Bhadra
Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. ex Schult.
Bhadra (Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. ex Schult.) is a plant drug, also called Goraksaganja and Gorakhagamja, from the Amaranthaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; documented in Indian Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia and AYUSH system; listed in regional ethnobotanical databases.
| Botanical name | Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. ex Schult. |
|---|---|
| Currently accepted name | Ouret lanata (L.) Kuntze, the name above is treated as a synonym by GBIF; both are in use |
| Family | Amaranthaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Caryophyllales |
| Pharmacopoeia status | Not listed in WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants; documented in Indian Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia and AYUSH system; listed in regional ethnobotanical databases |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3085014 · Wikidata Q3595342 · NCBI Taxonomy 292353 |
| Sanskrit | भद्रा (bhadrā), गोरक्षगञ्जा (gorakṣagañjā) |
|---|---|
| Hindi | गोरखगांजा (gorakhagāṃjā) |
| Tamil | சிறுபூளை |
Sources: API Vol V, PATTŪRA (Whole Plant), botanical source Aerva lanata, Sanskrit: Gorakṣagañja, Bhadrā; Pandanus record for Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. ex Schult., Sanskrit: bhadrā; API Vol V, PATTŪRA (Whole Plant, Aerva lanata), Hindi: Gorakhaganja, Gujarati: Gorakhganjo; Pandanus record for Aerva lanata, Hindi: chāyā, gorakhgāñjā; API Vol V, PATTŪRA (Whole Plant, Aerva lanata), Sanskrit: Gorakṣagañja, Bhadrā; Pandanus record for Aerva lanata, Hindi: gorakhgāñjā; Tamil Lexicon p.1463: "சிறுபூளை ciṟu-pūḷai, n. Aerua lanata", with a Cilappatikāram 9.43 citation; API Vol V, PATTŪRA (Whole Plant, Aerva lanata), Tamil: Cherupoolai; Pandanus record for Aerva lanata, Tamil: ceṟupūḷai. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
11papers on this site for this drug, published 2002 to 2024, every one with a DOI.
- 2Other clinical studies and reviews
- 9Laboratory 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
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Bhadra |
| Latin/Botanical | Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. ex Schult. |
Key Phytochemical Constituents
- Aervine
- Methylaervine
- Aervoside
- Ervolanine
- Kaempferol
- Quercetin
- Isorhamnetin
- Lupeol
- Methyl grevillate
- Beta-sitosteryl acetate
How does it work?
- Canthin-6-one alkaloids have been reported in preclinical studies to inhibit calcium oxalate crystal nucleation and aggregation
- Kaempferol and quercetin flavonoids provide nephroprotective effects through antioxidant-mediated reduction of oxidative stress and inhibition of NF-kB-driven inflammatory pathways in renal tissue
- Beta-carboline alkaloids demonstrate antimicrobial activity by intercalating with bacterial DNA and inhibiting topoisomerase II, disrupting cell division
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Traditionally used in Ayurveda, as with Pashanabheda, for Ashmari (urinary calculi). In vivo and in vitro studies have reported anti-urolithiasis (kidney stone dissolution) activity.
- Traditionally used in Ayurveda for strangury and urinary disorders. Diuretic activity has been reported in pharmacological studies.
- Traditionally used for respiratory conditions. Preclinical studies have reported anti-asthmatic and bronchodilatory effects.
What do recent studies show?
- Goyal M, Pareek A, Nagori BP and others 2011. Aerva lanata: A review on phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects. Pharmacognosy reviews. PMID 22279378 · doi:10.4103/0973-7847.91120
Documented diuretic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anti-urolithiasis, and antifertility properties with identification of key alkaloids and flavonoids.
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
- Traditional use as a common weed consumed as vegetable and herbal tea suggests good general safety profile; however, formal toxicity studies in humans are limited
- Antifertility effects documented in animal studies; should be avoided during pregnancy and by couples trying to conceive
- Diuretic effects may potentiate action of prescription diuretics; monitor electrolyte levels when used concurrently with diuretic medications
What is it made of?
Key Active Markers
- Kaempferol
- Quercetin
- Isorhamnetin
- Lupeol
- Aervine
- Methylaervine
- Aervoside
- Ervolanine
- Methyl grevillate
- Beta-sitosteryl acetate
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Tablet, Capsule, Asava/Arishta
Standard Dosage: 3-6g powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction; 500mg extract capsule twice daily
Optimal Timing: Before meals with warm water for digestive benefits; after meals for general health support
Storage: Cool, dry place away from light and moisture. Airtight packaging recommended.
Marker Compounds: Beta-sitosterol, Betulin, Gallic acid, Kaempferol, Flavonoid glycosides
Synergistic Combinations
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 reviews2
- 2023. Plant Extracts as Skin Care and Therapeutic AgentsInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 37895122 · doi:10.3390/ijms242015444
- 2022. Immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of Aerva lanata in ovalbumin induced allergic asthmatic miceJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 35143934 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115087
Laboratory and animal studies9
- 2024. The Oncolytic Effect of Aerva lanata on Osteosarcoma Cell Lines via the Apoptotic Signaling PathwayCureus. PMID 38738026 · doi:10.7759/cureus.58091
- 2023. Anti-fertility effect of Aerva lanata crude extract in male Dams offspring: An experimental studyInternational journal of reproductive biomedicine. PMID 37122890 · doi:10.18502/ijrm.v21i3.13199
- 2021. Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Diabetic Activity of Phenolic Acids Fractions Obtained from Aerva lanata (L.) JussMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 34201147 · doi:10.3390/molecules26123486
- 2021. Potential drug leads for SARS-CoV2 from phytochemicals of Aerva lanata: a Machine Learning approachVirusdisease. PMID 34368407 · doi:10.1007/s13337-021-00732-0
- 2015. Microwave assisted facile green synthesis of silver and gold nanocatalysts using the leaf extract of Aerva lanataSpectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy. PMID 25459695 · doi:10.1016/j.saa.2014.10.023
- 2012. Aerva lanata (Polpala): Its effects on the structure and function of the urinary tractPharmacognosy research. PMID 23225960 · doi:10.4103/0974-8490.102259
- 2011. Aerva lanata: A review on phytochemistry and pharmacological aspectsPharmacognosy reviews. PMID 22279378 · doi:10.4103/0973-7847.91120
- 2011. Immunomodulatory and antitumor activity of Aerva lanata ethanolic extractImmunopharmacology and immunotoxicology. PMID 20979430 · doi:10.3109/08923973.2010.526614
- 2002. Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of Aerva lanataFitoterapia. PMID 11864768 · doi:10.1016/s0367-326x(01)00369-0
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.