Kasani
Cichorium intybus L.
Kasani (Cichorium intybus L.) is a plant drug, also called Hinduba, from the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. WHO monograph exists for Cichorium intybus; recognized in European Pharmacopoeia; documented in Ayurvedic and Unani Pharmacopoeias of India.
| Botanical name | Cichorium intybus L. |
|---|---|
| Family | Asteraceae (Compositae) · other entries in this family |
| Order | Asterales |
| Pharmacopoeia status | WHO monograph exists for Cichorium intybus; recognized in European Pharmacopoeia; documented in Ayurvedic and Unani Pharmacopoeias of India |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 5392252 · Wikidata Q2544599 · NCBI Taxonomy 13427 |
| Hindi | कासनी (kāsanī), हिन्दुबा (hindubā) |
|---|---|
| Tamil | காசினிக்கீரை |
Sources: Flowers of India / "Names of Plants in India" (Chicory page) lists Hindi "कासनी Kasni" and "Hinduba"; efloraofindia's Cichorium intybus page independently lists Hindi कासनी (Kasni), Kashni, Hinduba.; Flowers of India / "Names of Plants in India", Chicory page: Hindi "कासनी (Kasni), Hinduba"; efloraofindia gives the same second Hindi name.; Tamil greens and Siddha raw-herb sources (sriharshiniherbals, skorganicfarms, TrueLyf) consistently sell Cichorium intybus leaf as காசினிக்கீரை / காசினி கீரை. Flagged as a commercial, not botanical, source: no botanical compilation I checked gives any Tamil name for this species, so this needs a Siddha Materia Medica check before publishing.. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2013 to 2025, every one with a DOI.
- 7Other clinical studies and reviews
- 5Laboratory 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 | Kasani |
| Latin/Botanical | Cichorium intybus L. |
Key Phytochemical Constituents
- Inulin (up to 60%)
- Lactucin (sesquiterpene lactone)
- Lactucopicrin
- Cichoriin (coumarin glycoside)
- Chicoric acid (caffeic acid derivative)
- Esculetin
- Chlorogenic acid
- Kaempferol
How does it work?
- Hepatoprotective: Chicoric acid and esculetin reduce hepatic oxidative stress, inhibit NF-kB activation, and promote hepatocyte regeneration; lactucopicrin provides cytoprotection
- Prebiotic: Inulin (fructo-oligosaccharide) selectively promotes growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus species in the gut microbiome
- Antidiabetic: Chlorogenic acid and chicoric acid inhibit hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase and enhance peripheral insulin sensitivity
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Yakrit-Shodhaka (liver): traditionally used for the liver. Clinical and preclinical studies have reported lower liver enzymes and hepatocyte regeneration.
- Traditionally used for digestion. Research has reported that inulin fermentation increased beneficial gut bacteria (Bifidobacteria).
- Traditionally used in diabetes. Clinical studies have reported improved glycemic control and insulin sensitivity.
What do recent studies show?
- Aisa HA, Xin XL, Tang D 2020. Chemical constituents and their pharmacological activities of plants from Cichorium genus. Chinese herbal medicines. PMID 36119016 · doi:10.1016/j.chmed.2020.05.001
Identified over 100 individual compounds from the plant; majority from roots; documented sesquiterpene lactones as key bioactive anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents.
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
- Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a food; widely consumed as coffee substitute; mild allergic reactions possible in individuals sensitive to Asteraceae family plants
- High inulin content may cause bloating and flatulence in sensitive individuals; caution in patients with gallstones (chicory may stimulate bile production); limited data in pregnancy
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Swarasa (fresh juice), Churna (powder), Kashayam (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Satva (starch extract)
Standard Dosage: 10-20 mL fresh juice twice daily; 3-5 g powder; 50-100 mL decoction; 500 mg capsule twice daily
Optimal Timing: Before meals for hepatoprotective and digestive benefits; root decoction as coffee substitute in the morning; prebiotic (inulin) preparations between meals
Storage: Fresh juice and roots require refrigeration (2-8°C). Dried preparations in airtight containers at 15-30°C. Inulin-rich preparations are hygroscopic, moisture protection essential.
Marker Compounds: Chicoric acid, Chlorogenic acid, Lactucin, Lactucopicrin, 8-Deoxylactucin, Inulin, Esculetin, Caffeic acid
Synergistic Combinations
- Bhumyamalaki (Phyllanthus niruri) for hepatoprotective synergy
- Kutki, traditionally combined for liver support
- Punarnava for hepatorenal protection
- Guduchi for comprehensive liver support
- Yashtimadhu for gastroprotective combination
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 reviews7
- 2023. Health Benefits of Key Constituents in Cichorium intybus LNutrients. PMID 36986053 · doi:10.3390/nu15061322
- 2022. Overview of Witloof Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) Discolorations and Their Underlying Physiological and Biochemical CausesFrontiers in plant science. PMID 35283895 · doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.843004
- 2021. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) as a food ingredient - Nutritional composition, bioactivity, safety, and health claims: A reviewFood chemistry. PMID 32768902 · doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127676
- 2020. Chemical constituents and their pharmacological activities of plants from Cichorium genusChinese herbal medicines. PMID 36119016 · doi:10.1016/j.chmed.2020.05.001
- 2019. Cytotoxicity of Cichorium intybus L. metabolites (Review)Oncology reports. PMID 31578592 · doi:10.3892/or.2019.7336
- 2018. Antiparasitic activity of chicory (Cichorium intybus) and its natural bioactive compounds in livestock: a reviewParasites & vectors. PMID 30134991 · doi:10.1186/s13071-018-3012-4
- 2013. Cichorium intybus: Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and ToxicologyEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM. PMID 24379887 · doi:10.1155/2013/579319
Laboratory and animal studies5
- 2025. Investigation of Pharmacological Mechanisms and Active Ingredients of Cichorium intybus L. in Alleviating Renal Urate Deposition via lncRNA H19/miR-21-3p Regulation to Enhance ABCG2 ExpressionInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 40869211 · doi:10.3390/ijms26167892
- 2025. Anxiolytic Effects of Cichorium intybus L. Oligo-Polysaccharides by Modulating Gut Microbiota, Neuronal Signaling Pathways, and Neuroinflammation in Chronic Sleep Deprivation-Stressed MiceFoods (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 40509387 · doi:10.3390/foods14111859
- 2023. Cichorium intybus L. "hairy" roots as a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compoundsHeliyon. PMID 37101499 · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14516
- 2022. Anti-protozoal activity and metabolomic analyses of Cichorium intybus L. against Trypanosoma cruziInternational journal for parasitology. Drugs and drug resistance. PMID 36037562 · doi:10.1016/j.ijpddr.2022.08.002
- 2022. Cichorium intybus bio-callus synthesized silver nanoparticles: A promising antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer compoundInternational journal of pharmaceutics. PMID 35917872 · doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122062
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.
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