Expiration Date Of Ayurvedic Medicines

The popularity of Ayurvedic medicine and products is only soaring with time. With westerners embracing ayurveda as a means of relief from ailments, more and more people are opting for ayurvedic stuff! However, the popularity of ayurveda has done little to dispel some widespread myths and misconceptions about it! One such misconception is that ayurvedic medicines do not have any expiry date and you can store and use them for as long as you want.

The Reason Behind The Myth

The main reason leading to the myth on no expiry date of ayurvedic products are that they are made with natural extracts and herbs. These formulations mostly do not contain any chemical or artificial ingredient.

The Nuances of Ayurveda and Concept of Expiry Date

In ancient ages, when ayurveda was widely practiced the norm was to make such herbal formulations and use them at the earliest.So, storage or expiry was not much of a concern. Later, when metals and inorganic substances were incorporated in making such formulations, storage became an issue.

Nowadays, the thoughts of safety and efficacy come in the forefront for any medicine including herbal ones. While the metal extracts used in medicine can toxic after a time those containing only plant extracts may lose their efficacy.

The Truth That You Should Know

While the herbal medicines made by top Ayurvedic firms do have a longer shelf life compared to traditional products. They do have expiry dates. Broadly speaking, the time till which any product, can retain the desired attributes to bring promised efficacy in users is thought to be shelf life. It can range from a few months to a few years, based on the formulation and storage requirements.

How Shelf Life and Expiry Date of Ayurvedic Products Get Affected

It is important that you realize how shelf life of an Ayurvedic formulation can get affected.

• It depends to an extent on which medicinal herbs are used in such medicine.
• Sometimes, two or more herbs present in such formulations can interact with one another- reducing or affecting the expected shelf life of the formulation.
• Dry formulations tend to last longer than liquid ones.
• It depends on the formulation being kept in ideal conditions. If you keep an ayurvedic product in well lit rooms which is meant to be stored in cold and dry place, its longevity will surely be reduced.

The Herbal powder mix can last for 2 years or so. The same is true about Ayurvedic tablets, Ayurvedic Herbal ghee, and Herbal dental paste. The herbal jams, Ayurvedic Herbal Oils have slightly longer shelf life- 3 years on an average.

Using Common Sense For Safety

Now that you can buy online medicines and Ayurvedic formulation, how do you remain on the safe side as far as safety and their efficacy is concerned? It is quite simple actually- you have to use your common sense along with your acquired knowledge on an ayurvedic product! Whether you are buying the ayurevdic product at a regular shop or online, look for the shelf life.

It is important to read the storage instructions as it is directly related to the shelf life of the product. Once you get the product delivered, open the bottle or jar and check for foul smell or discoloration. Some Ayurvedic products are prone to discoloration though. However, if you find anything amiss-do not hesitate to discard it and buy another. Some people feel that they can use an ayurvedic product well past the expiry date if the formulation looks and smells all right! This is not an ideal step. It is better you discard the product after the time and start using a new unit.