Mulaka
Raphanus sativus
Mulaka (Raphanus sativus) is a plant drug, also called Mulakam, Marusambhava and Salamarkataka.
| Botanical name | Raphanus sativus |
|---|---|
| Family | Brassicaceae |
| Order | Brassicales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 7678610 · Wikidata Q7224565 · NCBI Taxonomy 3726 |
| Sanskrit | मूलकम् (mūlakam), Marusambhava, Salamarkataka, Saleya, Visra |
|---|---|
| Hindi | मूली (mūlī) |
| English | Radish |
| Tamil | முள்ளங்கி, Mullangi |
| Malayalam | Mullanki |
| Telugu | Mullangi |
| Kannada | Moclangi gadde, Moolangi, Mugunigadde |
| Marathi | Mula |
| Bengali | Mula |
| Gujarati | Mulo |
| Urdu | Muli |
| Punjabi | Mula, Mulaka |
| Oriya | Mula, Rakhyasmula |
| Assamese | Mula |
Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed); Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, MULAKA (Seed) monograph on Raphanus sativus, Hindi "Muli"; MMPND Raphanus page, Hindi line "Mulla, Mooli, Muli, मूली Mūlī".; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, MULAKA monograph, Tamil "Mullangi, Mulakam, Mullangu, Millangi"; MMPND Raphanus page, Tamil line "மூலம் Muulam, முள்ளங்கி Mullangki".; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, monograph title MULAKA for Raphanus sativus (Sanskrit synonyms "Salamarkataka, Visra, Saleya, Marusambhava"); MMPND Raphanus page, Sanskrit line "मूलक Muulaka, राजालुक".. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2004 to 2024, every one with a DOI.
- 4Other clinical studies and reviews
- 8Laboratory 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 | Radish |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Katu, Tikta | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Tikshna | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Svarasa (fresh juice), Churna (seed/root powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsules, Tablets, Kshara (alkali preparation), Fresh root (dietary)
Standard Dosage: 10-20 mL fresh radish juice daily; 3-6 g seed/root powder per day; 50-100 mL decoction twice daily; Kshara 0.5-1 g with appropriate Anupana
Optimal Timing: Morning on empty stomach for digestive and detoxification effects; fresh juice before meals; Kshara after meals with buttermilk
Storage: Fresh roots at 2-5 deg C. Juice must be used immediately or preserved. Dried preparations below 25 deg C in airtight containers. Kshara in airtight glass containers, absolutely protected from moisture (highly hygroscopic alkaline salt). Seed powder in nitrogen-flushed packaging.
Marker Compounds: Sulforaphene, 4-Methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate (MTBI), Glucoraphasatin, Raphanol, Raphanin, Potassium carbonate (in Kshara), Erucic acid (in seed oil)
Synergistic Combinations
- Pippali (bioenhancer and respiratory synergy)
- Haritaki (digestive combination)
- Chitraka (Agni-deepana, digestive fire kindling)
- Apamarga Kshara (traditionally paired for urinary stones)
- Yavakshara (acid-neutralizing and digestive)
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 reviews4
- 2024. Comparison of Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Properties of Raphanus sativus L. Leaf and Root Kombucha-Fermented ExtractsInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 38891811 · doi:10.3390/ijms25115622
- 2019. Deciphering the Nutraceutical Potential of Raphanus sativus-A Comprehensive OverviewNutrients. PMID 30769862 · doi:10.3390/nu11020402
- 2017. Radish (Raphanus sativus) and DiabetesNutrients. PMID 28906451 · doi:10.3390/nu9091014
- 2004. Raphanus sativus (Radish): their chemistry and biologyTheScientificWorldJournal. PMID 15452648 · doi:10.1100/tsw.2004.131
Laboratory and animal studies8
- 2024. Whole-Genome Sequencing and Analysis of Tumour-Forming Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) LineInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 38892425 · doi:10.3390/ijms25116236
- 2024. Therapeutic Potential of Brassica oleracea and Raphanus sativus Aqueous Extracts on a Prediabetic Rat ModelJournal of medicinal food. PMID 38976324 · doi:10.1089/jmf.2023.0022
- 2024. Colonization of Raphanus sativus by human pathogenic microorganismsFrontiers in microbiology. PMID 38426059 · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2024.1296372
- 2023. Exogenous melatonin mediates radish (Raphanus sativus) and Alternaria brassicae interaction in a dose-dependent mannerFrontiers in plant science. PMID 36923135 · doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1126669
- 2023. Fine mapping and analysis of candidate genes for qBT2 and qBT7.2 locus controlling bolting time in radish (Raphanus sativus L.)TAG. Theoretical and applied genetics. Theoretische und angewandte Genetik. PMID 38085292 · doi:10.1007/s00122-023-04503-x
- 2022. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of RsGL1a and RsGL1b in radish (Raphanus sativus L.)Frontiers in plant science. PMID 36311091 · doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.951660
- 2022. Bacterial Communities in the Endophyte and Rhizosphere of White Radish (Raphanus sativus) in Different Compartments and Growth ConditionsFrontiers in microbiology. PMID 35847086 · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.900779
- 2015. Sequencing, de novo assembly and comparative analysis of Raphanus sativus transcriptomeFrontiers in plant science. PMID 26029219 · doi:10.3389/fpls.2015.00198
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.