Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Amlaparni

Oxalis corniculata L.

Amlaparni (Oxalis corniculata L.) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Oxalidaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; incorporated into approved Chinese patent medicines indicating regulatory acceptance in some traditional medicine systems.

Key facts
Botanical nameOxalis corniculata L.
FamilyOxalidaceae · other entries in this family
OrderOxalidales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; incorporated into approved Chinese patent medicines indicating regulatory acceptance in some traditional medicine systems
Taxon identifiersGBIF 8427624 · Wikidata Q162795 · NCBI Taxonomy 212256

This entry and changeri describe the same drug, Oxalis corniculata, under different names. Both pages are kept because both names are in use; the other is treated as the primary record for citation.

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishAmlaparni
Latin/BotanicalOxalis corniculata L.

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Flavonoids (vitexin, isovitexin, apigenin) exert antioxidant effects through direct free radical scavenging and chelation of pro-oxidant metal ions, reducing oxidative damage in cellular models
  • Beta-sitosterol and betulin modulate inflammatory pathways by inhibiting NF-kB nuclear translocation and reducing expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (COX-2, iNOS, TNF-alpha)
  • Ethyl gallate and phenolic compounds exhibit antimicrobial activity by disrupting bacterial cell membrane permeability and inhibiting biofilm formation

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

  • Antidiabetic and hypoglycemic activity validated through in vivo studies confirming traditional Ayurvedic use of Amlaparni for managing blood sugar levels
  • Wound healing properties confirmed in preclinical models consistent with traditional topical application for skin conditions and wound management in folk medicine
  • Hepatoprotective effects demonstrated in animal models supporting traditional use for liver disorders

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

  • High oxalic acid content is the primary safety concern; excessive consumption may cause oxalate nephropathy and kidney stone formation in susceptible individuals
  • Traditional use suggests safe consumption in small therapeutic doses; no formal toxicity studies with standardized LD50 determination have been completed in human trials
  • Should be used cautiously in patients with renal impairment, hyperoxaluria, or history of calcium oxalate kidney stones; further preclinical and clinical safety trials are recommended

Dosage forms and preparation

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

Standard Dosage: 3-5g powder twice daily; 40-80ml decoction twice daily; 10-20ml fresh juice

Bioavailability: Limited modern pharmacokinetic data. Traditional enhancement with honey, warm water, or Trikatu yoga recommended. The herb’s acidic taste (Amla rasa) suggests presence of organic acids that are generally well absorbed orally.

Optimal Timing: Before meals with warm water for digestive indications; with honey for respiratory conditions

Standardized Extract: Limited standardization data. TLC/HPTLC fingerprinting recommended. Total organic acid content as preliminary quality parameter.

Shelf Life: 18 months (powder); 2 years (capsules/tablets)

Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C, in airtight containers, protected from moisture and light.

Marker Compounds: Total organic acids, Total phenolics, Total flavonoids, Ascorbic acid (if present)

Extraction Methods

  • Aqueous decoction (classical method)
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (60:40)
  • Fresh juice expression
  • Cold maceration

Synergistic Combinations

  • With Amalaki for enhanced sour/astringent synergy
  • With Guduchi for immune support
  • With Musta for digestive disorders

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. Majumdar A, Kumar Saraf S, Baghel M and others. 2026. Chemical Diversity and Biomedical Relevance of Oxalis corniculata L.: A Review of Nutritional and Pharmacological AspectsChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 41240331 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202502154
  2. Zhong T, He J, Zhao H and others. 2025. Oxalis corniculata L. As a Source of Natural Antioxidants: Phytochemistry, Bioactivities, and Application PotentialAntioxidants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 41300509 · doi:10.3390/antiox14111352
  3. Sarfraz I, Rasul A, Hussain G and others. 2022. A Review on Phyto-pharmacology of Oxalis corniculataCombinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening. PMID 34391377 · doi:10.2174/1386207324666210813121431

Laboratory and animal studies9

  1. Fukano Y, Yamori W, Misu H and others. 2023. From green to red: Urban heat stress drives leaf color evolutionScience advances. PMID 37862418 · doi:10.1126/sciadv.abq3542
  2. Gao T, Hu W, Zhang Z and others. 2022. An acidic polysaccharide from Oxalis corniculata L. and the preliminary study on its antioxidant activityJournal of food biochemistry. PMID 35579221 · doi:10.1111/jfbc.14235
  3. Gholipour AR, Jafari L, Ramezanpour M and others. 2022. Apoptosis Effects of Oxalis corniculata L. Extract on Human MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line:Galen medical journal. PMID 36698692 · doi:10.31661/gmj.v11i.2484
  4. Groom Q, Meeus S, Janssens SB and others. 2021. Hybridization of Oxalis corniculata and O. dillenii in their non-native rangePhytoKeys. PMID 34054321 · doi:10.3897/phytokeys.178.61031
  5. Chen L, Jiang B, Miao Y and others. 2021. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Oxalis corniculata (L.)Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources. PMID 33889744 · doi:10.1080/23802359.2021.1878950
  6. Lubna, Asaf S, Jan R and others. 2020. Complete Chloroplast Genome Characterization of Oxalis Corniculata and Its Comparison with Related Species from Family OxalidaceaePlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 32717796 · doi:10.3390/plants9080928
  7. Groom QJ, Van der Straeten J, Hoste I. 2019. The origin of Oxalis corniculata LPeerJ. PMID 30783568 · doi:10.7717/peerj.6384
  8. Salahuddin H, Mansoor Q, Batool R and others. 2016. Anticancer activity of Cynodon dactylon and Oxalis corniculata on Hep2 cell lineCellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France). PMID 27188871
  9. Rao PK, Hasan SS, Bhellum BL and others. 2015. Ethnomedicinal plants of Kathua district, J&K, IndiaJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 26023030 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2015.05.028

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.