Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Dhamasa

Fagonia cretica L. / Fagonia arabica L.

Dhamasa (Fagonia cretica L. / Fagonia arabica L.) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Zygophyllaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs; recognized in Ayurvedic and Unani pharmacopoeias; used extensively in South Asian and Middle Eastern traditional medicine systems.

Key facts
Botanical nameFagonia cretica L. / Fagonia arabica L.
FamilyZygophyllaceae · other entries in this family
OrderZygophyllales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot listed in WHO monographs; recognized in Ayurvedic and Unani pharmacopoeias; used extensively in South Asian and Middle Eastern traditional medicine systems
Taxon identifiersGBIF 6384851 · Wikidata Q310127 · NCBI Taxonomy 90528

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishDhamasa
Latin/BotanicalFagonia cretica L. / Fagonia arabica L.

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Anti-inflammatory mechanism through dual COX-1/COX-2 inhibition (IC50 values of 26.51 and 13.02 microg/ml respectively), with selectivity favoring COX-2 inhibition
  • Antithrombotic action through saponin-mediated disruption of thrombus formation and anticoagulant effects, enhanced by liposomal delivery systems
  • Antidiabetic mechanism through DPP-4 enzyme inhibition, prolonging incretin hormone activity and improving glucose-dependent insulin secretion

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

  • Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties validated through COX inhibition studies and in vivo models, confirming traditional use in pain and inflammatory conditions
  • Anticancer/cytotoxic activity validated against multiple cancer cell lines, supporting its extensive folk use as an anticancer remedy (particularly in Pakistan and India)
  • Antithrombotic properties experimentally confirmed, supporting traditional use in blood-related disorders

What do recent clinical trials show?

1 further claim previously listed here could not be traced to a published paper and has been removed. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Traditional use in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine across South Asia and Middle East suggests established safety profile at conventional doses; widely used as a folk remedy for cancer in Pakistan and India
  • Saponin content may cause GI irritation at high doses; systematic toxicological evaluation is limited; liposomal formulation research suggests enhanced safety through targeted delivery

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Tablet, Capsule, Swarasa (fresh juice), Kwath Ghana (solid extract)

Standard Dosage: 3-6g powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction twice daily; 500mg extract capsule twice daily; 10-20ml fresh juice

Bioavailability: Fagonia cretica (Dhamasa) contains saponins, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Water-soluble flavonoid glycosides have moderate oral bioavailability (20-40%). Saponins undergo hydrolysis in the gut, releasing aglycones with higher membrane permeability. Traditional decoction preparation optimizes extraction of glycosidic actives. Enhancement: phytosome complexation of flavonoid-rich fraction improves oral bioavailability 2-3 fold.

Optimal Timing: Before meals with warm water for fever and blood purification; after meals for gastric conditions

Standardized Extract: Aqueous extract standardized to NLT 2% total flavonoids (as quercetin equivalent) by UV spectrophotometry. Extract ratio 8:1. HPTLC fingerprint with minimum 5 characteristic bands.

Shelf Life: 2 years (powder); 2.5 years (tablet/capsule); 3 years (spray-dried extract in sealed container)

Storage: Airtight containers below 25 deg C, protected from moisture and light. Flavonoid-rich extracts are photosensitive - use amber or opaque containers.

Marker Compounds: Quercetin, Kaempferol, Isorhamnetin glycosides, Oleanolic acid, Ursolic acid, Hederagenin saponins

Extraction Methods

  • Aqueous decoction (traditional)
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (60:40 ethanol:water)
  • Methanol extraction for research-grade phytochemical profiling
  • Spray-dried aqueous extract for commercial applications

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

  1. Abbas A, Vohra S, Weiskirchen R and others. 2026. Fagonia cretica L. and Redox Homeostasis: An Integrative Review of Phytochemistry, Redox-Sensitive Signaling, and Pharmacological PotentialPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 42515719 · doi:10.3390/ph19071036
  2. Qureshi H, Asif S, Ahmed H and others. 2016. Chemical composition and medicinal significance of Fagonia cretica: a reviewNatural product research. PMID 25921950 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2015.1036268

Laboratory and animal studies9

  1. Badawy SA, Hassan AR, Shafaa MW and others. 2025. Liposomal formulation of Fagonia arabica L. enhances antithrombotic efficacy: phytochemical, pharmacological, and computational investigationsRSC advances. PMID 41306891 · doi:10.1039/d5ra06347g
  2. Naveed M, Atta A, Rui B and others. 2025. Combination of Withania coagulans and Fagonia cretica ameliorates hyperuricemia by re-modulating gut microbiota-derived spermidine and traumatic acidPhytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. PMID 40712280 · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157079
  3. Mohamed EIA, Elwekeel AH, Mohamed DEA and others. 2024. Validating anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties of Fagonia cretica L. through metabolic, in vitro, and in silico profilingBMC complementary medicine and therapies. PMID 39609685 · doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04684-y
  4. Kamran S, Anwar R, Noor A and others. 2023. Metabolic Profiling and Investigation of the Modulatory Effect of Fagonia cretica L. Aerial Parts on Hepatic CYP3A4 and UGT2B7 Enzymes in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic ModelAntioxidants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 36670981 · doi:10.3390/antiox12010119
  5. Ahmed W, Mansoor Q, Ahmad MS and others. 2023. TRAIL mediated apoptosis ruling and anticancer trigger by fine-tuned nano spheres of Fagonia cretica methanolic extracts as novel cancer regimeScientific reports. PMID 36635434 · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-27441-6
  6. Kiani BH, Ikram F, Fatima H and others. 2022. Comparative evaluation of biomedical and phytochemical applications of zinc nanoparticles by using Fagonia cretica extractsScientific reports. PMID 35705691 · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-14193-y
  7. Tabassum T, Rahman H, Tawab A and others. 2022. Fagonia cretica: Identification of compounds in bioactive gradient high performance liquid chromatography fractions against multidrug resistant human gut pathogensTropical biomedicine. PMID 35838088 · doi:10.47665/tb.39.2.006
  8. Zulfiqar H, Zafar A, Rasheed MN and others. 2019. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Fagonia cretica and their antimicrobial activitiesNanoscale advances. PMID 36134229 · doi:10.1039/c8na00343b
  9. Saleem S, Jafri L, ul Haq I and others. 2014. Plants Fagonia cretica L. and Hedera nepalensis K. Koch contain natural compounds with potent dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory activityJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 25169215 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.08.017

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