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Lodhra

Symplocos racemosa Roxb.

Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa Roxb.) is a plant drug, from the Symplocaceae family. Traditionally used for menorrhagia; observational clinical data have reported reduced menstrual bleeding. Listed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (2001) as an ingredient in 32 classical formulations.

Key facts
Botanical nameSymplocos racemosa Roxb.
FamilySymplocaceae
OrderEricales
Pharmacopoeia statusListed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (2001) as an ingredient in 32 classical formulations. No dedicated WHO monograph. Recognized in Ayurvedic, Unani, and Siddha pharmacopeias of India.
Taxon identifiersGBIF 7902154 · Wikidata Q15246164 · NCBI Taxonomy 1340885

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2004 to 2026, every one with a DOI.

  • 1Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 11Laboratory 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

LanguageName
EnglishLodhra
Latin/BotanicalSymplocos racemosa Roxb.

Key Phytochemical Constituents

  • Loturine (alkaloid, same as harman)
  • Loturidine (alkaloid)
  • Colloturine (alkaloid)
  • Symplocoside (flavanol glucoside)
  • Ellagic acid
  • Betulin (triterpenoid)
  • Beta-sitosterol
  • 19-alpha-hydroxyasiatic acid glucoside

How does it work?

  • Astringent action: Tannins precipitate proteins in mucosal lining and skin, tightening tissues and reducing exudation and bleeding.
  • COX-2 inhibition: Lodhra tannins have been reported to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2, reducing prostaglandin-mediated inflammation.
  • Capillary permeability reduction: Flavonoids and tannins synergistically slow capillary permeability, explaining hemostatic (bleeding-stopping) action.
  • Antioxidant: Flavonoids scavenge free radicals, protecting tissues from oxidative damage.
  • Estrogenic modulation: Bark extracts show phytoestrogenic activity, potentially explaining menstrual regulation effects.

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.

  • Traditionally used for menorrhagia. Observational clinical data have reported reduced menstrual bleeding.
  • Traditionally used for wounds. A clinical trial comparing Lodhra paste with placebo reported improved wound repair.
  • Traditionally used for inflammation. Studies of COX-2 inhibition have reported anti-inflammatory activity.
  • Traditionally used for leucorrhoea.
  • Traditionally described as astringent and hemostatic. Studies have reported tannin-mediated protein precipitation as a possible mechanism for these properties.

What do recent studies show?

No study for this section could be traced to a published paper. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Generally considered safe within traditional dosage ranges. Astringent nature may cause constipation with prolonged high-dose use.
  • No significant adverse drug interactions reported; however, gaps remain in standardizing extract concentrations and verifying long-term safety.
  • Traditionally avoided during pregnancy. Should be used under practitioner supervision for gynecological conditions.

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsules, Tablets, Asava/Arishta, Topical cream/lotion, Vaginal pessaries

Standard Dosage: 3-6 g bark powder per day in divided doses; 50-100 mL decoction twice daily; 250-500 mg standardized extract twice daily

Optimal Timing: Between meals for gynecological indications; after meals for diarrhea management; topical application morning and evening

Storage: Store below 25 deg C in airtight containers. Bark powder in moisture-proof containers (RH below 60%). Asava/Arishta in glass or food-grade HDPE containers at room temperature. Topical products at 15-25 deg C.

Marker Compounds: Loturine, Colloturine, Loturidine, Symplocosine, Ellagic acid, Gallic acid, Beta-sitosterol, Oleanolic acid

Synergistic Combinations

  • Ashoka (menorrhagia and uterine tonic synergy)
  • Nagkesara (hemostatic combination)
  • Dhataki (Asava fermentation and uterine tonic)
  • Manjishtha (skin complexion and blood purification)
  • Ushira (cooling and hemostatic synergy)

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

  1. Acharya N, Acharya S, Shah U and others. 2016. A comprehensive analysis on Symplocos racemosa Roxb.: Traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry and pharmacological activitiesJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 26851499 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.01.043

Laboratory and animal studies11

  1. Singh A, Mazumder A, Das S and others. 2026. Synergistic Anti-dementia Effects of Symplocos racemosa Nanoemulsion: Isolation, Molecular Docking, and In Vivo EvaluationCurrent neurovascular research. PMID 41930762 · doi:10.2174/0115672026421409260119050357
  2. Sen G, Sarkar I, Ghosh S and others. 2025. Phytocompounds of Honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa) in the management of COVID-19 associated rheumatoid arthritis (CARA)In silico pharmacology. PMID 40917526 · doi:10.1007/s40203-025-00419-0
  3. Rashid M, Rehman R, E Al-Hazemi M and others. 2024. Process optimization of adsorptive phytoremediation of mutagenic brilliant green dye for health risk management using chemically activated Symplocos racemosa agro-wasteInternational journal of phytoremediation. PMID 37735932 · doi:10.1080/15226514.2023.2259987
  4. Sood H, Kumar Y, Gupta VK and others. 2020. Bioprospecting the antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antiproliferative activity of Symplocos racemosa Roxb. Bark phytoconstituents along with their biosafety evaluation and detection of antimicrobial components by GC-MSBMC pharmacology & toxicology. PMID 33203457 · doi:10.1186/s40360-020-00453-y
  5. Farooq U, Khan S, Naz S and others. 2017. Three new anthraquinone derivatives isolated from Symplocos racemosa and their antibiofilm activityChinese journal of natural medicines. PMID 29329652 · doi:10.1016/S1875-5364(18)30011-6
  6. Farooq U, Naz S, Khan A and others. 2016. Isolation and characterisation of three new anthraquinone secondary metabolites from Symplocos racemosaNatural product research. PMID 26115076 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2015.1046133
  7. Jung M, Choi J, Chae HS and others. 2014. Flavonoids from Symplocos racemosaMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 25549060 · doi:10.3390/molecules20010358
  8. Wakchaure D, Jain D, Singhai AK and others. 2011. Hepatoprotective activity of Symplocos racemosa bark on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in ratsJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 22022156 · doi:10.4103/0975-9476.85552
  9. Ahmad VU, Rashid MA, Abbasi MA and others. 2007. New salirepin derivatives from Symplocos racemosaJournal of Asian natural products research. PMID 17566912 · doi:10.1080/10286020500531993
  10. Bhutani KK, Jadhav AN, Kalia V. 2004. Effect of Symplocos racemosa Roxb. on gonadotropin release in immature female rats and ovarian histologyJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 15261983 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.04.022
  11. Abbasi MA, Ahmad VU, Zubair M and others. 2004. Phosphodiesterase and thymidine phosphorylase-inhibiting salirepin derivatives from Symplocos racemosaPlanta medica. PMID 15643556 · doi:10.1055/s-2004-835850

Reference lists that include it

Ellagic acid, Gallic acid, Oleanolic 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.