Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Unani
Safed musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum), of the Asparagaceae family. Small tuberous herb with a fascicle of fleshy white roots and lanceolate leaves; native range: forest floors and grassy slopes of central and western India. Globally recognized as musali / shveta musali in Sanskrit, safed musli in Hindi, musli safed in Arabic, and white musli in English. The part used is the tuberous roots. Fingers of pale, fleshy root, sweetish and slightly mucilaginous, bland when dried.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
SAFED MUSLI
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Safed musli
- Scientific name
- Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau & R.R.Fern.
- Family
- Asparagaceae
Form
- Part used
- the tuberous roots
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- sweet · bitter (madhura, tikta)
- Unani
- sweet
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (sheeta)
- Unani
- hot & moist (1st degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Unani
- kidneys · uterus · nerves
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- vrishya (aphrodisiac), balya (strengthening), rasayana (rejuvenative), brimhana (nourishing), stanyajanana (galactagogue)
- Unani
- muqawwi-e-bah (aphrodisiac), muqawwi-e-badan (general tonic), munim-e-badan (fattening), mughazzi (nutritive)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- weak digestion and high kapha or ama (undigested load), where its heaviness cloys
- Toxicity
- a nutritive tonic, essentially non-toxic
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