Yastimadhu
Botanical Name: Glycyrrhiza glabra
Family: Fabaceae
Other names:
- Sanskrit Madhuk, Kalitak, Madhuyashti
- Hindi - Mulethi, Jethimadhu
- English – Liquorice/ licorice
Properties:
- Guru (heavy), snigdha(unctuous), Rasa- madhur (sweet)
- Vipaka (outcome after digestion of rasa) -madhur, veerya (potency)- sheeta (cold).
Chemical composition:
Main component of mulethi is glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin is sweet compound which is 33x which is equivalent to 10% sucrose solution. It also contains glycoside named isoliquiritin (2.2%) which is responsible for the yellow color of the liquorice. Glucose 3.8%, sucrose, starch, asparagine and volatile oil (0.03-0.35%) are some other constituents.
Effect of Yashtimadhu on doshas:
Vata, pitta, kapha are three doshas in the body. According to ayurveda these three doshas are considered as three pillars of the body. Any disturbance in these doshas become the reason for occurrence of diseases in the body. Yashtimadhu acts as vata and pitta shamak which means it pacifies aggravated vata and pitta dosha. Due to guru, snigdha and madhur guna it pacifies vata and because of madhur, sheet guna it decreases pitta.
Gana(classification) in which Yashtimadhu is present according to charaka and sushruta-
Acharya Charaka-
- Kanthya – drugs which have soothing effect on throat and improve voice
- Jeevaneeya – drugs which are enlivening and have anti-ageing effects
- Sandhaniya – which help in fracture healing as well as hemostasis
- Varnya – drugs which enhance skin radiance
- Kandughana – useful for skin related problems specially itching (pruritis)
- Mutra-viranjaniya – drugs which restore urine color
- Shonit-sthapana – drugs which maintain the constituents of blood in body and reduce blood loss
- Chhardi-nigrahana- drugs which stops vomiting
- Snehopaga – drugs which are helpful in oleation
- Vamanopaga- drugs which are helpful in inducing vamana – a panchakarma procedure
- Asthapnopaga – group of drugs which are helpful in asthapana (rectal enema- panchakarma procedure)
Acharya sushruta – In kakolyadi gana, sarivadi gana, anjanadi gana.
Acharya vagbhatta- In Sarivadi and anjanadi group.
Benefits of Yashtimadhu
- Yashtimadhu acts as dahashamak (reduces burning sensation) vedanasthapana (analgesic) and shothhara (anti-inflammatory), so it is good for wound healing.
- Acharya charaka has mentioned Yashtimadhu in four medhya rasayan (which are helpful in increasing memory and intellect). He has mentioned to take mulethi churn with milk.
- On skin and hair- Yashtimadhu is good for treating skin disorders like pruritis, eczema, dermatitis. Enhances luster and radiance of skin, reduces greying and falling of hair and acts as hair tonic by providing strength to roots.
- Mulethi has wonderful effects on throat and respiratory tract diseases. It works as expectorant, so removes phlegm from respiratory tract. It works in diseases like kasa, shawasa, swarbheda (cough, bronchitis, hoarseness of voice, tuberculosis)
- Due to chhardighana property it is given when person suffers from vomiting, due to trishana-nigrahana property it reduces excessive thirst.
- Helpful in treating acidity, stomach pain and peptic ulcers because of its property to reduce vata and pitta.
- Due to sheeta property, yashtimadhu act as diuretic and restore natural urine color.
- It has aphrodisiac properties and increases quantity and quality of semen.
- Due to vata shamak property it is also used in vata-vikara like amavata (arthritis)
- Helpful in increasing vision and good for eye diseases.
- Yashtimadhu is also good for treating generalized weakness.
Classical text references for Yashtimadhu
According to bhava Prakash Nighantu-
'यष्टीमधु तथा यष्टीमधुकं क्लीतकं तथा । अन्यत् क्लीतनकं तत्तु भवेत्तोयमधूलिका ॥
यष्टी हिमा गुरुः स्वादु चक्षुष्या बलवर्णकृत् । सुस्निग्धा शुक्रला केश्या स्वर्या पित्तानिलास्रजित् ॥
ब्रणशोथविषच्छर्दितृष्णाग्लानिक्षयापहा ' ( भा. प्र.)
It means that yashtimadhu, kalitak, madhuka are synonyms of mulethi. Yashtimadhu has sheeta veerya (cool potency), guru (heavy) and madhur rasa (sweet taste). It is chakshushya (enhances vision and good for eyes) and increases bala (immunity and strength) and enhances complexion. It has unctuous property i.e., snigdha, enhances sperm count (shukral), good for hair (keshya), improves hoarseness of voice (svarya) and pacifies pitta and vata dosha and vitiated rakta i.e., blood. It also helps in wound healing and act as anti-inflammatory agent, works to remove toxins and treats vomiting and excessive thirst and helpful for weak persons.
According to Acharya Sushruta:
या वेदना शास्त्रनिपातजाता तीव्रा शरीरं प्रदुनोति जन्तोः ।
घृतेन सा शान्तिमुपैति सिक्ता कोष्णेन यष्टीमधुकान्वितेन् ।। ( सु.सू ५)
It means, if there is severe pain in wound due to injury due to sharp instruments, then paste of yashtimadhu churn along with lukewarm ghee should be applied.
Some other benefits of yashtimadhu are-
- It has immunomodulator properties and is rich in anti-oxidants.
- Has anti-allergic properties
- Contains Phyto-estrogen which has estrogenic effect on the body so help in easing pre-menstrual symptoms.
- It is also good for reducing LDL cholesterol, so good for heart health.
