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Granthiparni

Leonotis nepetifolia

Granthiparni (Leonotis nepetifolia) is a plant drug, from the Lamiaceae family.

Key facts
Botanical nameLeonotis nepetifolia
Identity sourceAyurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. III: GRANTHIPARNI (Root)
Also calledLeonotis nepetaefolia (R.Br.) W.T.Aiton (nomenclatural synonym)
Angelica glauca Edgw. (attribution recorded without a cited source)
FamilyLamiaceae · other entries in this family
OrderLamiales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 4924659 · Wikidata Q2512194 · NCBI Taxonomy 483799

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2014 to 2024, every one with a DOI.

  • 12Laboratory 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.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.

Names and identification

LanguageName
SanskritGranthiparni

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Katu, TiktaPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Laghu, TikshnaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)KatuPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Swarasa (fresh juice), Lepa (external paste), Taila (medicated oil)

Standard Dosage: 3-5g powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction twice daily; 10-15ml fresh juice; external application as needed. Limited modern dosage data - follow classical text guidelines.

Optimal Timing: Before meals with warm water as per classical guidelines; external paste applied 2-3 times daily to affected areas

Storage: Airtight containers in cool, dry place below 25 deg C. Limited stability data - conduct accelerated stability studies for any commercial formulation. Protect from moisture and light.

Marker Compounds: Diterpenoids (leonotinin-type, if Leonotis sp.), Flavonoids, Iridoids, Beta-sitosterol, Ursolic acid

Synergistic Combinations

  • With Haridra for anti-inflammatory topical applications
  • With Guduchi for immune support
  • With Nimba for dermatological conditions
  • With Kushtha (Saussurea), traditionally used for skin conditions

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.

Laboratory and animal studies12

  1. Adolpho LO, Paz LHA, Rosa O and others. 2024. Chemical profile and antimicrobial activity of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. essential oilsNatural product research. PMID 37583125 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2023.2245957
  2. Sitarek P, Kowalczyk T, Śliwiński T and others. 2023. Leonotis nepetifolia Transformed Root Extract Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Promotes Tissue Repair In VitroInternational journal of environmental research and public health. PMID 36981614 · doi:10.3390/ijerph20064706
  3. Nagaraja SK, Nayaka S, Kumar RS. 2023. Phytochemical Analysis, GC-MS Profiling, and In Vitro Evaluation of Biological Applications of Different Solvent Extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R.Br. Flower BudsApplied biochemistry and biotechnology. PMID 36342622 · doi:10.1007/s12010-022-04201-2
  4. Nguyen TK, Ton TQ, Ngo TT and others. 2023. Nepetifoliol - a new glutinane-triterpenoid from Leonotis nepetifoliaNatural product research. PMID 34365866 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2021.1963244
  5. Merecz-Sadowska A, Sitarek P, Śliwiński T and others. 2022. In vitro and In silico Studies on Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. Root Extract against Cancer CellsCurrent pharmaceutical biotechnology. PMID 35249478 · doi:10.2174/1389201023666220304095225
  6. Nagaraja SK, Niazi SK, Bepari A and others. 2022. Leonotis nepetifolia Flower Bud Extract Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles, Their Characterization, and In Vitro Evaluation of Biological ApplicationsMaterials (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 36556796 · doi:10.3390/ma15248990
  7. Nyasembe VO, Tchouassi DP, Muturi MN and others. 2021. Plant nutrient quality impacts survival and reproductive fitness of the dengue vector Aedes aegyptiParasites & vectors. PMID 33397448 · doi:10.1186/s13071-020-04519-y
  8. de Oliveira DP, de Almeida L, Marques MJ and others. 2021. Exploring the bioactivity potential of Leonotis nepetifolia: phytochemical composition, antimicrobial and antileishmanial activities of extracts from different anatomical partsNatural product research. PMID 31691582 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2019.1686367
  9. de Oliveira AP, Borges IV, Pereira ECV and others. 2019. Influence of light intensity, fertilizing and season on the cirsiliol content, a chemical marker of Leonotis nepetifolia (Lamiaceae)PeerJ. PMID 30671296 · doi:10.7717/peerj.6187
  10. Ayanwuyi LO, Kwanashie HO, Hussaini IM and others. 2016. PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON THE BEHAVIOURAL EFFECTS OF THE METHANOL EXTRACT OF LEONOTIS NEPETIFOLIA LINN STEM IN MICEAfrican journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM. PMID 28852715 · doi:10.21010/ajtcam.v13i4.3
  11. Oliveira DM, Melo FG, Balogun SO and others. 2015. Antibacterial mode of action of the hydroethanolic extract of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. involves bacterial membrane perturbationsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 26102550 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2015.06.027
  12. Pushpan R, Nishtewsar K. 2014. Rasa Nirdhāraṇa (assessment of taste) of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br.: A preliminary study in healthy volunteersAncient science of life. PMID 25538356 · doi:10.4103/0257-7941.144625

Reference lists that include it

Flavonoids, 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.