Podina has cooled kitchens across Pakistan for centuries — in chutney, in raita, in the glass of water after a heavy plate. Laraib takes the same leaf into a pharmacy setting: peppermint concentrated into a clear syrup, blended for the stomach rather than the palate, though it happens to taste like a cold breeze on a Multan afternoon.
What it is traditionally used for
- Taken to support healthy stomach function and steady the digestion
- Long used for indigestion and the heaviness that follows a rich meal
- Sipped to settle nausea and the urge to vomit
- Traditionally taken for sour belching and gastric flatulence (tabkheer-e-mieda)
- Given in the Unani tradition as supportive care during acute stomach upsets
- Taken by those minding their blood pressure as part of a wider routine
How it is made
Fresh podina leaf is steam-distilled to lift its volatile oil, which is then folded into a slowly cooked cane-sugar base at low heat so the mint character survives the process. The leaf comes from a single growing belt around Multan, harvested before flowering when the oil is at its strongest. No artificial flavour, no synthetic menthol and no added colour.
How to take it
Adults take 2 teaspoons (about 10 ml) three times a day, ideally after meals. Children over five take 1 teaspoon three times a day. Take it neat off the spoon, or stir into half a glass of cool water if you prefer it lighter. Shake gently before pouring.
Good to know
- 120 ml bottle with measuring cap — around eight days of adult dosing
- Prepared in a DRAP-licensed Unani facility in Multan, established 1998
- Contains cane sugar, so not suitable for a sugar-free regimen
- 100% natural, with no artificial flavour, essence or colour
Javeria Ghauri (verified owner) –
Keep it in the fridge at the shop in Okara. On hot days a spoon in cold water settles the stomach and cools you down at once. Simple, honest product.
Maryam Ansari (verified owner) –
Quetta food is heavy and I was living on antacids. Two spoons after dinner has replaced them almost entirely for me. The bottle is small but at this price I just order two at a time.
Rehan Owais (verified owner) –
Does the job for indigestion and my kids take it without fighting me. It is sweeter than I expected, so I dilute it in water. Would order again if a sugar-free version existed.
Farah Aslam (verified owner) –
My mother in Hyderabad has taken this for years for her acidity and sour burping. I finally tried it after a heavy biryani night and understood the fuss. Works in about twenty minutes and tastes properly of mint, not chemical.