Chitrakadi Vati in classical Ayurveda

By Swastik Editors · Editorial review: Swastik Editors · Last updated: September 19, 2026

What it is

Chitrakadi vati is a classical Ayurvedic herbal-mineral tablet. A peer-reviewed review citing the Ayurvedic Formulary of India traces it to the Charaka Samhita (Chikitsa Sthana 15/96–97) and lists its ingredients: equal parts Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica), Pippalimula and Pippali (Piper longum), Yavakshara and Sarjikshara (alkaline preparations), several salts, Shunthi (Zingiber officinale), Maricha (Piper nigrum), Hingu (Ferula species), Ajamoda, and Chavya: triturated with the juice of citron/lemon or pomegranate IJRPR. An analytical paper's ingredient table corroborates this composition Scholars Research Library.

Classical properties

• Taste (rasa): pungent (Katu), salty (Lavana)
• Qualities (guna): light (Laghu), dry (Ruksha), sharp (Tikshna)
• Potency (virya): warming (Ushna)
• After digestion (vipaka): pungent (Katu)
• Doshas: traditionally said to settle Kapha and Vata; may increase Pitta

Traditional use

In classical Ayurvedic texts, chitrakadi vati is traditionally used for grahani, a digestive disorder commonly compared to IBS-like or malabsorption conditions, and for related digestive complaints such as poor appetite and sluggish digestion IJRPR. This classical indication is recorded in Ayurvedic literature; it is not clinical proof of benefit.

What research has looked at

Digestive effects — animal evidence only

A 2007 pharmacological study tested chitrakadi vati for laxative activity in rats and reported laxative effects Pharmacologyonline. This is animal evidence from a single old study; it does not establish that the tablet has a laxative or digestive effect in people.

Antibacterial activity — in-vitro only

Recent laboratory work reported antibacterial activity of chitrakadi vati in test-tube (in-vitro) experiments AJBR. In-vitro activity cannot prove that the tablet treats or prevents infections in the human body, and no clinical studies of infection outcomes were found.

Human digestive outcomes — no direct evidence found

We found no peer-reviewed clinical studies testing chitrakadi vati in people for grahani, IBS-like symptoms, or any other digestive outcome. Human benefit for digestive complaints is therefore unproven.

Safety notes

Human formulation-specific safety studies are sparse. The most important caution concerns pregnancy: animal evidence indicates abortifacient and preimplantation effects of Plumbago zeylanica (chitraka) root The Pharma Journal. This is ingredient-level animal evidence, not formulation-level proof of harm, but it means the tablet should not be assumed safe in pregnancy: avoid use in pregnancy without explicit clinician guidance. The formula also contains multiple salts and alkalies; no published formulation-specific sodium or blood-pressure data were found, so do not treat it as safe for those with hypertension without medical review. Use it only under practitioner guidance.

FAQs

What is chitrakadi vati?

Chitrakadi vati is a classical Ayurvedic tablet attributed to the Charaka Samhita (Chikitsa Sthana 15/96–97). It combines chitraka root, long pepper and its root, dry ginger, black pepper, asafoetida, ajamoda, chavya, several salts, and alkaline kshara preparations, triturated with lemon or pomegranate juice IJRPR. It is traditionally used for digestive disorders.

What is it traditionally used for?

Classical Ayurvedic texts indicate it for grahani, a digestive disorder commonly compared to IBS-like or malabsorption conditions, and for poor appetite and sluggish digestion IJRPR. This is the traditional indication; no clinical studies in people have tested whether it works for these complaints.

Does research show it helps digestion in people?

No. The only relevant evidence is a 2007 animal study showing laxative effects in rats and recent in-vitro antibacterial experiments: neither of which proves benefit in people Pharmacologyonline AJBR. No peer-reviewed human studies of digestive outcomes for this formulation were found.

What dose is reported?

Swastik does not suggest amounts. The right amount depends on the person, the preparation and the product, so check with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or your doctor before taking any herb.

Is it safe in pregnancy?

It should not be assumed safe. Animal evidence indicates abortifacient and preimplantation effects of chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica) root, one of the main ingredients The Pharma Journal. This is ingredient-level animal evidence rather than proof of harm from the tablet, but the cautious course is to avoid it in pregnancy unless a qualified clinician explicitly advises otherwise.

Why does it contain so many salts and alkalies?

In Ayurvedic formulation logic, the salts and ksharas (alkaline preparations like yavakshara and sarjikshara) are included as digestive stimulants (deepana). However, no published studies of this formulation measured sodium content or blood-pressure effects, so people with hypertension or on low-sodium diets should not assume it is safe: they need individual medical review.

Sources

Tier 3 — Peer-reviewed journals / academic

• Peer-reviewed review of Chitrakadi Vati citing the Ayurvedic Formulary of India — composition, classical reference, reported dose (IJRPR). ijrpr.com
• Ingredient table from a UV-spectrophotometric analytical paper (Scholars Research Library). scholarsresearchlibrary.com
• Laxative activity in rats, 2007 animal study (Pharmacologyonline). pharmacologyonline.silae.it
• In-vitro antibacterial study (African Journal of Biomedical Research). africanjournalofbiomedicalresearch.com
• Animal evidence on abortifacient/preimplantation effects of Plumbago zeylanica root (The Pharma Journal, 2018). thepharmajournal.com

This article is educational only and is not medical advice. The evidence for Chitrakadi vati is limited and does not establish any health benefit. Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or physician before using it.