Salt, their types; Caustic salts (i.e. Ksharas) and Tankanakshara

Ayurveda for a healthy life- 47/2025 on 1.03.2025

2.  Salt (Lavan)

It is penetrating, hot, promotes digestion, acts as a laxative, absorbs water and promotes moisture. It subdues the Vata dosha (Humour) and increases the Pitta and Kapha doshas.

2A.   The commonly used salts are saindhav, samudra, bida, sauvarchala and romak. All of them are hot and oily. They subdue Vata, increase the Pitta and Kapha doshas and increase the quantity of urine and faeces. Some varieties of salt are given ahead.

2A 1.   Saindhav : It is the best among all the salts (Lavan). As
it is obtained from the mines of the Sindh province, it is called saindhav. Saindhav contains more of sodium chloride and traces of sodium sulphate, sodium carbonate, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride.

A.   Properties : It is salty, slightly sweet and lubricating. It slightly increases the Pitta and Kapha doshas. It is neither hot nor cold.

B.   It is good for the eyes, a tonic for the generative organs and heart, and promotes taste and the digestive power.

2A 2.   Sauvarchala (Sanchala or padelona)

A.   Properties : It is light, hot, pungent, clean and adds taste and flavour to the food. It is a tonic for the heart. It promotes taste, secretion of digestive juices and digestion. It relieves the foul odour of belching and promotes the expulsion of flatus from the body.

B.   Diseases : It is useful in colicky pain and constipation.

Sodium chloride is its major ingredient. It also contains a small amount of sodium sulphate, sodium carbonate and iodine.

2A 3.   Bidalavan (Bida salt) : Bidalavan is prepared by mixing 92 parts of salt (Sodium chloride), 1 part of amalaka, 1 part of behada and 1 part of sajjikshara (Sodium bicarbonate) and grinding it into a fine powder. It contains more of sodium chloride and a small quantity of sodium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, ferric oxide and ferric sulphide.

A.   Properties : It is penetrating, hot, salty, dry, promotes taste and helps in the expulsion of flatus and belching. It stimulates the secretion of digestive juices thus promoting digestive power.

B.   Diseases : It is useful in heart diseases and colicky pain in the abdomen. It helps in the propulsion of Vata, i.e. flatus and faeces further into the digestive tract. Hence, it is useful in distension of the abdomen. It is also useful in case of heaviness of the body.

2A 4.   Samudra lavan (Common salt [Salt from the sea]) : Besides sodium chloride, it also contains potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulphate and calcium sulphate.

A.   Properties : It is salty, heavy, sticky and does not cause burning. It subdues Vata, increases Kapha but does not increase the Pitta dosha.

B.   One should consume only 2 to 3 gms. of salt daily. If consumed in a greater quantity over a long period, it leads to high blood pressure, premature greying of hair, hair loss and diseases of the kidney. Individuals suffering from heart diseases, high blood pressure, swelling of the body and diseases of the kidney should consume common salt in a limited quantity.

2A 5.   Oudbhida salt : It contains sodium chloride and sodium sulphate and a small quantity of sodium carbonate, lime and potassium nitrate.

A.   Properties : It is light, penetrating, hot, subtle, alkaline, bitter, pungent, salty and has a slightly foul odour. It promotes peristalsis and salivation. If taken in excess, it causes retention of water.

2A 6.   Krushna lavan (Black salt) : Its properties are similar to those of padelona and sauvarchala, except that it has no odour.

2A 7.   Romak : It is prepared from the waters of the Sambhar lake in Rajasthan.

A.   Properties : It is light, subtle, hot, penetrating and increases the Kapha dosha.

B.   It promotes digestion and peristalsis. It quickly spreads throughout the body. It increases the quantity of urine and liquid waste products like sweat.

C.   Except saindhav salt, all other salts are not good for the eyes. If taken in excess, they cause weakness, giddiness,
irrelevant talk, weakness of the muscles, vitiation of blood, premature greying of hair and wrinkling of the skin.

3.  Caustic salts (Ksharas)

The different varieties of ksharas are svarjikakshara, yavakshara, ushakshara, pakimkshara, tankanakshara etc. They promote the secretion of digestive juices, increase bleeding tendency and propel the flatus in the intestines. They are useful in urinary stone, piles and crystals in the urine. Some ksharas are described ahead.

3A.   Yavakshara : It is prepared from the ashes of yava. According to chemical analysis, it mainly contains potassium carbonate.

1.   Properties : It is hot, pungent, salty, penetrating, light and dry. It promotes digestion. It subdues Kapha and increases Pitta.

   2.   Function : It is useful in throat diseases, cough, breath-lessness, abdominal distension, malabsorption, piles, anaemia, enlargement of the spleen, heart diseases and worm infestation. It is applied as a caustic over excessive granulation tissue in non-healing ulcers and tumours.

As it is pungent and salty, it is not good for the blood, semen, oja, hair and eyes.

3B.   Svarjikakshara or sajjikshara : It mainly contains sodium carbonate. Its other properties are similar to those of yavakshara.

3C.   Tankanakshara (Borax)

A.   Properties : It is dry, penetrating and promotes the secretion of digestive juices. It subdues Kapha and increases the Vata and Pitta doshas. It mainly contains sodium bicarbonate.