Vijaysar Kwath (Asana / Biyo) – Pterocarpus marsupium Heartwood – Riddhish Herbals – 100g

Reviewed by Dr. Riddhish Padiya — B.Pharm (Ayurveda), M.Pharm (Pharmacognosy), Ph.D. (Dravyaguna), ITRA Jamnagar. Publications under “Padiya RH”.

About Vijaysar Kwath

Vijaysar is a heartwood drug, and the heartwood is the whole point of it. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India specifies the dried stem heartwood; the bark, the leaf and the gum-kino exudate the tree yields all have their own traditional uses and none of them is a substitute for the wood.

The classical synonym verse for this drug names it seven ways — Asana, Bijaka, Pitasara, Pitashalaka, Bandhukapushpa, Priyaka, Sarjaka. Pitasara means the yellow-sapped or yellow-cored one, which is a plain description of what the cut wood looks like. The Nighantu literature records the drug as Kashaya and Tikta in Rasa, Kaphahara, and Pramehaghna.

A word about that last term, because it is the one people arrive at this page looking for. Prameha is a classical Ayurvedic category with its own long literature. It is not a modern diagnosis, it does not map cleanly onto one, and this page does not present it as though it did. We record the classical category because Ayurvedic honesty requires it and Indian law permits it when it is attributed. We make no claim on this page about any diagnosed condition, and this product is not a medicine for one.

A Kwath grade is a coarse cut rather than a fine powder, and with heartwood that matters more than usual. Wood gives up very little to cold water or to a brief steep. It has to be simmered, which is precisely what a Kwath is for.

Sourcing, conservation and identity

Sourcing and conservation — what we know, and what we do not

This tree is assessed by the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened. That is a conservation-concern category rather than a legal prohibition, and it is worth knowing when you buy any heartwood drug.

To be precise about the legal position, because it is widely muddled: Pterocarpus marsupium is not CITES-listed. The genus does carry a CITES Appendix II listing, but that listing is scoped to African Pterocarpus populations and does not cover this Indian species. It is a different plant, Pterocarpus santalinus — Raktachandan, Red Sanders — that is CITES-listed and export-restricted from India. The two are frequently conflated online. They are not the same tree and they do not have the same legal status.

On adulteration, the dravyaguna literature names two substitutes for this drug: Terminalia tomentosa heartwood in some regions, and the dried trunk exudate of Butea monosperma, traded as Bengal kino, standing in for Indian kino. We have not had this lot botanically authenticated and do not claim to have. What we can say is that the substitution risk is documented, that we will tell you honestly what our supplier documentation says if you ask, and that we would rather you knew.

What is declared, and what is not

Declared: the herb (Pterocarpus marsupium), the part (heartwood), the grade (Kwath — coarse) and the net quantity, 100 g.

Not declared: botanical authentication of the lot, geographic origin, and whether the wood is from a felled tree or from sustainably harvested material. For a Near Threatened species that last point is the declaration that would matter most, and no pack in this price band carries it.

The listing is tagged for botanical and sourcing confirmation. Ask us before ordering if any of this matters to you, and we will tell you what our supplier documentation actually says rather than what we would like it to say.

Key Features

• One material: the heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb., cut to a coarse Kwath grade. No blend, no filler.
• The heartwood is the specified part: the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India gives Vijaysar as the dried stem heartwood. Bark, leaf and the gum-kino exudate have their own traditional uses and are not the same drug.
• A Kwath, not a churna: a coarse decoction grade, meant to be simmered in water and strained, prepared fresh each time. Heartwood in particular gives up very little to cold water.
• Classical names given as the texts give them: Asana, Bijaka, Pitasara, Pitashalaka, Bandhukapushpa, Priyaka, Sarjaka — the classical synonym verse for this drug. Terms are recorded, not glossed into therapeutic promises.
• We name the conservation position: IUCN Near Threatened, and — contrary to a great deal of confused writing online — not CITES-listed. That is Pterocarpus santalinus, a different tree.
• We name the substitution risk: Terminalia tomentosa and Butea monosperma exudate are the documented substitutes for this drug. We have not had this lot authenticated and do not claim to have.
• Genuine, doctor-guided sourcing: bill provided with every pack; a store trusted since 2015, with pan-India delivery.

Research on the Constituents

Composition (label-verified)

A single material: the heartwood of Pterocarpus marsupium, cut to a coarse Kwath grade, 100 g net, with nothing added. No botanical authentication of this lot is claimed — the dravyaguna literature records Terminalia tomentosa and Butea monosperma exudate as substitutes for this drug. Geographic origin, harvest source and particle grade are not stated on the pack. No extract ratio and no standardisation percentage are claimed, because this is not an extract. Tagged for botanical and sourcing confirmation.

How to Use

Strictly as directed by your Ayurvedic physician. The classical Kwatha method simmers the coarse drug in water until the volume is reduced, then strains it; in household terms that is roughly one to two teaspoons in two cups of water, reduced to about half, strained and taken warm. Heartwood needs the simmer — a brief steep or a cold infusion will give you coloured water and very little else. Prepare it fresh each time; a decoction is not meant to be kept. Children should be given this only on the direction of a qualified Ayurvedic physician.

Who Can Use It

For adults, on the direction of a qualified Ayurvedic physician. This is not a product to start on your own initiative. If you are managing a diagnosed condition of any kind, speak to your doctor before taking this or any herb, continue the care your doctor has advised, and do not reduce or stop any prescribed medicine because you have begun a herb. Not for use during pregnancy or lactation without medical advice. Children only on physician direction. If you are taking regular medication, tell your doctor about this preparation so that they can advise you properly.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, in a tightly closed airtight container. Coarse heartwood keeps well — better than almost anything else in this range — but it will take up moisture and go musty if the pack is left open in humidity, and damp wood is where mould starts. Keep the pack firmly closed and keep damp hands out of it. Do not store the prepared decoction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Vijaysar Kwath?

It is a single-material Ayurvedic Kwath — a coarse decoction grade, simmered in water and strained before drinking — made from the heartwood of Vijaysar, Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. The dried stem heartwood is the part specified for this drug in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. There is nothing else in the pack.

What does Ayurveda classically say about this drug?

The classical synonym verse names it Asana, Bijaka, Pitasara, Pitashalaka, Bandhukapushpa, Priyaka and Sarjaka. The Nighantu literature records it as Kashaya and Tikta in Rasa, Kaphahara, and Pramehaghna. Prameha is a classical Ayurvedic category with its own long literature; it is not a modern diagnosis and this page does not present it as one.

Is this a medicine for a diagnosed condition?

No. We record the classical categories the texts record and we make no claim on this page about any diagnosed condition. If you are under medical care, continue exactly the care your doctor has advised, do not alter any prescribed medicine because you have started a herb, and tell your doctor you are taking this so they can advise you properly.

Which part of the tree is this?

The heartwood — the dense inner wood, which is what the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India specifies for this drug. The tree also yields a bark, a leaf and a gum-kino exudate, each with its own traditional use. None of them is a substitute for the heartwood.

Is this the same as Red Sanders or Raktachandan?

No, and the confusion is common enough to be worth answering directly. Raktachandan is Pterocarpus santalinus, a different species. It is CITES Appendix II listed and export-restricted from India. Vijaysar is Pterocarpus marsupium: assessed by the IUCN as Near Threatened, but not CITES-listed. Same genus, different tree, different legal status.

Is this species endangered?

It is assessed by the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened, which is a conservation-concern category rather than a legal prohibition. We state it because it is true and because anyone buying a heartwood drug ought to know. The pack does not declare whether the wood came from a felled tree or from sustainably harvested material, and we have not asserted either.

Is it adulterated in the market?

The dravyaguna literature records two substitutes: Terminalia tomentosa heartwood in some regions, and the dried trunk exudate of Butea monosperma, traded as Bengal kino, standing in for Indian kino. We have not had this lot botanically authenticated and do not claim to have. Ask us and we will tell you what our supplier documentation says.

What are the alternate names and spellings?

In Sanskrit असन (Asana), बीजक (Bijaka), पीतसार (Pitasara); in Hindi विजयसार (Vijaysar) or बिया (Biya); in Gujarat બીયો (Biyo); in Marathi बिबला (Bibla); in Tamil வேங்கை (Vengai); in Telugu వేగి (Vegi); in Kannada ಹೊನ್ನೆ (Honne); in Malayalam വേങ്ങ (Venga). In English, Indian Kino or Malabar Kino. The Bengali name is given romanised only in the table below, and the table explains why — the only Bengali script form we could find belongs to a different plant.

Has this herb been studied scientifically?

There is a large published literature on this species. Almost all of the clinical part of it concerns a single diagnosed metabolic condition, and Indian advertising law does not permit an Ayurvedic product page to make claims in that area — so we have deliberately left those papers off rather than quote real references to gesture at a claim we are not allowed to make. No finding is asserted on this page and nothing is attributed to any authors. We link to the literature search instead. That literature is a conversation for you and your doctor. Individual results may vary.

Can I take this without a doctor?

No. This is one of the products where we would rather be blunt than agreeable. Take it on the direction of a qualified Ayurvedic physician, and tell your doctor you are taking it. Doctor-guided selection is what our store is for.

How do I prepare it?

Roughly one to two teaspoons in two cups of water, simmered until reduced to about half, then strained and taken warm — or as your physician directs. Heartwood needs the simmer; a brief steep gives you coloured water and very little else. Make it fresh each time and do not store the strained liquid.

How is it different from Vijaysaradi Kwath?

Vijaysaradi Kwath is a multi-herb preparation with Vijaysar named as its lead herb and the rest of the blend undeclared. This one is Vijaysar alone. Your physician will say which they mean; they are not interchangeable.

How should I store it?

In a cool, dry place away from sunlight, in a tightly closed airtight container. Coarse heartwood keeps better than most things in this range, but damp wood goes musty and mould starts there, so keep the pack closed and keep damp hands out. Do not store the prepared decoction.

Is this AYUSH or GMP certified?

This pack is supplied under Riddhish Herbals' own label. Any AYUSH Standard Mark or GMP mark would appear on the physical pack, and we state such marks only where they are verified on the pack itself. We do not add Organic or ISO product claims unless they are documented on the label.

Is it available at Riddhish Herbals?

Yes — Vijaysar Kwath is stocked at riddhishherbals.com and at our Gujarat retail stores, with pan-India delivery and a proper bill, doctor-guided selection since 2015. Stock on this line runs short from time to time; ask us if you need a quantity held.

Regional Names & Spelling Variants

Related at Riddhish Herbals