The short answer
Chandanasava is a fermented liquid made from 22 herbs in equal amounts, white sandalwood (chandan) first among them, with dhataki flowers, raisins, sugar and jaggery. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India lists it for shukrameha (rendered as spermatorrhoea), painful or difficult urination, heart disease, weakness, emaciation and weak digestion. Like every asava, it contains alcohol made as it ferments. That matters if you avoid alcohol or have liver disease. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your vaidya and your doctor before taking it.
Each batch is sweetened with 4.8 kg of sugar and 2.4 kg of jaggery, which matters if you have diabetes. Modern evidence is close to nil. We found one 1991 report of a trial in urinary infections, and its summary gives no numbers, so we cannot say what it found.
What is in it
The official recipe is in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I (2003), entry 1:15 Candanasava, printed pages 12 and 13.[1]
| Ingredient | Botanical name | Part used | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candana (shveta candana, white sandalwood) | Santalum album | Heartwood | 48 g |
| Balaka (hrivera) | Coleus vettiveroides | Root | 48 g |
| Musta | Cyperus rotundus | Rhizome | 48 g |
| Gambhari | Gmelina arborea | Stem bark | 48 g |
| Nilotpala (utpala, blue water lily) | Nymphaea stellata | Flower | 48 g |
| Priyangu | Callicarpa macrophylla | Flower | 48 g |
| Padmaka | Prunus cerasoides | Stem | 48 g |
| Lodhra | Symplocos racemosa | Stem bark | 48 g |
| Manjishtha | Rubia cordifolia | Root | 48 g |
| Rakta candana (red sandalwood) | Pterocarpus santalinus | Heartwood | 48 g |
| Patha | Cissampelos pareira | Root or whole plant | 48 g |
| Kiratatikta (chirata) | Swertia chirata | Whole plant | 48 g |
| Nyagrodha (banyan) | Ficus benghalensis | Stem bark | 48 g |
| Pippali (long pepper) | Piper longum | Fruit | 48 g |
| Shati | Hedychium spicatum | Rhizome | 48 g |
| Parpata | Fumaria parviflora | Whole plant | 48 g |
| Madhuka (mahua) | Madhuca indica | Flower | 48 g |
| Rasna | Pluchea lanceolata | Root or whole plant | 48 g |
| Patola | Trichosanthes dioica | Leaf | 48 g |
| Kancanaraka (kancanara) | Bauhinia variegata | Stem bark | 48 g |
| Amratvak (mango bark) | Mangifera indica | Stem bark | 48 g |
| Mocarasa (shalmali gum) | Salmalia malabarica | Exudate | 48 g |
| Dhataki | Woodfordia fruticosa | Flower | 768 g |
| Draksha (raisin) | Vitis vinifera | Dried fruit | 960 g |
| Water | - | - | 24.576 l |
| Sharkara (sugar) | - | - | 4.800 kg |
| Guda (jaggery) | - | - | 2.400 kg |
Quantities are for one batch, from the printed 2003 edition. Makers' recipes can differ, so check the label.[1]
Classical source
The formulary takes the recipe from the Bhaishajya Ratnavali, Shukrameha Adhikara, verses 34 to 37½.[1]
What it is used for
- The formulary lists it for shukrameha (rendered in its English edition as spermatorrhoea), mutrakricchra (painful or difficult urination) and hridroga (heart disease).[1]
- It also lists balakshaya (loss of strength), karshya (emaciation) and agnimandya (weak digestion).[1]
What the evidence says
From the classical textsThe uses above come from the Bhaishajya Ratnavali as the formulary records them. We found no modern study of Chandanasava whose methods and results we could assess.[1]
Safety notes
- Contains alcohol. The formulary defines asavas as preparations that ferment in sugar or jaggery and generate alcohol, which also preserves them. This matters if you avoid alcohol or have liver disease. Tell your doctor about any other medicines you take. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your vaidya and your doctor before taking it.[2]
- Each batch contains 4.8 kg of sugar and 2.4 kg of jaggery. If you have diabetes, mention it to your doctor.[1]
- Our search for side-effect reports, interactions 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 Dabur, 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
Questions people ask
Does Chandanasava work for urinary infections?
We cannot say. A 1991 paper reports a clinical trial of Chandanasava in urinary tract infection, but its summary gives no design, no number of patients and no results, and we have not been able to assess the full paper.[3]
Is Chandanasava made from sandalwood only?
No. White sandalwood is one of 22 herbs used in equal amounts, alongside red sandalwood, manjishtha, lodhra and others. Dhataki flowers, raisins, sugar and jaggery make up most of the weight.[1]
Related
Chandraprabha Vati
A classical tablet used for urinary complaints. It is not purely herbal: it contains iron and copper pyrite ashes, camphor, sugar and danti.
FormulationGokshuradi Guggulu
A guggulu and gokshura tablet used for urinary complaints and gout. The one study we found was a rat toxicity test. Both herbs have interaction pages.
FormulationVarunadi Kwath
A four-herb decoction with an alkali added, listed for urinary stones (ashmari). We have not found a study of it in people.
Sources
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Candanasava, 1:15, printed pages 12-13.
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Section 1, Asava and Arishta, Definition, printed page 3.
- Goel KN, Singh RH. Clinical trial of candanasava, in the treatment of urinary tract infection. Anc Sci Life. 1991;10:248-252. PMID 22556542.
Updated 4 November 2026
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