Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Koshamra

Schleichera oleosa

Koshamra (Schleichera oleosa) is a plant used in Ayurveda. Flavonoid aglycones have moderate bioavailability (~20-30%). Co-administration with lipid carriers or piperine enhances polyphenol absorption. Decoction form pre-hydrolyzes glycosides improving bioavailability of aglycone forms.

Key facts
Botanical nameSchleichera oleosa
FamilySapindaceae
OrderSapindales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 3189945 · Wikidata Q13094301 · NCBI Taxonomy 290996

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishKoshamra

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)AmlaPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Guru, SnigdhaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)AmlaPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (bark powder), Kashayam (decoction), Capsule, Swarasa (fruit juice), Lepa (paste for external use)

Standard Dosage: 3-5 g bark powder twice daily; 50-100 mL decoction; 10-20 mL fruit juice; external paste as needed

Bioavailability: Tannins and polyphenols show limited systemic absorption but exert significant local GI effects (astringent, anti-diarrheal). Flavonoid aglycones have moderate bioavailability (~20-30%). Co-administration with lipid carriers or piperine enhances polyphenol absorption. Decoction form pre-hydrolyzes glycosides improving bioavailability of aglycone forms.

Optimal Timing: After meals for digestive astringent action; decoction between meals for anti-diarrheal use; fruit juice anytime as nutritive

Standardized Extract: Bark extract standardized to minimum 10% total tannins (as tannic acid) and 3% total flavonoids; seed oil standardized to fatty acid composition by GC

Shelf Life: 24 months for bark powder; 18 months for capsules; 12 months for fruit juice (preserved); 24 months for seed oil

Storage: Bark powder in airtight containers at 15-30°C. Seed oil in dark glass bottles, protected from light and heat. Fruit juice requires refrigeration.

Marker Compounds: Gallic acid, Ellagic acid, Catechin, Leucocyanidin, Arachidic acid (seed oil), Oleic acid (seed oil), Beta-sitosterol

Extraction Methods

  • Water decoction (traditional)
  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (50-60% ethanol)
  • Cold pressing of ripe fruits for juice
  • Sequential solvent extraction for phytochemical fractionation

Synergistic Combinations

  • Amra (Mango) for fruit-based nutritive preparations
  • Amalaki for antioxidant synergy
  • Kutaja for anti-diarrheal combination
  • Lodhra for astringent formulations

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. Tandalekar YB, Kulshreshtha S, Jangra B and others. 2026. Schleichera oleosa Bark Extract Shows Potent Anti-Arthritic Activity in Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-Induced Arthritis in Rats and Network PharmacologyChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 41918331 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202502071
  2. Vanaja P, Moorthy NSHN, Rajpoot VS and others. 2025. Metabolite profiling, antimalarial potentials of Schleichera oleosa using LC-MS and GC-MS: in vitro, molecular docking and molecular dynamicsFrontiers in molecular biosciences. PMID 40026697 · doi:10.3389/fmolb.2025.1543939
  3. Rawat P, Singh O, Thapliyal M and others. 2025. Assessment of population ecology and potential habitat modelling of Schleichera oleosa in Uttarakhand Himalaya of India: implications for management and conservationEnvironmental monitoring and assessment. PMID 39939556 · doi:10.1007/s10661-025-13700-8
  4. Prakulanon J, Duangsrisai S, Vajrodaya S and others. 2024. Evaluation of phytochemical profile, and antioxidant, antidiabetic activities of indigenous Thai fruitsPeerJ. PMID 39011385 · doi:10.7717/peerj.17681
  5. Zulham, Subarnas A, Wilar G and others. 2023. Safety Assessment of Schleichera oleosa Lour. Leaves Extract: Acute and Subchronic StudiesPakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS. PMID 37779329 · doi:10.3923/pjbs.2023.148.158
  6. Sahu RK, Kumar B, Singh R and others. 2022. Schleichera oleosa Seed Extract Reduced the Proliferation of Breast Cancer by Regulating the BRCA1 and p16 GenesAsian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP. PMID 35092383 · doi:10.31557/APJCP.2022.23.1.151
  7. Sankar Ganesh P, Ravishankar Rai V. 2018. Attenuation of quorum-sensing-dependent virulence factors and biofilm formation by medicinal plants against antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosaJournal of traditional and complementary medicine. PMID 29322006 · doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.05.008
  8. Khan MJ, Saraf S, Saraf S. 2017. Anti-inflammatory and associated analgesic activities of HPLC standardized alcoholic extract of known ayurvedic plant Schleichera oleosaJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 27544002 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.08.021
  9. Vashishtha A, Rathi B, Kaushik S and others. 2013. "Phloem sap analysis of Schleichera oleosa (Lour) Oken, Butea monosperma (Lam) Taub. and Ziziphus mauritiana (Lam) and hemolymph of Kerria lacca (Kerr) using HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry"Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology. PMID 24431523 · doi:10.1007/s12298-013-0194-2
  10. Thind TS, Rampal G, Agrawal SK and others. 2012. Evaluation of cytotoxic and radical-scavenging activities of root extracts of Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) OkenNatural product research. PMID 21988592 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2011.606547
  11. Ghosh P, Chakraborty P, Mandal A and others. 2011. Triterpenoids from Schleichera oleosa of Darjeeling Foothills and Their Antimicrobial ActivityIndian journal of pharmaceutical sciences. PMID 22303070 · doi:10.4103/0250-474x.91568
  12. Pettit GR, Numata A, Cragg GM and others. 2000. Isolation and structures of schleicherastatins 1-7 and schleicheols 1 and 2 from the teak forest medicinal tree Schleichera oleosaJournal of natural products. PMID 10650082 · doi:10.1021/np990346r

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