# Ishwari

> Ishwari (Aristolochia indica L.) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Aristolochiaceae family. [Characterization of the aqueous extract of the root of Aristolochia indica: evaluation of its traditional use as an antidote for snake bites](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23174522/).

## Key facts

- **Botanical name:** Aristolochia indica L.
- **Family:** Aristolochiaceae
- **Pharmacopoeia status:** WHO and IARC have classified aristolochic acids as Group 1 human carcinogens; European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued public warnings against all Aristolochia-containing products; banned in EU, US, and many Asian countries

## Names and identification

| Language | Name |
|----------|------|
| English | Ishwari |
| Latin/Botanical | *Aristolochia indica L.* |

## Key Phytochemical Constituents

- Aristolochic acid I and II (CARCINOGENIC)
- Aristolactams
- Aristolochine and aristolochene
- Ishwarone and ishwarane (sesquiterpenes)
- Cepharanthine (bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid)
- Aristolindiquinone

## How does it work?

- CARCINOGENIC: Aristolochic acid forms DNA adducts (dA-AA and dG-AA) leading to characteristic A:T to T:A transversion mutations in TP53 tumor suppressor gene
- Nephrotoxic: Causes progressive tubulointerstitial fibrosis and renal failure (aristolochic acid nephropathy)
- Anti-snake venom (traditional): Root extract shows neutralization of phospholipase A2 and protease activities of snake venoms in vitro
- Anti-inflammatory: Aristolactams show COX-2 inhibition but this benefit does not justify the carcinogenic risk

## Which traditional uses are supported by research?

- Snake bite antidote (Sarpa-visha-hara) - partial in vitro validation of anti-venom properties but UNSAFE for human use due to aristolochic acid content
- Emmenagogue (Artava-janana) - traditional use confirmed pharmacologically but CONTRAINDICATED due to carcinogenicity
- Anti-inflammatory (Shotha-hara) - confirmed but completely outweighed by cancer and kidney damage risk
- NOTE: ALL traditional uses of Aristolochia indica are SUPERSEDED by safety concerns; use of this herb is NOT recommended under any circumstances

## What do recent clinical trials show?

- Bhattacharjee P, Bhattacharyya D 2013. [Characterization of the aqueous extract of the root of Aristolochia indica: evaluation of its traditional use as an antidote for snake bites](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23174522/). *Journal of ethnopharmacology*. PMID [23174522](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23174522/) · [doi:10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.056](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.10.056)  
  Identified aristolochic acid content of root extract as 3.08 +/- 1.88 x 10^-3 mg/mL; acute and sub-chronic studies showed no toxicity at lower doses, but high doses caused liver and kidney damage.

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

## Recent safety updates

- BANNED in multiple countries including USA, Canada, Germany, UK, France, Belgium, Austria, and Japan due to confirmed carcinogenicity and nephrotoxicity of aristolochic acids
- IARC Group 1 carcinogen (confirmed human carcinogen); causes aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) and significantly increases risk of urothelial/bladder cancer
- Even low aristolochic acid concentrations pose cumulative cancer risk with chronic exposure; no safe dose established for internal human use; traditional Ayurvedic Shodhana methods do NOT reliably eliminate aristolochic acids

## Dosage forms and preparation

**Dosage Forms:** Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Capsule, Swarasa (fresh juice)

**Standard Dosage:** 1-3g powder twice daily; 30-60ml decoction

**Bioavailability:** Aristolochia indica root contains aristolochic acids (CAUTION: nephrotoxic and carcinogenic) and [terpenoids](/glossary/compounds-t-z/#terpenoids). Aristolochic acids are well absorbed orally but are highly toxic. REGULATORY WARNING: Aristolochic acid-containing herbs are BANNED or restricted in many countries (USA, EU, UK, Australia). Modern formulations must demonstrate absence of aristolochic acids below detection limits or use aristolochic acid-free chemotypes if available.

**Optimal Timing:** Traditional use only under strict physician supervision; NOT recommended for modern formulation

**Standardized Extract:** NOT RECOMMENDED for modern extract standardization due to aristolochic acid toxicity. Traditional aqueous decoction with Shodhana only under qualified Vaidya supervision.

**Shelf Life:** Not applicable for modern commercial products due to regulatory restrictions

**Storage:** If held for research purposes: controlled substance storage, clearly labeled as toxic/restricted material. Not for commercial distribution in most markets.

**Marker Compounds:** Aristolochic acid I (toxic marker - must be below detection/regulatory limit), Aristolochic acid II (toxic marker), Aristolactam, Ceryl alcohol, Beta-[sitosterol](/glossary/compounds-q-t/#sitosterol)

### Extraction Methods

- Aqueous decoction (traditional)
- Hydroalcoholic extraction - MUST test for aristolochic acid content
- Traditional Shodhana processing (may partially reduce but not eliminate toxic components)

### Synergistic Combinations

- With Maricha for snakebite antidote (traditional use)
- With [Pippali](/herb/pippali/) for respiratory conditions (traditional use only)

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Canonical version of this page: https://nighantu.ageayurveda.com/herb/ishwari/

## Sources

- Amidha Ayurveda Herb Database (700+ herbs, CC-BY-4.0)
- Web research (clinical trials, WHO monographs, safety databases)
- Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India

Published by Age Ayurveda in the Nighantu. Educational reference only, not medical advice.
Incorporates material from the Amidha Ayurveda Herb Database under CC BY 4.0.