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Ananta Mool

Hemidesmus indicus

Ananta Mool (Hemidesmus indicus) is a plant drug, also called Sariva, Anamtamula and Dudhali. Hemidesmus indicus (Indian Sarsaparilla) root contains 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde as the primary aromatic compound with good GI absorption. Hemidesminine and other steroidal saponins show moderate bioavailability.

Key facts
Botanical nameHemidesmus indicus
FamilyApocynaceae · other entries in this family
OrderGentianales
Also known asAnanta Mool, AnantaMool
Taxon identifiersGBIF 8125676 · Wikidata Q15356241 · NCBI Taxonomy 63476
Names in other languages
Sanskritसारिवा (sārivā)
Hindiअनंतमूल (anaṃtamūla), दूधली (dūdhalī)
Tamilநன்னாரி

Sources: Flowers of India, 'Indian Sarsaparilla' page (Hemidesmus indicus): "Hindi: अनंतमूल Anantamul, दूधली Dudhli", Devanagari, exact match; MMPND Hemidesmus page: Hindi "Anantamool".; Flowers of India, 'Indian Sarsaparilla' page (Hemidesmus indicus): "Sanskrit: अनंतमूल Anantamul, Sariva"; MMPND Hemidesmus page: Sanskrit "Anantamoola, Sariva".; Flowers of India, 'Indian Sarsaparilla' page: "Hindi: अनंतमूल Anantamul, दूधली Dudhli", Devanagari.; Flowers of India, 'Indian Sarsaparilla' page: "Tamil: Nannari, Sugandipala", with the Kannada list printing the cognate ನನ್ನಾರಿ Nannaari in Kannada script; MMPND Hemidesmus page: Tamil "Nannari".. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2010 to 2025, 11 with a DOI.

  • 1Randomised controlled trials
  • 6Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 5Laboratory and animal studies

A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.

This entry and sariva describe the same drug, Hemidesmus indicus, under different names. Both pages are kept because both names are in use, and each is cited as itself.

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishAnanta Mool

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Tikta, MadhuraPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)LaghuPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)SheetaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)MadhuraPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (root powder), Kashayam (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Syrup, Sherbet (traditional cooling drink), Arishta (fermented preparation)

Standard Dosage: 3-6g root powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction; 500mg-1g extract capsule; 15-30ml syrup

Optimal Timing: Between meals with cool water or milk for Pitta conditions; before meals with warm water for digestive and blood purification

Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C. Root retains aroma better when stored whole, powder closer to use. Airtight containers essential to prevent volatile loss.

Marker Compounds: 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde, Hemidesminine, Hemidesmin-1, Hemidesmin-2, Coumarins, Lupeol, Alpha-amyrin, Hexadecanoic acid

Synergistic Combinations

  • With Manjistha, traditionally used for skin disorders and blood purification
  • With Chandana (sandalwood) for urinary tract cooling
  • With Ushira (vetiver) for cooling and Pitta pacification
  • With Guduchi, traditionally used for immune support and in fever

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.

Randomised controlled trials1

  1. Anuruddhika Subhashinie Senadheera SP, Ekanayake S. 2013. Green leafy porridges: how good are they in controlling glycaemic response?International journal of food sciences and nutrition. PMID 22849311 · doi:10.3109/09637486.2012.710895

Other clinical studies and reviews6

  1. Nalam SM, Chintamaneni PK, Saxena Pal R and others. 2024. From nature's bounty to drug discovery: Leveraging phytochemicals and molecular approaches to combat multi-drug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosisThe Indian journal of tuberculosis. PMID 39067943 · doi:10.1016/j.ijtb.2023.08.007
  2. Rodrigues V, Kumar A, Gokul S and others. 2021. Decalepis salicifolia (Bedd. ex Hook. f.) Venter: A steno-endemic and critically endangered medicinal and aromatic plant from Western Ghats, IndiaJournal of biosciences. PMID 34047287
  3. Nandy S, Mukherjee A, Pandey DK and others. 2020. Indian Sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus): Recent progress in research on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacologyJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 32007632 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.112609
  4. Kher MM, Shekhawat MS, Nataraj M and others. 2020. Indian sarsaparilla, Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. ex Schult: tissue culture studiesApplied microbiology and biotechnology. PMID 32535696 · doi:10.1007/s00253-020-10714-9
  5. Das S, Bisht SS. 2013. The bioactive and therapeutic potential of Hemidesmus indicus R. Br. (Indian Sarsaparilla) rootPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 22887725 · doi:10.1002/ptr.4788
  6. Sandeep D, Krishnan Nair CK. 2010. Amelioration of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by extracts of Hemidesmus indicus and Acorus calamusPharmaceutical biology. PMID 20645815 · doi:10.3109/13880200903116048

Laboratory and animal studies5

  1. Patil M, Tengli AK. 2025. 'Characterisation and anti-angiogenic evaluation of Verbanone and Quercetin isolated from Hemidesmus indicus'Natural product research. PMID 41217940 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2025.2580435
  2. Kumari S, Saini R, Bhatnagar A and others. 2023. HR-LCMS and evaluation of anti-diabetic activity of Hemidesmus indicus (anantmool): Kinetic study, and molecular modelling approachComputational biology and chemistry. PMID 37263051 · doi:10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2023.107896
  3. Turrini E, Catanzaro E, Ferruzzi L and others. 2019. Hemidesmus indicus induces apoptosis via proteasome inhibition and generation of reactive oxygen speciesScientific reports. PMID 31076590 · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-43609-5
  4. Turrini E, Catanzaro E, Muraro MG and others. 2018. Hemidesmus indicus induces immunogenic death in human colorectal cancer cellsOncotarget. PMID 29849952 · doi:10.18632/oncotarget.25325
  5. Desai S, Babaria P, Nakarani M and others. 2017. Antiosteoporotic effect of Hemidesmus indicus Linn. on ovariectomised ratsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 28119100 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.01.031

Reference lists that include it

Lupeol

Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.

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