Panamrutham is a mixture of dried herbs that is sold primarily in India to make herbal drinking water. It is made up of Acacia catechu, Vetiveria zizanioides, Prunus cerasoides, Syzygium aromaticum, Pterocarpus santalinus, Hemidesmus indicus, Crataeva religiosa, and Elettaria cardamomum.
Panamrutham is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine, but there is minimal scientific research available on this herbal compound. What we do have is research on the individual herbs used to comprise panamrutham. However, it’s important to remember that, until further research is completed, we have a limited understanding of how these herbs interact with each other in your body. Talk to your doctor before deciding to add panamrutham to your diet.
Nutrition Information
Like many Ayurvedic products, panamrutham has not undergone FDA approval or regulation. As a result, there is no agreed upon serving size for panamrutham, nor is there any standardized nutrition information available.
Potential Health Benefits of Panamrutham
A preliminary bioassay of the extracted compounds found in panamrutham show that it may have certain health benefits. However, this research is still in its preliminary stages. Until more research is done on panamrutham as a whole, looking at the benefits of the individual herbs found in panamrutham is our best indication of panamrutham’s potential health benefits.
Improve Alertness
One study on vetiver, an ingredient in panamrutham, showed that inhaling vetiver essential oils may improve sleep-wake patterns and improve alertness. This study was done on animals, so further research would be needed to see if those same effects would be found in humans. Additionally, inhaling essential oils is not the same as drinking herbal water. However, this may indicate that panamrutham could improve alertness.
Regulate Blood Sugar
Cloves are one of the primary ingredients in panamrutham. Cloves have been shown to moderate blood sugar levels in mice with diabetes. While more research is needed to determine if this same effect would occur in humans, this indicates that panamrutham may be helpful for people with diabetes.
Potential Risks of Panamrutham
The US Food and Drug Administration advises caution when using Ayurvedic medicines, especially those bought online, because they are not regulated by the FDA. One study showed that 21% of Ayurvedic medicines purchased online contained toxic heavy metals. Talk to a doctor before considering panamrutham, and do your research to ensure that the company you’re purchasing from is trustworthy.
Healthier Alternatives
Because of the lack of medical knowledge of the effects of panamrutham, its health benefits and risks aren’t clear. Instead of reaching for this understudied drink, consider trying green tea, black tea, or other herbal teas instead.
