Has a study tested shatavari and shankhpushpi combined?

No, no known study has tested this specific combination. Two separate studies exist: a randomized clinical trial on shatavari alone in menopausal women, and a preclinical study on the nootropic and anxiolytic activity of shankhpushpi sources.

Are shatavari and shankhpushpi useful for menopause?

A randomized clinical trial (Gudise et al., 2024, Cureus) shows improved hot flashes, sleep and anxiety with a shatavari extract alone in menopausal women. Shankhpushpi doesn't have this level of evidence; adding it follows traditional logic, not combined clinical proof.

What dose of shatavari and shankhpushpi should you take together?

For guidance, 2 to 3 g of shatavari powder combined with 1 to 2 g of shankhpushpi powder, in warm milk or as a decoction. Allow 4 to 8 weeks of regular use before judging any effect on sleep or mood.

Is this combination safe during pregnancy?

No, as a precaution: shatavari is traditionally not recommended during pregnancy for lack of sufficient modern safety data, and shankhpushpi also lacks solid data for this period. Always seek medical advice before any combined course.

Can this herb combination replace gynecological follow-up?

No. Shatavari and shankhpushpi can support a hormonal transition period day to day, but severe PMS, disabling menopause or any unusual cycle disorder requires gynecological advice, not herbal self-medication.

Shatavari and Shankhpushpi Combined: Female Balance and Mental Calm

Q: Why combine shatavari and shankhpushpi?

In Ayurvedic tradition, shatavari supports the cycle and female vitality while shankhpushpi calms the mind. The combination targets periods when hormonal shifts (PMS, menopause) come with irritability, anxiety or disrupted sleep, on both fronts at once.

Shatavari and shankhpushpi form a fairly natural traditional combination in the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia: on one side a rasayana root known for supporting the female cycle and hormonal sphere, on the other a "mind" herb traditionally used to calm a restless mind. The logic is simple to understand: periods of hormonal upheaval — PMS, menopause — often come with a load on the mind (irritability, disrupted sleep, diffuse anxiety), and the combination targets both fronts at once rather than just one.

This article details that complementary logic, the traditional way to combine them, and what two separate studies show on each herb, without ever suggesting they've been tested together.

Shatavari in brief

amla/">Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is one of the most cited female rasayanas in Ayurveda. Traditionally sweet, heavy and cooling, it's associated with supporting the menstrual cycle, easing menopause, and, more broadly, female vitality. We detail its composition, full traditional uses and precautions in our reference article shatavari.

Shankhpushpi in brief

vacha/">Shankhpushpi (most often Convolvulus pluricaulis, though the name covers several plants depending on the region of India) belongs to the medhya rasayana category, the traditional tonics of the mind. It has long been used to calm a scattered mind, promote more restful sleep, and support concentration during periods of nervous tension. The details of its uses and precautions are in our article shankhpushpi.

Why combine shatavari and shankhpushpi?

Ayurvedic tradition doesn't really separate body and mind: an unstable hormonal cycle or a menopause marked by hot flashes and night sweats almost always disrupts sleep and nervous balance. The shatavari-brahmi/">shankhpushpi combination answers this dual logic:

Herb	Main traditional action	Traditional form of use
Shatavari	Supports the cycle, menopause and female vitality	Powder in warm milk, decoction, capsules
Shankhpushpi	Calms the mind, supports sleep and concentration	Powder as a decoction, traditional syrup, capsules

This is a classic combination used during PMS, menopause, or simply during life phases where hormone-related stress weighs on mood and sleep — without this being a clinically validated protocol, as clarified further below.

How to use them together? Indicative markers

For guidance only — traditional uses, to be adapted with a health professional trained in herbal medicine or Ayurveda:

Mixed powders: 2 to 3 g of shatavari powder combined with 1 to 2 g of shankhpushpi powder, in warm milk or warm water, ideally in the evening for the calming side, or split morning and evening.
Decoction: both herbs can be prepared as a shared decoction (a few minutes of simmering), a common traditional form particularly for shankhpushpi.
Combined capsules: per the manufacturer's label, in 1 to 2 doses with a meal or later in the day.

Allow several weeks — at least 4 to 8 weeks — of regular use before judging any effect on sleep or mood, in a 2-to-3-month course followed by a break, as with most rasayanas taken individually.

What research says about each herb

One point should be clear: no known study has tested the shatavari and shankhpushpi combination. What follows concerns two separate studies, conducted individually on each herb — it's the traditional logic of complementarity that drives this pairing, not scientific proof of synergy between the two.

On the shankhpushpi side, a study by Malik, Karan and Vasisht, published in 2011 in the journal Pharmaceutical Biology, compared the nootropic (memory) and anxiolytic activity of several plants traditionally labeled "shankhpushpi" in India — Convolvulus pluricaulis being the most common source — in laboratory and animal models. Results suggest nootropic and anxiolytic potential depending on the source tested, but this is preclinical data: no solid human clinical trial is cited in this study, which calls for stating this potential cautiously.

On the shatavari side, a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial led by Gudise, Dasari and Kuricheti and published in 2024 in the journal Cureus (DOI 10.7759/cureus.57879), evaluated a shatavari root extract in menopausal women. Results show a significant improvement in hot flashes, night sweats, sleep, anxiety and overall quality of life (measured by the Utian QoL score) in the group receiving the shatavari extract, compared with the placebo group, with no significant adverse effects reported. This is a solid human clinical trial, unlike the previous shankhpushpi study, which remains preclinical — a difference in evidence level worth honestly pointing out.

This contrast illustrates the situation well: shatavari has a good-quality clinical trial on specific menopause symptoms, while shankhpushpi rests mainly on tradition and laboratory data. The logic driving their combination remains primarily traditional, as with the related combination shatavari and brahmi or the brahmi and shankhpushpi duo, already published on this site.

Precautions

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: shatavari has a traditional reputation for an estrogen-like effect; as a precaution, it's generally not recommended during pregnancy given insufficient modern safety data, and shankhpushpi also lacks solid data for this period. Don't combine the two without medical advice in this context.
Hormone-dependent cancers: caution is warranted for shatavari given its traditional profile close to phytoestrogens; seek medical advice before any course.
Sedatives and sleep medications: shankhpushpi, through its traditionally calming effect, could potentially increase the effect of sedative treatments; avoid the combination without medical advice if you're already on such a treatment.
Allergies: shatavari belongs to the asparagus family (Liliaceae); caution in case of a known allergy.
Children: this combination isn't intended for children without a health professional's advice.
Gynecological follow-up: this combination never replaces gynecological follow-up or medical treatment for severe PMS, disabling menopause, or any cycle disorder outside the ordinary — at best, it can support it.

Find the full set of detailed precautions, drug interactions and warning signs in our safety and precautions guide.