Reviewed by medical experts • For informational purposes only
Brinjal known as Vartaka in Ayurveda is a medicinal vegetable scientifically identified as Solanum melongena. It is valued in traditional medicine for its pungent and bitter tastes combined with a hot potency which allows it to effectively pacify Kapha and Vata doshas. Unlike its common culinary use Ayurveda utilizes specific varieties to treat respiratory conditions like asthma and cough due to its ability to cut through mucus. It also acts as a digestive stimulant and appetizer improving metabolic fire. Therapeutically it is indicated for heart diseases and neuralgic pain. Key Ayurvedic formulations include Vartaku Guda which is specifically used for respiratory ailments. While generally safe it should be consumed cooked and used cautiously by those with high Pitta or skin disorders.
Brinjal, commonly known as Eggplant or aubergine, is a well-known vegetable used extensively in Indian cuisine. In Ayurveda, it is known as Vartaka or Vartaki. Far from being just a common kitchen vegetable, traditional texts describe it as a specific medicinal substance with pungent and bitter properties, useful for stimulating appetite and treating respiratory conditions like asthma and cough.
Brinjal is a herbaceous plant bearing large, fleshy fruits that vary in color from purple to green or white. While the cultivated variety (Solanum melongena) is a common food, Ayurveda often utilizes the wilder, more bitter varieties (like Solanum anguivi or Bṛhatī) for medicinal purposes. The fruit is described as light to digest (when properly cooked) and is valued for its ability to reduce Kapha (mucus) and Vata (wind) while stimulating the digestive fire.
According to the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (specifically regarding the medicinal variety Bṛhatī / Vartaka):
Brinjal (specifically the medicinal variety Vartaka) is indicated in Ayurveda for:
(General guidance based on Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India and AFI):
WHO & FAO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) – covers safety of pesticide residues in vegetables including brinjal.
Searchable safety evaluations and acceptable limits.
WHO is authoritative for food safety and quality evaluation.
https://www.who.int/health-topics/food-safety
The Codex sets international safety & quality standards for vegetables (including brinjal) in global trade.
Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed
Codex Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides
Joint FAO/WHO food standards program:
http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius
Noda Y., et al. (2000). Antioxidant activity of nasunin from eggplant peel.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Nasunin is a potent antioxidant found in brinjal peel.
Explores free-radical scavenging activity.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11073921
USDA FoodData Central – Eggplant (raw)
Authoritative nutritional composition for calories, vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc.
Useful for dietary and health research.
Niranjana K., et al. (2016). Genetics of resistance in brinjal to shoot-and-fruit borer.
Journal of Applied Horticulture.
Study on breeding disease-resistant brinjal cultivars — important for crop improvement.
https://journals.ashs.org/jashs/view/journals/jashs/71/4/article-p341.xml
** **Q. Can it be taken daily?
As a vegetable, it can be eaten regularly, but Ayurveda recommends rotating vegetables. For medicinal purposes (like treating cough), it is taken for a specific duration.
Q. When should it be taken?
Medicinal preparations like Vartaku Guda (electuary) are often licked or eaten in the morning or evening to manage respiratory issues.
Q. Can it be taken with milk/water?
Medicinal powders are often taken with honey or warm water to enhance the expectorant effect. It is generally not combined with milk in food recipes (incompatible combination), though specific medicinal processing may vary.
Written By
Sathyaprek
BDS
Reviewed By
Dr. Varun Gupta
MD Pharmacology, MBBS
Last updated on
27 Sep 2022 • 06:23 PM (IST)
Read Our Editorial Policy
Want to know more?
Have issue with the content?
Report Problem
Reviewed by medical experts • For informational purposes only
Brinjal known as Vartaka in Ayurveda is a medicinal vegetable scientifically identified as Solanum melongena. It is valued in traditional medicine for its pungent and bitter tastes combined with a hot potency which allows it to effectively pacify Kapha and Vata doshas. Unlike its common culinary use Ayurveda utilizes specific varieties to treat respiratory conditions like asthma and cough due to its ability to cut through mucus. It also acts as a digestive stimulant and appetizer improving metabolic fire. Therapeutically it is indicated for heart diseases and neuralgic pain. Key Ayurvedic formulations include Vartaku Guda which is specifically used for respiratory ailments. While generally safe it should be consumed cooked and used cautiously by those with high Pitta or skin disorders.
Brinjal, commonly known as Eggplant or aubergine, is a well-known vegetable used extensively in Indian cuisine. In Ayurveda, it is known as Vartaka or Vartaki. Far from being just a common kitchen vegetable, traditional texts describe it as a specific medicinal substance with pungent and bitter properties, useful for stimulating appetite and treating respiratory conditions like asthma and cough.
Brinjal is a herbaceous plant bearing large, fleshy fruits that vary in color from purple to green or white. While the cultivated variety (Solanum melongena) is a common food, Ayurveda often utilizes the wilder, more bitter varieties (like Solanum anguivi or Bṛhatī) for medicinal purposes. The fruit is described as light to digest (when properly cooked) and is valued for its ability to reduce Kapha (mucus) and Vata (wind) while stimulating the digestive fire.
According to the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (specifically regarding the medicinal variety Bṛhatī / Vartaka):
Brinjal (specifically the medicinal variety Vartaka) is indicated in Ayurveda for:
(General guidance based on Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India and AFI):
WHO & FAO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) – covers safety of pesticide residues in vegetables including brinjal.
Searchable safety evaluations and acceptable limits.
WHO is authoritative for food safety and quality evaluation.
https://www.who.int/health-topics/food-safety
The Codex sets international safety & quality standards for vegetables (including brinjal) in global trade.
Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed
Codex Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides
Joint FAO/WHO food standards program:
http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius
Noda Y., et al. (2000). Antioxidant activity of nasunin from eggplant peel.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Nasunin is a potent antioxidant found in brinjal peel.
Explores free-radical scavenging activity.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11073921
USDA FoodData Central – Eggplant (raw)
Authoritative nutritional composition for calories, vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc.
Useful for dietary and health research.
Niranjana K., et al. (2016). Genetics of resistance in brinjal to shoot-and-fruit borer.
Journal of Applied Horticulture.
Study on breeding disease-resistant brinjal cultivars — important for crop improvement.
https://journals.ashs.org/jashs/view/journals/jashs/71/4/article-p341.xml
** **Q. Can it be taken daily?
As a vegetable, it can be eaten regularly, but Ayurveda recommends rotating vegetables. For medicinal purposes (like treating cough), it is taken for a specific duration.
Q. When should it be taken?
Medicinal preparations like Vartaku Guda (electuary) are often licked or eaten in the morning or evening to manage respiratory issues.
Q. Can it be taken with milk/water?
Medicinal powders are often taken with honey or warm water to enhance the expectorant effect. It is generally not combined with milk in food recipes (incompatible combination), though specific medicinal processing may vary.
Written By
Sathyaprek
BDS
Reviewed By
Dr. Varun Gupta
MD Pharmacology, MBBS
Last updated on
27 Sep 2022 • 06:23 PM (IST)
Read Our Editorial Policy
Want to know more?
Have issue with the content?
Report Problem