The short answer
Avipattikar Churna is a powder for acidity made of dry ginger, black pepper and pippali, the three triphala fruits, and a few spices, with large shares of trivrit root and sugar. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India lists it for amlapitta (acidity and indigestion), constipation, weak digestion, piles and urinary complaints.
Half the powder by weight is sugar, which matters if you have diabetes. A third is trivrit, a purgative root. The study of the churna itself that we found was in rats: in a stomach-ulcer model, it reduced acid volume and ulcers, about as much as ranitidine did. That does not tell us whether it helps acidity in people.
What is in it
The official recipe is in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I (2003), entry 7:2 Avipattikara Curna, printed page 106.[1]
| Ingredient | Botanical name | Part used | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shunthi (dry ginger) | Zingiber officinale | Rhizome | 1 part |
| Marica (black pepper) | Piper nigrum | Fruit | 1 part |
| Pippali (long pepper) | Piper longum | Fruit | 1 part |
| Haritaki | Terminalia chebula | Pericarp | 1 part |
| Bibhitaka | Terminalia bellirica | Pericarp | 1 part |
| Amalaki (amla) | Emblica officinalis | Pericarp | 1 part |
| Musta | Cyperus rotundus | Rhizome | 1 part |
| Vida lavana (a salt) | - | - | 1 part |
| Vidanga | Embelia ribes | Fruit | 1 part |
| Ela (small cardamom) | Elettaria cardamomum | Seed | 1 part |
| Patra (tejapatra, bay leaf) | Cinnamomum tamala | Leaf | 1 part |
| Lavanga (clove) | Syzygium aromaticum | Flower bud | 11 parts |
| Trivrit | Ipomoea turpethum | Root | 44 parts |
| Sharkara (sugar) | - | - | 66 parts |
Parts by weight, from the printed 2003 edition. The 14 items add up to 132 parts, so sugar is 50% and trivrit one third. Makers' recipes can differ, so check the label.[1]
Classical source
The formulary takes the recipe from the Bhaishajya Ratnavali, Amlapitta Adhikara (the chapter on acidity), verses 24 and 25.[1]
What it is used for
- The formulary lists it for agnimandya (weak digestion), malabandha (constipation), amlapitta (acidity and indigestion), arsha (piles), mutrabandha (difficulty passing urine) and prameha (urinary disorders).[1]
What the evidence says
AnimalTwenty-four rats in four groups had the outlet of the stomach tied off to cause ulcers, then got Avipattikar Churna at two doses, ranitidine or a blank for two days. The churna lowered the volume of stomach juice and the ulcer scores and raised the pH, broadly like ranitidine. A two-day rat model of ulcers is far from acidity or reflux in people.[2]
Safety notes
- Half of the powder by weight is sugar (66 of 132 parts). This matters if you have diabetes.[1]
- A third is trivrit (44 of 132 parts), a purgative root. If you already take a laxative, or have loose stools, mention it to your doctor. Triphala, also in the recipe, has its own page: Triphala and laxatives.[1]
- Contains black pepper and pippali. In a small study of people with epilepsy, a single dose of piperine, a compound in pippali and black pepper, raised blood levels of phenytoin. That study used isolated piperine, not this powder. See Pippali and phenytoin.[3]
- Our search for side-effect reports and regulator alerts on this product is not complete. Finding none so far is not a sign that it is harmless.
Who makes it
Sold in India by makers including Patanjali (Divya), Baidyanath, Dhootapapeshwar. We list names so you can match your bottle to this page. We do not recommend or sell any brand.
Withheld until review
Related
Acidity, acid reflux and gastritis: what Ayurveda offers
Curcumin eased indigestion more than placebo in one small trial. We found no trial of Ayurveda for reflux disease or gastritis itself.
InteractionTriphala and laxatives
Triphala may add to another laxative's effect. The one small study in people tested a triphala, senna and isabgol mix, not separate products.
FormulationTriphala Churna
Three fruits in one powder, best known as a laxative. Human trials are few and small; most research is in the lab or in animals.
FormulationHingvashtak Churna
Eight spices in equal parts, including hing and rock salt, for gas and weak digestion. Clinical evidence has not been fully reviewed; one US-sold sample held mercury.
Sources
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Avipattikara Curna, 7:2, printed page 106.
- Gyawali S, Khan GM, Lamichane S, et al. Evaluation of anti-secretory and anti-ulcerogenic activities of avipattikar churna on the peptic ulcers in experimental rats. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013;7(6):1135-9. PMID 23905120.
- Pattanaik S, Hota D, Prabhakar S, Kharbanda P, Pandhi P. Effect of piperine on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of phenytoin in patients with epilepsy. Phytother Res. 2006;20(8):683-686. PMID 16767797.
Updated 4 November 2026
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