The short answer
Jatamansi (जटामांसी, spikenard) is the root of a Himalayan plant, Nardostachys jatamansi. Its official preparation in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India is Jatamamsyarka, a distilled water made from 1 kg of the root. The formulary lists it for weak digestion, loss of taste, bad breath, mental illness (unmada) and epilepsy. Jatamansi tablets, capsules, powder and oil on sale are not this recipe.
Our review of jatamansi studies is not finished, and we have not yet found a trial of these preparations in people that we could assess. Two problems are known. The plant is critically endangered, and its root is easily confused with others, such as bhootkeshi, which has a different chemistry. A jatamansi product bought online for a 2008 US study held 12 micrograms of lead per gram.
What is in it
The official recipe is in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I (2003), entry 2:3 Jatamamsyarka, printed page 28.[1]
| Ingredient | Botanical name | Part used | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jatamamsi (jatamansi) | Nardostachys jatamansi | Root or rhizome | 1.0 kg |
| Water, for soaking and for making the arka | - | - | 25.0 l |
| Distillate recovered as arka | - | - | 15.0 l |
From the printed 2003 edition. The formulary notes that its water and distillate quantities are based on findings of RRL Jammu. Jatamansi tablets, capsules, powders and oils follow makers' own recipes, so check the label.[1]
Classical source
The formulary takes the recipe from the Arkaprakasha, Shataka 4, verse 22½.[1]
What it is used for
- The formulary lists Jatamamsyarka for agnimandya (weak digestion), arocaka (loss of taste), mukhadaurgandhya (bad breath), unmada (mental illness) and apasmara (epilepsy).[1]
What the evidence says
In vitroLab comparison, 2013. Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) and bhootkeshi (Selinum vaginatum) look and smell alike, and their roots are often confused. Tested side by side, jatamansi showed stronger antioxidant activity, and the two had different phenolic compounds. This is a test of plant identity and chemistry, not of any effect on sleep, mood or epilepsy in people.[2]
From the classical textsThe uses listed above come from the Arkaprakasha as the formulary records them, not from trials.[1]
Safety notes
- The wrong root can be sold as jatamansi. Bhootkeshi (Selinum vaginatum) is a common look-alike with a different chemistry.[2]
- A 2020 review describes Nardostachys jatamansi as critically endangered and discusses confusion over its name, including with Valeriana jatamansi. It does not test any named brand.[3]
- In a 2008 US study of Ayurvedic medicines bought online, a product sold as Jatamansi (Bazaar of India) held 12 micrograms of lead per gram; mercury and arsenic were below the reporting level. This was one product tested years ago, not every maker or batch.[4]
- Our search for side-effect reports, interactions and regulator alerts on jatamansi products is not complete. Finding none so far is not a sign that they are harmless.
Withheld until review
Related
Anxiety and sleep problems: what Ayurveda offers
Ashwagandha extracts improved sleep a little and lowered stress scores in short trials. They were not trials in diagnosed anxiety disorder.
FormulationBrahmi Ghrita
A medicated ghee of brahmi and ten herbs, used for memory and epilepsy. One small study in older adults; it contains danti, a scheduled poison.
FormulationManasamitra Vatakam
A many-ingredient tablet with gold, silver and iron bhasmas, listed for mental disorders. One small trial compared it with clonazepam for anxiety.
FormulationSaraswatarishta
A fermented brahmi tonic with gold leaf, listed for memory, speech, epilepsy and the mind. It contains alcohol from fermentation, plus sugar and honey.
Sources
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Jatamamsyarka, 2:3, printed page 28.
- Pandey MM, Katara A, Pandey G, Rastogi S, Rawat AK. An important Indian traditional drug of ayurveda jatamansi and its substitute bhootkeshi: chemical profiling and antioxidant activity. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:142517. PMID 23573115.
- Dhiman N, Bhattacharya A. Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC. Challenges and opportunities of harnessing the untapped medicinal plant from the Himalayas. J Ethnopharmacol. 2020;246:112211. PMID 31533076.
- Saper RB, Phillips RS, Sehgal A, et al. Lead, mercury, and arsenic in US- and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines sold via the Internet. JAMA. 2008;300(8):915-23. PMID 18728265.
Updated 4 November 2026
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