Mahanarayan Oil

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Mahanarayan oil is a substance long used in ayurvedic medicine (the traditional medicine of India) as a massage oil. Typically, it’s made from a blend of sesame oil, camphor oil, and a variety of herbs.

Special Precautions of Mahanarayan Oil

  • Due to a lack of research, little is known about the safety of the long-term or prolonged use of mahanrayan oil. The oil should not be taken internally.
  • In some cases, individuals may experience irritation upon applying mahanarayan oil to the skin. Due to its potentially irritating effects, some ayurvedic practitioners suggest leaving mahanarayan oil on the skin for 15 minutes or fewer during each application of the oil.
  • It's also important to note that, due to the fact that natural products are largely unregulated, the content of some mahanarayan products may differ from what is specified on the product label. While consumers face such risks when purchasing any natural product, these risks may be of greater magnitude in the purchase of mahanarayan oil and other products containing a variety of herbs in varying amounts.

Health Benefits and uses of Mahanarayan Oil are

Mahanarayan oil is often used to soothe sore muscles, as well as treat a number of health issues. Often used in massage, mahanarayan oil is thought to reduce muscle tension and treat sore muscles and joints. Some preliminary research shows that a number of the herbs found in mahanarayan oil may have beneficial effects when applied topically (i.e., to the skin). For example, research shows that turmeric may reduce inflammation when applied topically, while camphor may have pain-relieving effects. In addition, mahanarayan oil is said to aid in the treatment of the following health problems:

  • anxiety
  • arthritis
  • headache
  • inflammation
  • stress
  • to improve sexual function
  • stimulate circulation
  • relieve congestion in the lungs
  • promote detox.
  • Additionally, practitioners of ayurveda often use mahanarayan oil to treat imbalances in vata (one of the three doshas). According to the principles of ayurveda, excess vata can contribute to such health issues as constipation, high blood pressure, arthritis, and digestive disorders.

Composition

Typically, Mahanarayan oil is made from a blend of sesame oil, camphor oil, and a variety of herbs. It contains a wide range of botanicals, typically including the following herbs (among others):

  • dashamula (an ayurvedic formula made with ten different herbs, including tribulus)
  • shatavari
  • arjuna
  • ashwagandha
  • fennel
  • neem
  • valerian
  • turmeric
  • phyllanthus
  • cardamom
  • clove
  • ginger
  • licorice
  • tulsi

References

  • Gupta SK, Agarwal R, Srivastava S, Agarwal P, Agrawal SS, Saxena R, Galpalli N. “The anti-inflammatory effects of Curcuma longa and Berberis aristata in endotoxin-induced uveitis in rabbits.” Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008 Sep;49(9):4036-40.
  • Hongratanaworakit T. “Aroma-therapeutic effects of massage blended essential oils on humans.” Nat Prod Commun. 2011 Aug;6(8):1199-204.
  • Hongratanaworakit T. “Stimulating effect of aromatherapy massage with jasmine oil.” Nat Prod Commun. 2010 Jan;5(1):157-62.
  • Hur MH, Lee MS, Seong KY, Lee MK. “Aromatherapy massage on the abdomen for alleviating menstrual pain in high school girls: a preliminary controlled clinical study.” Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:187163.
  • Xu H, Blair NT, Clapham DE. “Camphor activates and strongly desensitizes the transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 channel in a vanilloid-independent mechanism.” J Neurosci. 2005 Sep 28;25(39):8924-37.