In brief: Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu (also written Dhanwantaram Kuzhambu, Dhanvantari Kuzhambu or Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu oil) is the thick form of the classical Dhanwantharam recipe: Bala, the ten Dashamoola roots, Ashwagandha, Shatavari and a long list of further plants cooked into a base of sesame and castor oil until it is denser and slower-flowing than Dhanwantharam Thailam. Described in the Ashtanga Hridayam, it is mildly warming, classically placed with Vata, and traditionally used for a focused Abhyanga of one area. This guide covers what it is, what Art of Vedas declares, how it differs from the Thailam and the Mezhukupakam, how to apply it and who should ask first.
Therapies & Oils
Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu: what it is, what it declares and how to use it
Reviewed by Dr. Anu Joy, MD (Ayurveda), Ayurvedic doctor of Art of Vedas
What Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu is
Dhanwantharam is one of the most widely used recipes of the classical oil tradition, named after Dhanvantari. The same plants are prepared at three consistencies: the Thailam, the flowing oil; the Kuzhambu, the thick preparation; and the Mezhukupakam, the semi-solid one. Kuzhambu is the word for a thick, slow-flowing liquid, and in Ayurvedic pharmacy a medicated oil prepared in a heavier base and cooked further than a Thailam. The Art of Vedas Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu declares sesame seed oil and castor seed oil as that base; at room temperature it pours slowly, and between warm hands it softens within a minute. The form in general is covered in our complete guide to Kuzhambu.
Thailam, Kuzhambu and Mezhukupakam: three consistencies of one recipe
Dhanwantharam Thailam, in 200 ml, 450 ml, 1 litre and 5 litre, is cooked into sesame oil and flows freely: the form for Abhyanga of the whole body. Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu, in 200 ml, is cooked in sesame and castor oil and taken further, so it is thick, stays where it is placed and is used in a small amount on one area. Dhanwantharam Mezhukupakam, in 450 ml, is cooked further still, until it sets to a soft, wax-like consistency. If you want one bottle, take the Thailam.
What the Art of Vedas Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu declares
The base is sesame seed oil and castor seed oil. The nourishing roots are Bala, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Vidari, Punarnava, Sariva and liquorice. The ten Dashamoola roots are all declared: bael, Agnimantha, Shyonaka, Gambhari, Patala, Gokshura, Shalaparni, Prishniparni, Brihati and Kantakari. Then barley, horse gram, mung bean, wild mung, jujube and fenugreek, the three Triphala fruits, Manjistha, stone flower, myrrh, Devadaru, and the aromatic plants cinnamon, Indian bay leaf, cardamom and dill. Cinnamal, eugenol, linalool, coumarin, benzyl benzoate, limonene and carvone, declared at the end, are not added fragrances: they occur naturally in those aromatic plants, and EU cosmetics rules require them to be named. Every declared ingredient is a plant material or resin, so the Kuzhambu is suitable for vegans. The full declaration, with botanical names, is on the product page and the label; the method, the classical Sneha Paka, is described in our complete guide to Thailams.
Character in Ayurvedic terms
Bala, Ashwagandha, Shatavari and the Dashamoola roots are the plants the tradition counts as nourishing and strengthening, so Dhanwantharam is classically placed with Vata and described by the texts as nourishing (Brimhana) and strengthening (Balya), in general terms. It is only mildly warming: the spices are few and cooling roots such as Sariva, liquorice and Manjistha soften the character. That makes Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu the gentlest Kuzhambu in our range and the one most people start with, including those with a share of Pitta.
How Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu is used in practice
Soften the Kuzhambu in warm water or between the palms until it feels pleasantly warm on the inner wrist; no microwave. Work a teaspoon into one area, the lower back, a shoulder, a knee, the calves or the feet, with slow, sustained strokes until it has gone into the skin. Keep the area warm for 20 to 30 minutes, then take a warm shower. Many people apply the Thailam over the body first, in the sequence our Abhyanga guide describes, and the Kuzhambu on one area afterwards. Because it is only mildly warming, it suits a regular routine for most of the year: daily or on alternate days in autumn and winter, less often in the hottest weeks, usually in the evening. Store it closed and cool; if it firms up in a cold room, warm water softens it again.
Who should ask first
Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu is a body preparation for external use only. It is not a face oil, and Art of Vedas makes no claim about skin tone. Do a small skin test on the inner forearm before the first full application, keep it away from the eyes and broken skin, and do not use it if you react to sesame, castor oil or any declared ingredient. In pregnancy, while breastfeeding and for children, ask your doctor or a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner first.
Frequently asked questions about Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu
What is Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu? The thick form of the classical Dhanwantharam recipe: Bala, the ten Dashamoola roots, Ashwagandha, Shatavari and further plants cooked into a base of sesame and castor oil until it is denser and slower-flowing than the Thailam. The recipe is described in the Ashtanga Hridayam. Art of Vedas sells it for external use in a 200 ml bottle.
What is Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu used for? For a focused Abhyanga of one area, the lower back, a shoulder, a knee, the calves or the feet. It is mildly warming, classically placed with Vata, and described by the texts as nourishing and strengthening in general terms. Ask a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner what suits you.
How do you use Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu? Soften a teaspoon between warm hands or stand the closed bottle in warm water, then work it into one area with slow, sustained strokes until it has gone into the skin. Keep the area warm for 20 to 30 minutes, then take a warm shower. Use the Thailam for the whole body and the Kuzhambu for one area.
What is the difference between Dhanwantharam Thailam and Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu? Base and consistency, not the plants. Dhanwantharam Thailam is cooked into sesame oil and flows freely, for Abhyanga of the whole body. Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu is cooked in sesame and castor oil to a thick consistency that stays where it is placed, for one area. Art of Vedas offers both.
What are the ingredients of Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu? The Art of Vedas preparation declares sesame and castor seed oil, Bala, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Vidari, Punarnava, Sariva, liquorice, the ten Dashamoola roots, barley, horse gram, mung, jujube, fenugreek, the three Triphala fruits, Manjistha, stone flower, myrrh, Devadaru, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom and dill. The full list, with botanical names, is on the product page.
Is there a Dhanwantharam Mezhukupakam, and how does it differ? Yes. Dhanwantharam Mezhukupakam is the same recipe cooked further still, until it sets to a soft, wax-like consistency. It is softened between the palms and used in a very small amount on one area. Art of Vedas offers it in a 450 ml size beside the 200 ml Kuzhambu and the Thailam.
Can Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu be used on the face? It is a body preparation for external use, not a face oil, and Art of Vedas makes no claim about skin tone. Keep it away from the eyes. For the face, ask a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner which preparation the tradition uses; Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu is not one of them.
Can Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu be used in pregnancy or for children? Ask your doctor or a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner first. Dhanwantharam Kuzhambu is for external use only: do a small skin test on the inner forearm before the first full application, keep it away from the eyes and broken skin, and do not use it if you react to sesame, castor oil or any declared ingredient.
