Kakoli
Roscoea purpurea Sm. (also identified with Fritillaria roylei)
Kakoli (Roscoea purpurea Sm. (also identified with Fritillaria roylei)) is a plant drug, also called Svadumanisi and Vayasoli, from the Zingiberaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs; a critically endangered Ashtavarga member; recognized in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.
| Botanical name | Roscoea purpurea Sm. (also identified with Fritillaria roylei) |
|---|---|
| Family | Zingiberaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Zingiberales |
| Pharmacopoeia status | Not listed in WHO monographs; a critically endangered Ashtavarga member; recognized in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 5301320 · Wikidata Q163757 · NCBI Taxonomy 97783 |
| Sanskrit | Svadumanisi, Vayasoli |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Kakoli |
| Tamil | Kakoli |
| Malayalam | Kakoli |
| Telugu | Kakoli, Kakoli Moola, Kandhambu |
| Kannada | Kakoli |
| Marathi | Kakoli |
| Bengali | Kakoli |
| Gujarati | Kakoli |
| Urdu | Kakoli |
| Oriya | Kakoli |
Source: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
8papers on this site for this drug, published 2015 to 2024, every one with a DOI.
- 1Other clinical studies and reviews
- 7Laboratory 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. 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 |
|---|---|
| English | Kakoli |
| Latin/Botanical | Roscoea purpurea Sm. (also identified with Fritillaria roylei) |
Key Phytochemical Constituents
- Phenolic acids
- Flavonoids
- Diterpenoids
- Carotenoids (including 15-methyl retinol - first report)
- Oleic acid (unsaturated fatty acid)
- Linoleic acid
- Terpenoids
- Minerals (calcium, iron, phosphorus)
- Polysaccharides
How does it work?
- Immunomodulatory action through stimulation of both T-cell and B-cell mediated immune responses, with polysaccharide and flavonoid fractions playing key roles
- Hepatoprotective mechanism involving antioxidant defense enhancement (SOD, CAT, GSH) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in liver tissue
- Antidiabetic and hypolipidemic activity through modulation of glucose and lipid metabolism pathways, with phenolic compounds acting as alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Traditionally used as a Rasayana for rejuvenation. Preclinical studies have reported enhanced immune cell activity.
- Traditionally used for liver health. Studies in experimental liver injury models have reported hepatoprotective activity.
- Traditionally used as a body strengthener. Chemical profiling has reported a rich mineral and carotenoid content.
What do recent studies show?
- Balkrishna A, Joshi M, Varshney Y and others 2024. In-depth phytochemical profiling of Roscoea purpurea (Kakoli): Comparative UHPLC-MS/QToF and GC-MS/MS analysis of supercritical CO(2) fluid - and conventional solvent - based extractive processes. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis. PMID 39197202 · doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116444
First-time identification of carotenoid metabolite 15-methyl retinol in the species; fatty acid analysis of supercritical fluid extract revealed elevated unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic and linoleic acids.
Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.
Recent safety updates
- Traditionally used as part of Ashtavarga in Chyawanprash and other rejuvenating formulations; safety data for authentic material are not established
- Critically endangered Himalayan species; authentication challenges and frequent substitution with other species pose safety and efficacy concerns in commercial products
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (tuber powder), Kashayam (decoction), Capsule, Avalehya (confection), Chyawanprash ingredient
Standard Dosage: 3-6g tuber powder twice daily; 50-100ml decoction; as component of Chyawanprash
Optimal Timing: With warm milk or ghee as Rasayana tonic; as part of Chyawanprash formulation
Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C, protected from moisture. Airtight containers.
Marker Compounds: Steroidal saponins (if authentic material available), Mucilage polysaccharides, DNA barcode authentication is primary identification method
Synergistic Combinations
- With Kshira-Kakoli (paired herb in Ashtavarga)
- With Jivaka and Rishabhaka as part of Ashtavarga Rasayana
- With Ashwagandha for strength and vitality
- With Shatavari for nutritive and galactagogue action
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 reviews1
- 2024. In-depth phytochemical profiling of Roscoea purpurea (Kakoli): Comparative UHPLC-MS/QToF and GC-MS/MS analysis of supercritical CO(2) fluid - and conventional solvent - based extractive processesJournal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis. PMID 39197202 · doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116444
Laboratory and animal studies7
- 2021. Coronarin K and L: Two Novel Labdane Diterpenes From Roscoea purpurea: An Ayurvedic Crude DrugFrontiers in chemistry. PMID 33968897 · doi:10.3389/fchem.2021.642073
- 2020. Self-assembly of naturally occurring stigmasterol in liquids yielding a fibrillar network and gelRSC advances. PMID 35495245 · doi:10.1039/c9ra10376g
- 2018. Reproductive isolation in alpine gingers: How do coexisting Roscoea (R. purpurea and R. tumjensis) conserve species integrity?Evolution; international journal of organic evolution. PMID 29992542 · doi:10.1111/evo.13546
- 2016. Coevolutionary elaboration of pollination-related traits in an alpine ginger (Roscoea purpurea) and a tabanid fly in the Nepalese HimalayasThe New phytologist. PMID 27112321 · doi:10.1111/nph.13974
- 2015. Reversed-phase high-performance Liquid Chromatography-ultraviolet Photodiode Array Detector Validated Simultaneous Quantification of six Bioactive Phenolic Acids in Roscoea purpurea Tubers and their In vitro Cytotoxic Potential against Various Cell LinesPharmacognosy magazine. PMID 26929586 · doi:10.4103/0973-1296.168944
- 2015. Nutritional evaluation, antioxidant studies and quantification of poly phenolics, in Roscoea purpurea tubersBMC research notes. PMID 26223698 · doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1290-x
- 2015. Out of Africa: evidence of the obligate mutualism between long corolla tubed plant and long-tongued fly in the HimalayasEcology and evolution. PMID 30151127 · doi:10.1002/ece3.1784
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.