Badara
Ziziphus mauritiana
Badara (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a plant used in Ayurveda. 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 |
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
Bioavailability: Good oral bioavailability for water-soluble constituents. 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. Polysaccharides (jujuban A, B) act as immunomodulators via Peyer’s patches. Fruit pectin aids sustained delivery of co-administered compounds.
Optimal Timing: Fruit/juice as snack or with meals for nutritional support. Seed kernel powder at bedtime with warm milk for sleep. Avaleha anytime for general health.
Standardized Extract: Fruit extract (10:1) standardized to minimum 2% total flavonoids (as rutin equivalent) and minimum 1% betulinic acid. Seed extract standardized to minimum 3% jujubosides (for sedative/anxiolytic indication). Vitamin C content minimum 200mg/100g in fresh fruit preparation.
Shelf Life: 2 days (fresh fruit); 2 years (dried fruit powder); 3 years (capsules/tablets); 1 year (preserved juice); 5 years (Phalasava)
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
Extraction Methods
- Fresh juice extraction (cold press)
- Aqueous decoction of dried fruit
- Hydroalcoholic extraction (70:30) for flavonoid enrichment
- Methanol extraction for alkaloid profiling
- Spray-drying of juice for instant powder
- Fermentation for Phalasava
Synergistic Combinations
- With Ashwagandha for anxiolytic and sleep-promoting synergy
- With Brahmi for cognitive support and stress relief
- With Yashtimadhu for sore throat and cough
- With Draksha (raisins) for blood nourishment and general debility
- With Ghrita (ghee) for Vata pacification and nourishment
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.