Japa
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Japa (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is a plant drug, from the Malvaceae family. Anthocyanins have low bioavailability (~1-2%) but are active in the GI tract. Quercetin bioavailability ~5-10%. Hibiscus acid and hydroxycitric acid are well absorbed.
| Botanical name | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis |
|---|---|
| Family | Malvaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Malvales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3152559 · NCBI Taxonomy 183298 |
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2013 to 2025, 11 with a DOI.
- 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- 5Other clinical studies and reviews
- 6Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. 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 |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Japa |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Kashaya, Madhura | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Ruksha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (flower powder), Capsule, Tablet, Swarasa (fresh flower juice), Taila (hair oil), Kwath (decoction), Gulkand-like preserve
Standard Dosage: 3-6g dried flower powder twice daily; 500mg extract; 10-20ml fresh flower juice; external oil as needed
Optimal Timing: With meals for internal use; hair oil application at night before washing
Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C, protected from light (critical for anthocyanin stability). Amber containers. Nitrogen-flushed packaging for extract powder.
Marker Compounds: Cyanidin-3-sophoroside, Cyanidin-3-glucoside, Quercetin, Kaempferol, Hibiscus acid, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Mucilage polysaccharides
Synergistic Combinations
- Traditionally combined with Bhringaraj for hair growth (external)
- With Amalaki for antioxidant action
- With Shatavari for female reproductive health
- With Brahmi oil for hair vitality (external)
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.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses1
- 2022. Medicinal plants with anti-colorectal cancer bioactive compounds: Potential game-changers in colorectal cancer managementBiomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. PMID 35820316 · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113383
Other clinical studies and reviews5
- 2025. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis: A Multifunctional Flower Bridging Nutrition, Medicine, and Molecular TherapeuticsFood science & nutrition. PMID 41323831 · doi:10.1002/fsn3.71254
- 2024. A Comprehensive Overview of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.: Its Ethnobotanical Uses, Phytochemistry, Therapeutic Uses, Pharmacological Activities, and ToxicologyEndocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets. PMID 37218183 · doi:10.2174/1871530323666230522113405
- 2024. Review of Malaysian medicinal plants with potential wound healing activityBMC complementary medicine and therapies. PMID 38997637 · doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04548-5
- 2022. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Forage as a Potential Feed for Animals: A ReviewAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI. PMID 35158612 · doi:10.3390/ani12030288
- 2013. Antidyslipidemic and Antioxidant Activities of Hibiscus rosa sinensis Root Extract in Alloxan Induced Diabetic RatsIndian journal of clinical biochemistry : IJCB. PMID 24381420 · doi:10.1007/s12291-012-0223-x
Laboratory and animal studies6
- 2025. Phytochemical Analysis, Antibacterial, and Antitumor Potential of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis LinnScientifica. PMID 40330800 · doi:10.1155/sci5/2722306
- 2024. Microwave-assisted synthesis, characterization and in vitro biomedical applications of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn.-mediated carbon quantum dotsScientific reports. PMID 38689005 · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-60726-y
- 2023. Cobalt oxide nanoparticles: An effective growth promoter of Arabidopsis plants and nano-pesticide against bacterial leaf blight pathogen in riceEcotoxicology and environmental safety. PMID 37086623 · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114935
- 2023. Color, Antioxidant Capacity and Flavonoid Composition in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis CultivarsMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 36838766 · doi:10.3390/molecules28041779
- 2022. Antihypertensive and Vasorelaxant Effects of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis through Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE-2), and Ca(2+) Channels PathwaysCardiovascular & hematological disorders drug targets. PMID 35352670 · doi:10.2174/1871529X22666220329190331
- 2014. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis Linn flower extractsPakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences. PMID 24811803
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.