Badara
Ziziphus mauritiana
Badara (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a plant drug, also called Badarah, Badariphalam and Koli. Ziziphus mauritiana (Indian jujube/Ber) fruit contains vitamin C (well absorbed), flavonoids (moderate absorption), and cyclopeptide alkaloids (variable absorption). Betulinic acid has limited oral bioavailability (~5%) but is enhanced by lipid co-administration.
| Botanical name | Ziziphus mauritiana |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. III: KOLA (Fruit Pulp) |
| Also called | Zizyphus jujuba Lam. (nomenclatural synonym) Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (attribution recorded without a cited source) Ziziphus nummularia (reported in the literature) |
| Family | Rhamnaceae |
| Order | Rosales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3039424 · Wikidata Q327859 · NCBI Taxonomy 157914 |
| Sanskrit | बदरः (badaraḥ), बदरीफलम् (badarīphalam), कोली (kolī) |
|---|---|
| Hindi | बेर (bera) |
| Tamil | இலந்தை, எளந்தை |
Sources: API Vol III, KOLA (Fruit Pulp), Sanskrit: Kolī, Badarī; Pandanus record for Ziziphus mauritiana, Sanskrit: kola, badara, kolī; MMPND Sorting Ziziphus, Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., SANSKRIT: बदर Badara (in Devanagari); Pandanus, Sanskrit: kola, badara, kolī; Platts p.208 derives Hindi बेर from "[S. बदर]", printed in Devanagari; MMPND Sorting Ziziphus, Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., SANSKRIT: बदर Badara, बद्री Badri, बद्री फल Badri phala, सौवीर Sauvir; and Apte / Cologne Sanskrit dictionaries per wisdomlib 'badariphala': 'a fruit of the jujube tree', with a Śivapurāṇa 1.25 citation; MMPND Sorting Ziziphus, Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., TAMIL: எளந்தை Elandhai (given in Tamil script); Platts p.208: "بير बेर ber [S. बदर], s.m. The jujube tree, Zizyphus jujuba, or Z. scandens; the fruit of the jujube"; Pandanus record for Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., Hindi: ber, berī; API Vol III, monograph KOLA (Fruit Pulp), Hindi: Desi Ber, Urdu: Ber; Tamil Lexicon p.341: "இலந்தை¹ ilantai, n. [K. elaci, M. ilanda.] Jujube-tree, m. tr., Zizyphus jujuba", with a Tivākaram citation; API Vol III, KOLA (Fruit Pulp), Tamil: Ilandai; Pandanus record for Ziziphus mauritiana, Tamil: ilantai, ilantappaḻam. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2017 to 2024, every one with a DOI.
- 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- 3Other clinical studies and reviews
- 8Laboratory 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.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Badara |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Madhura, Amla | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Guru, Snigdha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Madhura | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (fruit/seed powder), Swarasa (fresh fruit juice), Avaleha (fruit confection), Capsule, Tablet, Phalasava (fruit wine/fermented), Majja (fruit pulp preparation)
Standard Dosage: 3-6g fruit powder twice daily; 20-50ml fresh juice; 5-10g Avaleha daily; 500mg-1g extract capsule
Optimal Timing: Fruit/juice as snack or with meals for nutritional support. Seed kernel powder is traditionally taken at bedtime with warm milk to support sleep. Avaleha anytime for general health.
Storage: Fresh fruit refrigerated (2-8°C). Dried fruit and powder in airtight containers, cool and dry. Phalasava in amber glass at room temperature.
Marker Compounds: Betulinic acid, Oleanolic acid, Ursolic acid, Jujuboside A, Jujuboside B, Rutin, Quercetin, Ziziphin, Vitamin C, Ceanothic acid
Synergistic Combinations
- With Ashwagandha, traditionally paired for calming and sleep support
- With Brahmi for cognitive support and stress relief
- With Yashtimadhu, traditionally used for sore throat and cough
- With Draksha (raisins) for blood nourishment and general debility
- With Ghrita (ghee) for Vata pacification and nourishment
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.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses1
- 2022. Native Iranian Medicinal Plants with Anti-Vaginal Infection Properties: A Systematic ReviewInfectious disorders drug targets. PMID 35490427 · doi:10.2174/1871526522666220501171551
Other clinical studies and reviews3
- 2023. Chinee Apple (Ziziphus mauritiana): A Comprehensive Review of Its Weediness, Ecological Impacts and Management ApproachesPlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 37765379 · doi:10.3390/plants12183213
- 2023. Indian jujube a potential fruit tree to improve the livelihoodSaudi journal of biological sciences. PMID 37609543 · doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2023.103769
- 2021. A panoramic view on phytochemical, nutritional, and therapeutic attributes of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.: A comprehensive reviewPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 32633009 · doi:10.1002/ptr.6769
Laboratory and animal studies8
- 2024. Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. Bark and Leaves: Extraction, Phytochemical Composition, In Vitro Bioassays and In Silico StudiesPlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 39204631 · doi:10.3390/plants13162195
- 2024. Genomes of autotetraploid wild and cultivated Ziziphus mauritiana reveal polyploid evolution and crop domesticationPlant physiology. PMID 39325737 · doi:10.1093/plphys/kiae512
- 2024. Standardization and Pharmacological Evaluation of Ziziphus mauritiana Extract for Sedative and Anticonvulsant Activity in Mice and RatAnti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents in medicinal chemistry. PMID 38279726 · doi:10.2174/0118715230276586231215045816
- 2023. Ziziphus mauritiana Leaves Normalize Hormonal Profile and Total Cholesterol in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome RatsPlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 37514214 · doi:10.3390/plants12142599
- 2023. Ziziphus mauritiana-derived nitrogen-doped biogenic carbon dots: Eco-friendly catalysts for dye degradation and antibacterial applicationsChemosphere. PMID 37478987 · doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139584
- 2022. Standardization, in-silico and in-vivo safety assessment of methanol extract of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam leavesRegulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP. PMID 35218873 · doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2022.105144
- 2019. Genetic diversity of Ziziphus mauritiana germplasm based on SSR markers and ploidy level estimationPlanta. PMID 30864014 · doi:10.1007/s00425-019-03133-2
- 2017. Immunomodulatory, Cytotoxicity, and Antioxidant Activities of Roots of Ziziphus mauritianaPharmacognosy magazine. PMID 28808390 · doi:10.4103/pm.pm_398_16
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
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