Overview

Shunthi is one of the herbs traditionally used in Ayurveda for inflammation. Shunthi is called Vishvabheshaja (universal medicine) because it is useful in almost all diseases. Unique among Katu drugs because it is Snigdha (unctuous) rather than Ruksha (dry), making it suitable even for Vata conditions. Fresh ginger (Adraka) has different properties.

How Shunthi Helps with Inflammation

According to Ayurvedic pharmacology, Shunthi has specific properties that make it valuable for addressing inflammation:

Potency (Virya): Ushna (hot)
Post-digestive (Vipaka): Madhura (sweet)
Taste (Rasa): Katu (pungent)
Qualities (Guna): Laghu (light), Snigdha (unctuous)

Ayurvedic Properties

Taste (Rasa): Pungent (Katu)
Quality (Guna): Light (Laghu), Unctuous (Snigdha)
Potency (Virya): Hot (Ushna)
Post-digestive (Vipaka): Sweet (Madhura)
Key Constituents: Volatile oil (1-3%), Gingerol (pungent principle), Shogaol, Zingiberene
Also Known As: English: Dry Ginger
Sanskrit: शुण्ठी, नागर, विश्वभेषज, विश्व, महौषध
Hindi: सोंठ, सूंठ

What the Classical Texts Say

वेसवारो गु : ि न धो बलोपचयवधन: । मु गा दजा तु गुरवो यथा यगुणानुगा: ॥ ४१॥ Vesavara is meat, cut into minute bits, added with spices like pepper, ginger etc, and roasted or fried.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 6: Annaswaroopa Food

161-162 Ginger benefits: नागरं द पनं व ृ यं यं लघु ाह यं वब धनत ु ् 163 वाद ुपाकं ि न धो णं कफवातिजत ् Nagara – (ginger), increases hunger, is aphrodisiac, water absorbent, good for the heart (or the mind), relives constipation, bestows, taste, easily digestible, sweet at the end of digestion, unctuous, hot in potency and mitigates kapha and vata.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 6: Annaswaroopa Food

163 त वदा कमेत च यं कटुकं जयेत ् १६४ थौ याि नसदन वासकास ल पदपीनसान ् Similar is ardraka (fresh ginger, green); Trikatu - Pepper, long pepper and ginger – together known as trikatu, useful in obesity,Asthma, dyspepsia, cough, filariasis and chronic nasal catarrh.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 6: Annaswaroopa Food

161-162 Ginger benefits: नागरं द पनं व ृ यं यं लघु ाह यं वब धनत ु ् 163 वाद ुपाकं ि न धो णं कफवातिजत ् Nagara – (ginger), increases hunger, is aphrodisiac, water absorbent, good for the heart (or the mind), relives constipation, bestows, taste, easily digestible, sweet at the end of digestion, unctuous, hot in potency and mitigates kapha and vata.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 6: Annaswaroopa Food

प चकोलकमेत च म रचेन वना म ृतम ् गु म ल होदरानाहशल ू नं द पनं परम ् The above, excluding marica, (pippali, pippalimula, cavya, citraka and nagara) is known as panchakolaka, It cures abdominal tumors, disease of the sleen, enlargement of the abdomen, distension and colic, and is best to improve hunger and digestion.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 6: Annaswaroopa Food

Katu Gana – group of pungents:कटुको ह गु म रचकृ मिजत प चकोलकम ् कुठे रा या ह रतकाः प तं मू म करम ् Hingu- Asa foetida Maricha – Black pepper, Krimijit – Vidanga, Panchakola – Chitraka, Pippalmoola, Pippali, Chitraka and ginger, leafy vegetables such as Kutheraka and others (mentioned in verse 103 of chapter 6 earlier), Pitta (bile of animals), Mutra (urines), Arushkara etc.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 10: Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their

Tikta and Katu त तं कटु च भू य ठं अ ु यं वातकोपनम ् ऋते अम ृतापटोल यां शु ठ कृ णा रसोनतः Generally bitters and pungents are non-aphrodisiacs and aggravate (increase) Vata except for Amrita (Indian tinospora), Patoli, Shunthi (ginger), Krishna (long pepper) and Rasona – Garlic – Alium sativum.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 10: Rasabhediyam Tastes, Their

20 Treatment for over nourishing त मेदो नल ले मनाशनं सव म यते कुला थजूण यामाकयवमु गमधूदकम ् म त ुद डाहता र ट च ताशोधनजागरम ् मधुना फलां ल या गुडूचीमभयां घनम ् रसा जन य महतः प चमल ू य ग ु गल ु ोः शलाजतु] योग च साि नम थरसो हतः वड गं नागरं ारः काललोहरजो मधु यवामलक चूण च योगो अ त थौ यदोशिजत ् Treatments which reduce Medas- fat, Anila- Vata and Kapha are desirable; Use of Kulattha – horse gram – Dolichos Biflorus, Jurna, Shyamaka, Yava – Barley – Hordeum Vulgare, Mudga – green gram – Averr
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 14: Dvividha Upakramaneeya

21-24 योषकटवीवरा श ु वड गा त वषाि थराः ह गुस ौवचलाजाजीयवानीधा य च काः नशी ब ृह यौ हपुषा पाठामूलं च के बुकात ् एषां चूण मधु घ ृतं तैलं च सदशांशकम ् स तु भः षोडशगुणैयु तं पीतं नहि त तत ् अ त थौ या दकान ् सवा ोगान यां च त वधान ् ोगकामलाि व वासकासगल हान ् बु मेधा म ृ तकरं स न या ने च द पनम ् Powder of Vyosha- (Trikatu – pepper, long pepper and ginger), Katvi, Vara (Triphala), Shigru (drum stick), Vidanga (False black pepper – Embelia ribes), Ativisha, Sthira (Desmodium gangeticum), Hingu – (A
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 14: Dvividha Upakramaneeya

20 Treatment for over nourishing त मेदो नल ले मनाशनं सव म यते कुला थजूण यामाकयवमु गमधूदकम ् म त ुद डाहता र ट च ताशोधनजागरम ् मधुना फलां ल या गुडूचीमभयां घनम ् रसा जन य महतः प चमल ू य ग ु गल ु ोः शलाजतु] योग च साि नम थरसो हतः वड गं नागरं ारः काललोहरजो मधु यवामलक चूण च योगो अ त थौ यदोशिजत ् Treatments which reduce Medas- fat, Anila- Vata and Kapha are desirable; Use of Kulattha – horse gram – Dolichos Biflorus, Jurna, Shyamaka, Yava – Barley – Hordeum Vulgare, Mudga – green gram – Averr
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 14: Dvividha Upakramaneeya

it should be neglected and allowed to remain inside for the night; Next morning he is made to drink warm water either processed with ginger and coriander or plain.
— Astanga Hridaya, Chapter 19: Vasti Vidhi Enema

Source: Astanga Hridaya, Ch. 6, Ch. 6, Ch. 6, Ch. 6, Ch. 6, Ch. 10, Ch. 10, Ch. 10, Ch. 14, Ch. 14, Ch. 14, Ch. 19

Other Herbs for Inflammation

⟶

Agastya Flowers Sesbania grandiflora Linn.

⟶

Arani Premna integrifolia Linn.

⟶

Alexandrian Laurel Ochrocarpus longifolius Benth. & Hook. f.; Calophyllum inophyllum Linn.

⟶

Amla Phyllanthus emblica Linn.

⟶

Ashwagandha Withania somnifera Dunal

⟶

Bael Aegle marmelos Corr.

⟶

Vamsha Bambusa arundinacea Willd.

⟶

Barleria Barleria prionitis Linn.

See all herbs for inflammation on the Inflammation page.