Manuka — known as Draksha in Sanskrit — is one of Ayurveda's most beloved foods and medicines simultaneously. The dried fruit of Vitis vinifera, it occupies a unique position in classical medicine as a Nitya Rasayana: a rejuvenative herb considered safe and beneficial to consume daily, for the whole of life.

Celebrated in the Charaka Samhita with the Sanskrit declaration Drakshaa Phalottamaa — "among all fruits, the grape is the finest" — Draksha has been used in Ayurvedic practice for over two thousand years to nourish the tissues (dhatu), build vital essence (ojas), support the heart, cool excess Pitta, and calm the nervous system. Modern science has identified an extraordinary range of bioactive compounds in Vitis vinifera — including resveratrol, OPCs, anthocyanins, and naturally occurring melatonin — that give scientific grounding to many of these ancient claims. 1

Traditional Ayurvedic Uses

Draksha's extraordinary status in Ayurveda is unusual because it is simultaneously a food, a medicine, and a Rasayana — a rejuvenative tonic — all at once. The Charaka Samhita includes it among the Nitya Rasayana dravyas: substances beneficial and safe for daily, lifelong consumption. 1 The classical texts describe it as Brumhana (nourishing), Sheeta (cooling), and Pushtikara (strength-giving) — properties confirmed across millennia of use and now increasingly supported by nutritional science.

In classical Ayurvedic formulation, Draksha features as a key ingredient in Drakshasava (a self-fermented medicinal wine), Draksharishta, and Drakshavaleha (a medicated jam used for cough and respiratory conditions). Its role in these preparations is both nutritive — providing natural sugars, iron, and vitamins to nourish the patient — and pharmacologically active, contributing its polyphenols and cooling properties to the formula. 2

Ayurvedic Properties (Guna)

The Four Forms of Draksha in Ayurveda

Ayurvedic texts describe different therapeutic effects from each form of Vitis vinifera, depending on its state of ripeness and preparation. This nuance reflects the classical precision of Ayurvedic pharmacology:

Conditions Traditionally Treated

• Fever (Jwara) — cooling and antipyretic; one of Draksha's most documented classical uses
• Anaemia (Pandu) — rich in iron and natural sugars; builds blood and relieves fatigue
• Cough, bronchitis, and respiratory conditions — Draksha's demulcent properties soothe inflamed airways
• Constipation and digestive disorders — laxative, promotes healthy gut motility
• Haemorrhagic disorders (Raktapitta) — cooling properties help control bleeding disorders
• Urinary disorders and thirst (Trishna)
• Cardiac weakness — classical heart tonic; strengthens and regulates cardiac function
• General debility and emaciation — nourishing, fattening, and strength-giving properties

Key Active Compounds

Vitis vinifera is one of the most phytochemically complex fruits known, with polyphenols concentrated particularly in the skin and seeds. The raisin/Manuka form retains and concentrates these compounds through the drying process, making it particularly rich in bioactive constituents. 3

Manuka, Melatonin & Sleep — The Science

One of Manuka's most remarkable and scientifically validated properties — and a key reason for its inclusion in SupaSleep — is its naturally occurring melatonin content. Vitis vinifera was among the first plant foods confirmed to contain biologically meaningful concentrations of melatonin, a hormone that regulates the body's circadian rhythm and directly signals sleep onset. 4

The melatonin found in Manuka works in several complementary ways. As a signalling hormone, it directly promotes sleep onset by interacting with the MT1 and MT2 receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus — the brain's circadian clock. 4 Beyond this, melatonin is itself a powerful antioxidant, scavenging free radicals in the brain during sleep. The combination of melatonin with the antioxidant polyphenols in Manuka creates a synergistic effect: the melatonin signals the brain to sleep while the OPCs and resveratrol protect neural tissue during rest — aligning precisely with the Ayurvedic understanding of Draksha as simultaneously nourishing the nervous system and calming the mind.

What the Research Says

While Draksha has fewer targeted clinical studies than single-compound pharmaceutical preparations, its constituent polyphenols — particularly resveratrol, OPCs, and anthocyanins — are among the most extensively studied natural compounds in modern medicine. Much of the strongest evidence relates to cardiovascular health and antioxidant activity. 3

Traditional Use & Modern Dosage

Draksha is unusual in that it straddles the boundary between food and medicine — it can be consumed freely as part of a healthy diet as well as in more concentrated therapeutic preparations. Classical Ayurvedic texts recommend it as a daily food for all constitutions (Nitya Rasayana), particularly beneficial for those with excess Pitta, Vata, or for those convalescing from illness.

For sleep support specifically, the traditional practice of taking raisins or a milk decoction of raisins in the evening aligns perfectly with the pharmacology of melatonin — the body's melatonin production naturally rises in the evening, and supplementing with food-based melatonin at this time potentiates rather than disrupts the natural circadian signal. Soaking raisins overnight also increases their digestibility and may enhance the bioavailability of polyphenols.

Safety & Precautions

Draksha/Manuka has one of the most favourable safety profiles of any Ayurvedic herb — as expected for a food that has been consumed daily by hundreds of millions of people throughout history. The following precautions apply primarily at concentrated therapeutic doses:

Key Takeaways

Evidence-backed bullet points: