The short answer
Panchatikta Ghrita is cow's ghee cooked with five bitter herbs (pancha tikta), neem, patola, kantakari, guduchi (giloy) and vasa, with triphala. The Ayurvedic Formulary of India lists it for kushtha (skin disease), non-healing wounds, piles, worms, cough, and disorders of vata, pitta and kapha.
In a 2019 randomised trial, 80 adults with osteopenia (thinning bones) took calcium and vitamin D for a year, with or without it. Vitamin D and two markers of bone turnover differed between the groups, but bone density did not. It is not Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu, a different medicine that contains bhallataka. Neem and giloy have their own interaction pages.
What is in it
The official recipe is in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 6:26, as Pancatikta Ghrta (2003 printed edition, pages 90-91).[1]
| Ingredient | Botanical name | Part used | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nimba (neem) | Azadirachta indica | Stem bark | 480 g |
| Patola (parwal) | Trichosanthes dioica | Whole plant | 480 g |
| Vyaghri (kantakari) | Solanum xanthocarpum | Whole plant | 480 g |
| Guduchi (giloy) | Tinospora cordifolia | Stem | 480 g |
| Vasaka (vasa) | Adhatoda vasica | Root | 480 g |
| Water for decoction | - | - | 12.288 l, reduced to 3.072 l |
| Haritaki (harad) | Terminalia chebula | Pericarp | 128 g |
| Bibhitaka (baheda) | Terminalia bellirica | Pericarp | 128 g |
| Amalaki (amla) | Emblica officinalis | Pericarp | 128 g |
| Ghrita (cow's ghee) | - | - | 768 g |
Quantities for one batch, from the 2003 printed edition. The five bitter herbs are boiled down to a decoction, and the ghee is cooked in it with a paste of triphala. Products on sale may differ, so check the label.[1]
Classical source
The formulary takes the recipe from the Bhaishajya Ratnavali, Kushthadhikara (the chapter on skin disease), verses 114 to 116. The verse closes by calling it the well-known Panchatikta ghee that destroys kushtha.[1]
What it is used for
- The formulary lists it for kushtha (skin disease), dushta vrana (non-healing wounds), arsha (piles), krimi (worms) and kasa (cough), and for vatavyadhi, pittavyadhi and kaphavikara (disorders of each of the three doshas).[1]
What the evidence says
RCTRandomised trial in osteopenia, 2019. Eighty adults aged 40 to 75 with low bone density took calcium and vitamin D3 for 12 months; half also took Panchatikta Ghrita. Sixty-five finished. Vitamin D3 and two markers of bone turnover, osteocalcin and TRAP-5b, differed between the groups, but bone density, quality of life and fracture-risk scores did not. The trial was open-label, and it did not test skin disease.[4]
Safety notes
- Do not confuse it with Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu (formulary entry 6:27, also called Nimbadi ghrita). That medicine adds 240 g of guggulu, purified bhallataka nut and two alkalis (yava kshara and sarji kshara) to a similar base.[2]
- Bhallataka (Semecarpus anacardium), in the guggulu version, is on Schedule E(1), India's list of poisonous substances in Ayurvedic medicines, so its label must say "Caution: to be taken under medical supervision". Check which of the two your pack is.[3]
- Contains neem and guduchi (giloy), which have their own interaction pages. See Neem and diabetes medicines, Giloy and diabetes medicines, and Giloy and immunosuppressants.
Who makes it
Sold in India by makers including Baidyanath. 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
Is Panchatikta Ghrita the same as Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu?
No. They are two separate formulary entries. The guggulu version adds guggulu resin, bhallataka nut, two alkalis and many spices, and it is listed for joint, bone and many other complaints as well as skin disease.[2]
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FormulationKhadirarishta
An arishta of khadira, devadaru, bakuchi and triphala, listed for skin disease. It contains alcohol from fermentation and is heavy in honey and sugar.
InteractionNeem and diabetes medicines (metformin, insulin)
In a 12-week trial, a neem leaf and twig extract lowered blood sugar further in people already on metformin. Insulin was not studied.
InteractionGiloy with metformin or insulin
Not tested in people. In rats, two weeks of giloy extract raised metformin levels. Giloy also carries its own risk of liver injury.
Sources
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Pancatikta Ghrta, 6:26, printed pages 90-91.
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, 2nd revised English edition, 2003. Pancatiktaguggulu Ghrta (synonym Nimbadi ghrta), 6:27, printed page 91.
- Drugs Rules, 1945, Rule 161(2) and Schedule E(1), list of poisonous substances under the Ayurvedic (including Siddha) and Unani systems. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization compilation, 2022, pp. 184 and 344-345.
- Munshi RP, Kumbhar DA, Panchal FH, Varthakavi P. Assessing the Effectiveness of Panchatikta Ghrita, a Classical Ayurvedic Formulation as Add-on Therapy to Vitamin D3 and Calcium Supplements in Patients with Osteopenia: A Randomized, Open-Labeled, Comparative, Controlled Clinical Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2019;25:1044-1053. PMID 31460771.
Updated 4 November 2026
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