A scoping review of the pharmacological, analytical, and clinical evidence on Shwasahara Mahakashaya in respiratory disorders

Abstract

In his classical treatise Charaka Samhita , Acharya Charaka described Shwasahara Mahakashaya , a group of ten herbs traditionally used for respiratory disorders. This scoping review evaluates the pharmacological, analytical, and clinical relevance in contemporary scientific literature. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, the Ayush Research Portal, and DHARA, including full-text, peer-reviewed English articles. Of the 134 records initially identified, 20 studies met the inclusion criteria and focused exclusively on Shwasahara Mahakashaya . These comprised nine review articles, six clinical studies, and five analytical studies. The findings indicate bronchodilator, anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, and immunomodulatory activities, while analytical studies provide the evidence of pharmacognostical, physicochemical, and microbiological characteristics. However, the evidence is limited by small clinical samples, single-case reports, heterogeneous study designs and dosage forms, and limited evaluation of the complete standardized formulation. Further well-designed pharmacological, analytical, and clinical studies are required to establish the efficacy, safety, and quality.