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Jalavetasa

Vallisneria spiralis L. (aquatic medicinal plant grouped under Jalaj Aushadhi)

Jalavetasa (Vallisneria spiralis L. (aquatic medicinal plant grouped under Jalaj Aushadhi)) is a plant drug, from the Hydrocharitaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs; very limited formal recognition in pharmacopeias; referenced under 'Jalaj Aushadhi' (water-born medicines) category in older Ayurvedic texts like Vrikshayurveda.

Key facts
Botanical nameVallisneria spiralis L. (aquatic medicinal plant grouped under Jalaj Aushadhi)
FamilyHydrocharitaceae
OrderAlismatales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot listed in WHO monographs; very limited formal recognition in pharmacopeias; referenced under 'Jalaj Aushadhi' (water-born medicines) category in older Ayurvedic texts like Vrikshayurveda
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2865526 · Wikidata Q159160 · NCBI Taxonomy 55324

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2006 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
EnglishJalavetasa
Latin/BotanicalVallisneria spiralis L. (aquatic medicinal plant grouped under Jalaj Aushadhi)

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Demulcent action through mucilaginous polysaccharide coating of inflamed mucosal surfaces in throat, gut, and urinary tract
  • Mild diuretic effect through flavonoid-mediated modulation of renal tubular function
  • Anti-inflammatory mechanism via quercetin-mediated inhibition of inflammatory mediators in local tissues

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

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

  • Cooling and demulcent (Sheeta Virya): traditionally described as cooling and demulcent. The plant contains mucilaginous polysaccharides.
  • Mild diuretic (Mutrala): traditionally used as a mild diuretic, according to reports from Kerala healers. Scientific research on this use is limited.
  • Skin soothing (Tvak Doshahara): traditionally applied on the skin to soothe it. The plant contains flavonoids.

What do recent studies show?

No study for this section could be traced to a published paper. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Very limited pharmacological and toxicological data available; considered relatively safe based on traditional use as food and medicine in aquatic-rich regions
  • May accumulate heavy metals from contaminated water bodies; sourcing from clean water environments is essential for safety

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Polysaccharides
  • Flavonoids
  • Quercetin
  • Chlorophyll
  • Mucilaginous
  • Trace minerals
  • Cellulose and hemicellulose

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Capsule

Standard Dosage: 3-6g powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction

Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C, protected from moisture.

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. Waykar R, Kumarapillai S. 2024. Cytotoxicity and molecular docking analysis of phytochemicals from Vallisneria spiralis with protein target 3CZH in breast cancer managementBioinformation. PMID 40230925 · doi:10.6026/9732063002002062
  2. Chen X, Liu L, Wang Y and others. 2024. The combined effects of lanthanum-modified bentonite and Vallisneria spiralis on phosphorus, dissolved organic matter, and heavy metal(loid)sThe Science of the total environment. PMID 38301791 · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170502
  3. Jarić S, Karadžić B, Paunović M and others. 2024. Relationship between potentially toxic elements and macrophyte communities in the Sava riverHeliyon. PMID 39144995 · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34994
  4. Yan W, He X, Wu T and others. 2023. A combined study on Vallisneria spiralis and lanthanum modified bentonite to immobilize arsenic in sedimentsEnvironmental research. PMID 36323350 · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.114689
  5. Wang R, Zhu J, Li B and others. 2023. Effects of attapulgite on the growth status of submerged macrophytes Vallisneria spiralis and sediment microenvironmentJournal of environmental management. PMID 37384996 · doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118496
  6. Wiorek A, Steininger F, Crespo GA and others. 2023. Imaging of CO(2) and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon via Electrochemical Acidification-Optode TandemACS sensors. PMID 37392165 · doi:10.1021/acssensors.3c00790
  7. Bai G, Luo F, Zou Y and others. 2022. Effects of vermiculite on the growth process of submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis and sediment microecological environmentJournal of environmental sciences (China). PMID 35305761 · doi:10.1016/j.jes.2021.08.038
  8. Tang X, Steinman AD, Xue Q and others. 2022. Simultaneous electrochemical removal of Microcystis aeruginosa and sulfamethoxazole and its ecologic impacts on Vallisneria spiralisThe Science of the total environment. PMID 34990666 · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152769
  9. Li C, Ding S, Chen M and others. 2022. Mechanistic insights into trace metal mobilization at the micro-scale in the rhizosphere of Vallisneria spiralisThe Science of the total environment. PMID 34606867 · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150735
  10. Han F, Zhang Y, Liu Z and others. 2020. Effects of maifanite on growth, physiological and phytochemical process of submerged macrophytes Vallisneria spiralisEcotoxicology and environmental safety. PMID 31761555 · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109941
  11. Rai PK, Tripathi BD. 2009. Comparative assessment of Azolla pinnata and Vallisneria spiralis in Hg removal from G.B. Pant Sagar of Singrauli Industrial region, IndiaEnvironmental monitoring and assessment. PMID 18210204 · doi:10.1007/s10661-007-0140-2
  12. Xian Q, Chen H, Liu H and others. 2006. Isolation and identification of antialgal compounds from the leaves of Vallisneria spiralis L. by activity-guided fractionationEnvironmental science and pollution research international. PMID 16910120 · doi:10.1065/espr2006.06.314

Reference lists that include it

Catechin, Flavonoids

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.