal blends.

The most of Kashayams are likely to be astringent in taste. The name itself suggests their astringent nature. In ayurveda, Kashaya Ras is one of the six tastes correlated with an astringent taste. However, the taste of these formulations can vary depending on the herbs used while their preparation. The therapeutic benefits and healing properties of Kashayam also vary depending on their ingredients.

Kashayam Ingredients

There are two types of ingredients are used for making Kashayam.

Liquid – Mostly water
Herbs – As per composition and formula of a specific Kashayam

Depending on dry and wet herbs and soft and hard herbs, water required for preparation may be different in different Kashayas. Here is a reference to it:

How much water should take to prepare Kashayam?

Type of Herbs	Required Water	Reduction (by Boiling)
Very Hard Herbs	16 Parts	1/4^th Part
Hard Herbs	8 Parts	1/4^th Part
Soft Herbs	4 Parts	1/4^th Part

According to Sharangdhar Samhita, the following proportion should be used:

Water: 16 Parts
Herbs: 1 Part
Reduction: 1/8^th Part

Note: Generally, this proportion is highly suitable for making a decoction of very hard herbs or plant ingredients.

Preparation Method of Kashayam

In the most cases, the preparation of Kashayam needs dry herbs. The herbs can be dried under the sun or in the shade, as directed for the individual herb. Then, the herbs are pounded to form a coarse powder.

How to Make Kashayam

Take a prescribed quantity of water in a boiling pan. Pan should be big enough so that all herbs can be soaked in water.
Add coarse powder of herbal ingredients as per prescribed proportion. Soak them in water.
Keep pan in a safe place for at least one or two hours or overnight.
The mixture is then boiled in a wide-mouth container on a low flame. A wide-mouthed vessel is used because it helps in a faster evaporation of water. This helps to save time during the preparation of Kashayam.
The contents should be boiled on a low flame because intense heat can cause charring of herbs. Also, it allows for the slow transfer of active principles of herbs into the water, which ensures maximum efficacy of the product.
The mixture in the container should be stirred continuously with a ladle. It should be boiled until the quantity of the mixture is reduced to one-fourth of the original quantity. The decoction, thus obtained, should be filtered immediately using a clean cheesecloth.
Now, Kashayam is ready to use. It should be consumed when it is warm.

Readymade Kashayams are also available in the market, which can be consumed adding warm water, as recommended by a doctor.

Note: For maximum benefits, Kashayams should always be prepared fresh and consumed within 45 minutes.

Kashayam’s Dosage

The dosage of Kashayams can vary for different formulations. Here is a general reference dosage for commonly used Kwaths.

Children	12 to 24 grams
Adults	48 grams

In classical texts, the dosage is prescribed in TOLA (weight measurement). 1 TOLA is equal to 12 grams, according to ayurvedic measurements. Therefore, we have given dosage in grams instead of a milliliter (ML) because the weight of different Kashayam may be different depending on the concentration of decoction liquid and herbs used for their preparation.