Nausadar Katli | Ammonium Chloride Slab | नौसादर कतली

What Is Nausadar (Ammonium Chloride)?

Nausadar is the traditional Unani and Ayurvedic name for ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl)—a naturally occurring mineral salt that forms around volcanic fumaroles and as a sublimation product. Historically it was obtained from the dung of animals in desert regions (particularly Central Asia), which is why it is sometimes called "naushadar" in Unani texts. In modern production it is synthesised industrially.

In classical Unani medicine (Ibn Sina's Canon of Medicine describes it), nausadar is classified as a mufarrih (exhilarant), muhallil (anti-inflammatory) and munfis al-balgham (phlegm expectorant). In Rasashastra (Ayurvedic mineral pharmacy), it is used as a nishosana—a desiccant/evaporating agent in the purification of other minerals.

Names in Other Languages

How to Identify Genuine Nausadar Katli

Nausadar is relatively straightforward to identify as it is a specific mineral salt with distinctive properties:

• Appearance: White to off-white, translucent crystalline slabs (Katli = slab/flake). The surface has a crystalline, slightly lustrous quality. Completely opaque or coloured material may be adulterated.
• Taste: Sharp, pungent, salty and faintly bitter. The taste is distinctive and cooling on the tongue due to the endothermic dissolution of ammonium chloride in saliva.
• Solubility: Dissolves completely in water, leaving a clear solution. If there is an insoluble residue, adulteration is likely.
• Smell: On strong heating, releases pungent ammonia gas (NH₃)—this is a positive identification test. Do not inhale ammonia fumes directly.
• Temperature: Feels cold to the touch due to endothermic dissolution; this is a characteristic property.

Traditional Uses of Nausadar

In classical Unani and pansari tradition, Nausadar has the following documented uses:

• Expectorant for respiratory conditions: Nausadar is one of the most-used expectorant ingredients in classical Unani cough and respiratory formulations (Jowarish, Laooq, and Sharbat preparations). Its ammonium content increases bronchial secretions and thins mucus, making it easier to expectorate. It is used in very small doses (typically 0.5–1g) as part of compound formulations—never as a standalone large-dose supplement.
• Digestive stimulant: In small doses, nausadar is traditionally used as a carminative and digestive stimulant in Unani compound preparations. It is believed to stimulate digestive secretions and reduce flatulence.
• Mineral processing (Rasashastra): In classical Rasashastra, nausadar is used as a processing agent (nishosana) in the shodhana (purification) of other minerals like mercury, arsenic and antimony. It acts as a fluxing/desiccating agent and helps drive off impurities at high temperature.
• Traditional household uses: As a cleaning agent for metals (tinning and soldering), as a mordant in dyeing, and in some fermented food preparations (as a leavening agent in certain regional sweets).

These are traditional and historical uses only. Nausadar (ammonium chloride) is a chemical compound with well-defined toxicity at elevated doses. It is not a food supplement and should not be consumed in large or arbitrary amounts. Always use in small traditional doses as part of compound preparations, not as a standalone supplement. Consult an Ayurvedic doctor or Unani hakim before internal use.

How to Use Nausadar Katli

Nausadar is used only in very small amounts in medicinal preparations:

• In compound formulations: Typically 0.25–1g as part of a multi-ingredient preparation (e.g., added to cough syrup, Jowarish or Laooq formulas under practitioner guidance). Do not use as a standalone supplement.
• As a mineral processing agent: Used in Rasashastra preparations under strict professional supervision. Not for home use.
• Metal cleaning / tinning: 1–2g dissolved in water for cleaning metal surfaces before soldering. Well-ventilated conditions required.
• Regional food use: In some North Indian and Central Asian sweet preparations, a pinch of nausadar is used as a leavening agent. Culinary use in food-grade applications requires food-grade quality material.

Read our posts on related respiratory herbs: Sukhi Khansi ka Ilaj and Cough Home Remedies.

Product Details

Safety

Nausadar (ammonium chloride) is a mineral salt with a well-defined safety profile. It is safe in small traditional medicinal doses and food-grade culinary applications, but dangerous in large amounts:

• Toxic in high doses: Ammonium chloride in excess can cause metabolic acidosis (dangerous lowering of blood pH), nausea, vomiting, liver stress and kidney damage. Never exceed small traditional doses (under 1g in compound preparations).
• Kidney and liver disease: People with kidney or liver conditions must not use ammonium chloride in any form without specialist medical advice—it is metabolised primarily by the liver and excreted by the kidneys.
• Pregnancy: Avoid all internal use of nausadar during pregnancy.
• Children: Keep completely away from children. Never give to children without the guidance of a qualified Unani hakim or Ayurvedic physician.
• Fumes: When heated, ammonium chloride sublimes and releases ammonia and HCl vapours which are irritating to eyes and respiratory tract. Use in well-ventilated areas only.
• Drug interactions: Ammonium chloride acidifies urine and can interact with certain diuretics and urinary pH-dependent drugs. Consult your doctor if you take any prescription medicines.

See a doctor immediately if large amounts are accidentally ingested. Symptoms of overdose include nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing and confusion. This product is intended for traditional compound preparations and mineral processing by practitioners—not for direct self-consumption in arbitrary doses. Always consult a qualified Unani hakim, vaidya or doctor before internal medicinal use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the English name for Nausadar?

Nausadar (also spelled Naushadar or Nushaadar) is ammonium chloride in English, with the chemical formula NH₄Cl. It is also historically called Sal Ammoniac, from the Latin sal ammoniacus—the salt found near the Temple of Ammon in ancient Libya. In chemistry it is a standard inorganic salt of ammonium and chlorine.

Is ammonium chloride hazardous?

Ammonium chloride is classified as a mildly hazardous material. It is irritating to eyes and respiratory tract when the powder is inhaled or when heated (ammonia fumes). When taken internally in high doses it is toxic. At traditional small medicinal doses in compound preparations it is used safely by trained practitioners. Store in an airtight container away from heat and keep out of reach of children.

What are the uses of ammonium chloride in daily life?

In everyday Indian life, Nausadar is used as a leavening agent in some traditional North Indian sweets (a very small pinch in besan ladoos or kachori dough), as a metal-cleaning agent before soldering, as an ingredient in some hair-dyeing processes, and as a component in traditional compound Unani formulations for cough and respiratory complaints. Industrial uses include fertilisers, electrochemical cells and metal processing.

What is the price of Nausadar Katli per 100g?

Dhanyawad Ayurved offers Nausadar Katli (Ammonium Chloride Slab) at ₹85 per 100g. This is pansari-grade material suitable for traditional compound preparations and household applications.

Can Nausadar be used for cough?

In classical Unani medicine, nausadar is used in very small amounts (typically 0.25–1g) as one ingredient among many in compound cough formulations. Its mechanism is as a mucolytic expectorant—it thins bronchial mucus and promotes expectoration. It should not be used as a standalone cough remedy in arbitrary doses. For traditional Unani compound cough preparations, consult a qualified hakim or Unani practitioner.

How is Nausadar different from regular table salt?

Table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl)—the salt used in cooking. Nausadar is ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl)—a different chemical compound with different properties, uses and safety profile. While table salt is safe in normal cooking amounts, nausadar is a pungent mineral salt used primarily in small doses in compound preparations and industrial applications, not as a food seasoning.

How is ammonium chloride prepared?

Industrially, ammonium chloride is prepared by reacting ammonia gas with hydrochloric acid: NH₃ + HCl → NH₄Cl. The resulting salt crystallises on cooling. It is also produced as a by-product in the Solvay process for manufacturing sodium carbonate. Historically (and in pansari tradition), nausadar was collected as a natural sublimate found around volcanic fumaroles and near ancient animal dung deposits in arid Central Asian regions—this natural source is now largely replaced by industrial synthesis.

What is the melting point of ammonium chloride?

Ammonium chloride does not melt in the conventional sense—it sublimes (converts directly from solid to vapour) at approximately 338°C at atmospheric pressure. Below this temperature, it is a stable white crystalline solid. This sublimation property is why nausadar was historically used as a mineral processing agent in classical Rasashastra: it could be driven off by heat, leaving purified metal compounds behind. Do not heat nausadar in enclosed spaces—the released ammonia and HCl vapours are irritating to airways.

What happens if you mix ammonium chloride and water?

Ammonium chloride dissolves readily in water in an endothermic reaction—meaning it absorbs heat from the surroundings, so the solution feels noticeably cold. A saturated solution (about 37g in 100 ml at room temperature) forms a slightly acidic, clear liquid (pH approximately 4.6–6.0). This cold-producing property is characteristic of nausadar and is one of the identification tests used in pansari practice. The dissolved solution is clear with no residue; any cloudiness or precipitate indicates adulteration.

What is the price of 500g of ammonium chloride (Nausadar)?

Dhanyawad Ayurved stocks Nausadar Katli in 100g packs at ₹85 per 100g. We do not currently offer 500g packs. For larger quantities for professional or industrial use, please contact the store directly. Pansari-grade nausadar is intended for traditional compound preparations and small-quantity household use; bulk quantities for industrial applications should be sourced from chemical suppliers.

Information reviewed by Vaidya Ravinder Arora (40+ years), Dhanyawad Ayurved Vatika, Dwarka, New Delhi. Traditional uses only; not medical advice.