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Bakula

Mimusops elengi L.

Bakula (Mimusops elengi L.) is a plant drug, also called Bakulah and Maulasiri, from the Sapotaceae family. It is traditionally used for dental and gum health, and studies have reported antimicrobial activity. Listed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India and Unani Pharmacopoeia.

Key facts
Botanical nameMimusops elengi L.
FamilySapotaceae · other entries in this family
OrderEricales
Pharmacopoeia statusListed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India and Unani Pharmacopoeia. Used traditionally across South and Southeast Asian medicine systems. No WHO monograph available.
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2883768 · Wikidata Q2088434 · NCBI Taxonomy 233715
Names in other languages
Sanskritबकुलः (bakulaḥ)
Hindiबकुल (bakula), मौलसिरी (maulasirī)
Tamilமகிழம், வகுளம்

Sources: Pandanus record for Mimusops elengi L., Hindi: bakul, maulsirī; Platts p.160 gives "syn. maulsarī" in the बकुल entry; Pandanus record for Mimusops elengi L., Sanskrit: bakula; Platts p.160 derives the Hindi name from "[S. वकुल]", printed in Devanagari, and Tamil Lexicon p.3450 marks வகுளம் as a loan from Sanskrit vakuḷa; Pandanus record for Mimusops elengi L., Tamil: alaku, ilañci, makiḻam; Tamil Lexicon p.3450 cross-refers வகுளம் to மகிழ்³, and p.3574 glosses வாகுலம் as 'Fruit of makiḻ tree; மகிழங் கனி'; Platts p.160: "بکل बकुल bakul, बकल bakal [S. वकुल], s.m. The tree Mimusops elengi (syn. maulsarī)"; Pandanus record for Mimusops elengi L., Hindi: bakul, maulsirī; Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras p.3450: "வகுளம் vakuḷam, n. vakuḷa. Pointed-leaved ape flower. See மகிழ்³", with a Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu 70 citation; மகிழ் / makiḻam is Mimusops elengi per the Pandanus record, Tamil: alaku, ilañci, makiḻam. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

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

  • 1Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 11Laboratory and animal studies

A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishBakula
Latin/BotanicalMimusops elengi L.

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Anti-inflammatory action via triterpenoid-mediated (betulinic acid) inhibition of 5-LOX and COX-2 pathways
  • Studies of betulinic acid (a constituent) in cancer cells have reported anticancer activity through mitochondrial apoptosis and caspase cascade activation
  • Anxiolytic and anticonvulsant effects via GABAergic receptor modulation by bark alkaloid fractions
  • Reported antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and astringent tannin effects on gingival tissue, which may support oral health

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.

  • Traditionally used for dental and gum health. Studies have reported antimicrobial activity against S. mutans and periodontal pathogens.
  • Animal studies in rats have reported anti-ulcer activity in aspirin- and ethanol-induced gastric ulcer models.
  • Traditionally used as a heart tonic (Hridya). Studies in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction models have reported cardioprotective effects.
  • Traditionally used in snakebite first aid. Preliminary studies have reported anti-venom and anti-inflammatory activity.

What do recent studies show?

Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Bark and flower decoctions are traditionally used for dental care and are traditionally considered well-tolerated
  • Formal human clinical safety trials are limited; acute toxicity studies in rodents indicate LD50 > 2000 mg/kg for most extracts

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Taraxerol
  • Quercetin
  • Spinasterol
  • Lupeol
  • Mannitol
  • Quercitrin
  • Betulinic acid
  • Taraxerone
  • Ursolic acid

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Kwath (decoction concentrate), Manjan (tooth powder), Taila (oil), Arishta (fermented preparation)

Standard Dosage: 3-6g powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction; bark powder 1-3g for dental use

Optimal Timing: After meals for general use; as gargle/mouthwash after meals for dental applications; decoction on empty stomach for uterine tonification

Storage: Cool, dry place away from light and moisture. Flower preparations require airtight amber containers.

Marker Compounds: Mimusopside, Quercetin, Ursolic acid, Beta-sitosterol, Gallic acid, Lupeol, Mi-saponin A

Synergistic Combinations

  • With Khadira (Acacia catechu) for oral health formulations
  • With Lodhra for astringent gynecological preparations
  • With Yashtimadhu for throat and gum care
  • With Jatiphala for dental pain relief

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 reviews1

  1. Gami B, Pathak S, Parabia M. 2012. Ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological review of Mimusops elengi LinnAsian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine. PMID 23570006 · doi:10.1016/S2221-1691(12)60221-4

Laboratory and animal studies11

  1. Mohammed HS, Elhawary SS, Abd Elkader EM and others. 2025. Comprehensive metabolomic profiling and anti-aging potential of mimusops elengi L. Fruits and leaves: integrating LC-triple TOF-MS, molecular networking, and in silico approachesNatural product research. PMID 40966541 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2025.2562596
  2. Krithigaa S, Harini Priya AH, Sreeja C and others. 2023. Evaluation of anti-microbial efficacy among Andrographis Paniculata and Mimusops Elengi on oral microflora: An Experimental in-vitro studyJournal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP. PMID 37854917 · doi:10.4103/jomfp.jomfp_307_22
  3. Gowda NGS, Raju NR, Silina E and others. 2022. Mimusops elengi (Bakula) Gelatinolytic Protease and its Plasmin-like Action on the Blood ClotCurrent protein & peptide science. PMID 36043759 · doi:10.2174/1389203723666220829114301
  4. J CN, S R, S H. 2022. Mimusops elengi Flower-Mediated Green Silver Nanoparticles Control Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumanniiApplied biochemistry and biotechnology. PMID 35347673 · doi:10.1007/s12010-022-03882-z
  5. Arifin B, Nasution R, Desrianti N and others. 2019. Antimicrobial Activity of Hand Lotion of Flower Mimusops elengiOpen access Macedonian journal of medical sciences. PMID 32127968 · doi:10.3889/oamjms.2019.496
  6. Kumar H, Savaliya M, Biswas S and others. 2016. Assessment of the in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo anti-tumor activity of the alcoholic stem bark extract/fractions of Mimusops elengi LinnCytotechnology. PMID 25701190 · doi:10.1007/s10616-014-9839-4
  7. Mistry KS, Sanghvi Z, Parmar G and others. 2015. Antibacterial efficacy of Azadirachta indica, Mimusops elengi and 2% CHX on multispecies dentinal biofilmJournal of conservative dentistry : JCD. PMID 26752840 · doi:10.4103/0972-0707.168810
  8. Kiran Kumar HA, Mandal BK, Mohan Kumar K and others. 2014. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Mimusops elengi seed extract mediated isotropic silver nanoparticlesSpectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy. PMID 24759779 · doi:10.1016/j.saa.2014.03.024
  9. Ishnava KB, Shah PP. 2014. Anticariogenic and Hemolytic Activity of Selected Seed Protein Extracts In vitro conditionsJournal of dentistry (Tehran, Iran). PMID 25628685
  10. Singh KL, Singh DK, Singh VK. 2012. Characterization of the molluscicidal activity of Bauhinia variegata and Mimusops elengi plant extracts against the fasciola vector Lymnaea acuminataRevista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo. PMID 22634884 · doi:10.1590/s0036-46652012000300004
  11. Ashok P, Koti BC, Vishwanathswamy AH. 2010. Antiurolithiatic and antioxidant activity of Mimusops elengi on ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis in ratsIndian journal of pharmacology. PMID 21189910 · doi:10.4103/0253-7613.71925

Reference lists that include it

Gallic acid, Lupeol, Quercetin, Ursolic acid

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

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.