Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Adhaki

Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Adhaki (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Fabaceae family. aureus including MDR strains Hepatoprotective effects validated through safety assessment studies showing protection of liver and kidney function markers Not listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; recognized as an important food legume by FAO; GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for food use.

Key facts
Botanical nameCajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.
FamilyFabaceae · other entries in this family
OrderFabales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; recognized as an important food legume by FAO; GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for food use
Taxon identifiersGBIF 7587087 · Wikidata Q632559 · NCBI Taxonomy 3821

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishAdhaki
Latin/BotanicalCajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Key Phytochemical Constituents

  • Cajanol
  • Cajaninstilbene acid
  • Genistein
  • Pinostrobin
  • Cajanuslactone
  • Longistylin A
  • Biochanin A
  • Beta-sitosterol
  • Isowighteone
  • Vitexin

How does it work?

  • Isoflavonoids (cajanol, genistein) inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and reduce nitric oxide production via suppression of iNOS expression
  • Cajaninstilbene acid and longistylin derivatives exert antioxidant effects through free radical scavenging and upregulation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (SOD, catalase)
  • Prenylated isoflavonoids exhibit antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by disrupting bacterial cell membrane integrity

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

  • Antidiabetic activity validated through in vivo studies showing hypoglycemic effects consistent with traditional use for diabetes management
  • Antimicrobial properties confirmed by bioassay-guided isolation of isoflavonoids, anthraquinones, and pterocarpanoids effective against S. aureus including MDR strains
  • Hepatoprotective effects validated through safety assessment studies showing protection of liver and kidney function markers

What do recent clinical trials show?

1 further claim previously listed here could not be traced to a published paper and has been removed. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • 90-day subchronic toxicity study (2023) in Wistar rats at doses up to 1.0 g/kg body weight showed no adverse effects on behavior, organ weights, hematological parameters, or histopathology
  • Five soy isoflavones (genistein, biochanin A, daidzein, genistin, cajanol) identified in root extract demonstrated hepatorenal protective effects rather than toxicity
  • Leaves are widely consumed as food/vegetable with long safety history; no significant drug interactions documented

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Kwatha (decoction concentrate), Capsule, Swarasa (fresh juice)

Standard Dosage: 3-6g powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction twice daily

Bioavailability: Moderate oral bioavailability due to presence of flavonoids and tannins. Enhancement strategies include co-administration with Pippali (long pepper) or honey as anupana (vehicle). Tannin content may reduce absorption of co-administered drugs; stagger dosing recommended.

Optimal Timing: Before meals with warm water for digestive indications; after meals for general health

Standardized Extract: Standardized to minimum 2% total flavonoids (as cajanol equivalent). Aqueous extract yield typically 12-18%.

Shelf Life: 2 years (powder in airtight container); 3 years (tablets/capsules); 6 months (liquid decoction with preservative)

Storage: Cool, dry place (below 25°C), away from direct light and moisture. Relative humidity below 60%.

Marker Compounds: Cajanol, Cajanone, Pinostrobin, Vitexin, Orientin

Extraction Methods

  • Aqueous decoction (1:8 herb-to-water, reduced to 1/4)
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (50:50 ethanol-water)
  • Cold maceration for heat-sensitive constituents

Synergistic Combinations

  • With Haritaki for digestive disorders
  • With Guduchi for anti-inflammatory action
  • With Musta for diarrhea management

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Other clinical studies and reviews3

  1. Gargi B, Semwal P, Jameel Pasha SB and others. 2022. Revisiting the Nutritional, Chemical and Biological Potential of Cajanus cajan (L.) MillspMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 36296470 · doi:10.3390/molecules27206877
  2. Eapen S. 2008. Advances in development of transgenic pulse cropsBiotechnology advances. PMID 18055156 · doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2007.11.001
  3. Grover JK, Yadav S, Vats V. 2002. Medicinal plants of India with anti-diabetic potentialJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 12020931 · doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(02)00059-4

Laboratory and animal studies9

  1. Gajurel G, Sharma AR, Abdel-Karim S and others. 2025. Enhanced Production of Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Prenylated Isoflavonoids in Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) Hairy Root CulturesJournal of agricultural and food chemistry. PMID 40009762 · doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.4c12406
  2. Yao L, Jumai A, Huang X and others. 2024. Four new isocoumarins from Cajanus cajanRSC advances. PMID 38444970 · doi:10.1039/d3ra08149d
  3. Vo TL, Cai XM, Liao JW and others. 2023. Safety Assessment and Hepatic-Renal Protection of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. Root and Its Soy Isoflavone ContentsNutrients. PMID 37764747 · doi:10.3390/nu15183963
  4. Tan LX, Xia TQ, He QF and others. 2022. Stilbenes from the leaves of Cajanus cajan and their in vitro anti-inflammatory activitiesFitoterapia. PMID 35662649 · doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2022.105229
  5. da Silva MB, Bomfim NCP, da Silva VN and others. 2022. Response of Cajanus cajan to excess copper in the soil: tolerance and biomass productionPhysiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology. PMID 35910437 · doi:10.1007/s12298-022-01203-6
  6. Guo Z, Zhu P, He X and others. 2021. Components identification and isomers differentiation in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) leaves by LC-MSJournal of separation science. PMID 33830649 · doi:10.1002/jssc.202001194
  7. Ha J, Lee SH. 2020. Updates on Legume Genome SequencingMethods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). PMID 31893440 · doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-0235-5_1
  8. Luo ZH, Liu ZW, Mao Y and others. 2020. Cajanolactone A, a stilbenoid from cajanus cajan, prevents ovariectomy-induced obesity and liver steatosis in mice fed a regular dietPhytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. PMID 32777485 · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153290
  9. Vo TT, Yang NC, Yang SE and others. 2020. Effects of Cajanus cajan (L.) millsp. roots extracts on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activitiesThe Chinese journal of physiology. PMID 32594067 · doi:10.4103/CJP.CJP_88_19

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.