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Katphala

Myrica esculenta

Katphala (Myrica esculenta) is a plant drug, also called Mahavalkala, Kaphala and Kayphajl.

Key facts
Botanical nameMyrica esculenta
Currently accepted nameMorella esculenta (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) I.M.Turner, the name above is treated as a synonym by GBIF; both are in use
FamilyMyricaceae
OrderFagales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 5565387 · Wikidata Q3636681 · NCBI Taxonomy 385002
Names in other languages
Sanskritमहावल्कल (mahāvalkala)
Hindiकाफल (kāphala), Kayphajl, Kayphal
EnglishBay Berry, Box Myrtle
TamilMarudam, Marudampatai
MalayalamMarut
TeluguKaidaryamu
KannadaKadujai Kai, Katphala, Kirishivane, Kirisivari
MarathiKaayphal
BengaliKatphal, Kaychhal, Kayphal
GujaratiKayphal
UrduKaiphal
PunjabiKanphal, Kayphal
AssameseAjooree, Vdulbark

Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed); efloraofindia's Myrica esculenta page gives Hindi "kaiphal, kaphal" and Nepali "काफल (Kafal)" in Devanagari; Sanskrit katphala, mahavalkala.; efloraofindia, Myrica esculenta: Sanskrit "katphala, mahavalkala" (romanised on the page).. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2019 to 2026, every one with a DOI.

  • 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
  • 3Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 8Laboratory 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

LanguageName
SanskritKatphala

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Kashaya, Tikta, KatuPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Laghu, TikshnaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)KatuPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (bark powder), Kashayam (decoction), Nasya (nasal drops), Capsule, Taila (infused oil)

Standard Dosage: 1-3 g bark powder twice daily; 30-50 mL decoction; Nasya: 2-4 drops per nostril; 500 mg capsule twice daily

Optimal Timing: After meals for internal use; Nasya: morning on empty stomach (classical timing); decoction for gargling: as needed for throat conditions

Storage: Store bark powder in airtight containers at 15-30°C. Nasya oil in amber glass dropper bottles. Protect from moisture and light.

Marker Compounds: Myricetin, Myricitrin, Gallic acid, Epigallocatechin gallate, Proanthocyanidins, Myricanol, Taraxerol, Beta-amyrin

Synergistic Combinations

  • Haridra for anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic synergy
  • Pippali for bioavailability enhancement; traditionally used together for respiratory complaints
  • Vacha for Nasya formulations (cognitive and sinus)
  • Trikatu for enhanced absorption
  • Shirisha, traditionally used together for allergic rhinitis

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

  1. Florença SG, Barroca MJ, Lima MJ and others. 2026. Phytochemical, Nutritional and Physicochemical Characteristics of Fruits and Leaves from the Myrica L. Genus: A Systematic ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 42794665 · doi:10.3390/ijms27188237

Other clinical studies and reviews3

  1. Ahmad G, Khan SU, Mir SA and others. 2022. Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. (ex D. Don): A Review on its Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Nutritional PotentialCombinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening. PMID 36330658 · doi:10.2174/1386207325666220428105255
  2. Zhang X, Zhang K, Wang Y and others. 2020. Effects of Myricitrin and Relevant Molecular MechanismsCurrent stem cell research & therapy. PMID 30474534 · doi:10.2174/1574888X14666181126103338
  3. Kabra A, Martins N, Sharma R and others. 2019. Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don: A Natural Source for Health Promotion and Disease PreventionPlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 31159283 · doi:10.3390/plants8060149

Laboratory and animal studies8

  1. Kundal J, Pandey AR, Ansari WA and others. 2026. Isolation, characterization, quantification and antioxidant activity of compounds from Myrica esculentaNatural product research. PMID 39715675 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2024.2445196
  2. Joshi M, Pandey M, Gupta PS and others. 2026. Development and Evaluation of an Eudragit-Coated Colon-Targeted Delivery System for Myrica esculenta in Ulcerative ColitisCurrent pharmaceutical biotechnology. PMID 42816997 · doi:10.2174/0113892010430704260911064141
  3. Pathak R, Chandra P. 2026. Bioactive Compounds from Myrica esculenta: Antioxidant Insights and Docking Studies on H(+)K(+)-ATPase and H(2) Receptor TargetsMedicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates)). PMID 39917935 · doi:10.2174/0115734064366819250125070619
  4. Das L, Das M, Barkalita LM and others. 2024. Comprehensive Analysis of Antioxidant Properties, GC-MS, and FTIR Profiles of Myrica esculenta Fruit Extracts from Western East Khasi Hills of MeghalayaChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 39229819 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202401006
  5. Yadav A, Raghav S, Jangid NK and others. 2023. Myrica esculenta Leaf Extract-Assisted Green Synthesis of Porous Magnetic Chitosan Composites for Fast Removal of Cd (II) from Water: Kinetics and Thermodynamics of AdsorptionPolymers. PMID 37960019 · doi:10.3390/polym15214339
  6. Kabra A, Baghel US, Hano C and others. 2020. Neuroprotective potential of Myrica esulenta in Haloperidol induced Parkinson's diseaseJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 32912644 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2020.06.007
  7. Kabra A, Sharma R, Singla S and others. 2019. Pharmacognostic characterization of Myrica esculenta leavesJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 29544902 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2017.07.012
  8. Kabra A, Sharma R, Hano C and others. 2019. Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Attributes of Different Solvent Extracts from Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. ex. D. Don LeavesBiomolecules. PMID 31405047 · doi:10.3390/biom9080357

Reference lists that include it

Gallic acid

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.