Kashaya, Kashayam (Ayurvedic Herbal Decoctions)

Kashaya or kashayam is the commonest type of Ayurvedic medicines. Most kashaya are internally administered while a few of them are used for enigma.

Kashayas are herbal combination decoctions derived after several hours of boiling at specific heat. Medicinal herbs are added at the right intervals to retain optimum quality of the medicine. Kashaya can be as simple as a herbal tea (basil leaf tea) to very complex kashayas with thirty to hundred different herbs in the right combination.

The parts of plants used in kashaya production can be leaves, flowers or roots. Sometimes the whole plant is used in the preparation of the kashaya.