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Murva

Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon

Murva (Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon) is a plant drug, also called Madhurasa, Madhusrava and Jartor, from the Asclepiadaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs; included in Chinese Pharmacopoeia as Tong-Guan-Teng; recognized in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine systems.

Key facts
Botanical nameMarsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon
Currently accepted nameGongronemopsis tenacissima (Roxb.) S.Reuss, Liede & Meve, the name above is treated as a synonym by GBIF; both are in use
FamilyAsclepiadaceae · other entries in this family
OrderGentianales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot listed in WHO monographs; included in Chinese Pharmacopoeia as Tong-Guan-Teng; recognized in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine systems
Taxon identifiersGBIF 3575087 · Wikidata Q15225677 · NCBI Taxonomy 187505
Names in other languages
SanskritMadhurasa, Madhusrava
HindiJartor, Murva
TamilPerunkurinjan
MalayalamPerumkurumba
TeluguChagaveru
KannadaHalukaratige, Kadaluhaleballi, Kallu Shambu, Koratige, Koratige Hambu
MarathiMorvel
BengaliMurha
GujaratiMoravel
UrduTurbud Safed
OriyaMurga, Murva

Source: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed). How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2018 to 2026, every one with a DOI.

  • 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
  • 1Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 10Laboratory 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
EnglishMurva
Latin/BotanicalMarsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • C21 steroidal glycosides induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells via PI3K/AKT/mTOR and YAP pathway inhibition
  • Anti-angiogenic activity through inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation by blocking G1 to S cell cycle progression
  • Multidrug resistance reversal in cancer cells through modulation of P-glycoprotein efflux pump activity
  • Immunomodulation via TLR4-MyD88-NF-kB pathway activation by polysaccharide fractions

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

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

  • In vitro and animal studies have reported anti-tumor activity, including inhibition of several cancer cell lines.
  • Laboratory studies have reported anti-HIV activity, including inhibition of viral replication.
  • Immunomodulatory properties have been reported in studies, linked to polysaccharides activating immune signaling pathways.

What do recent studies show?

Recent safety updates

  • Xiao-Ai-Ping injection (M. tenacissima-based) has been authorized in China for decades; the source notes report no significant side effects in clinical settings when used alone or combined with chemotherapy/radiotherapy
  • Preliminary clinical studies have reported anti-cancer activity with minimal toxicity; however, standardization and quality control of C21 steroid content remain essential for safety

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Glycosides
  • Sesquiterpenoids
  • Quercetin
  • Sitosterol
  • Tenacigenoside A-L
  • Tenacigenin A-D
  • Eudesmane sesquiterpenoids
  • Nor-sesquiterpenoids
  • Pyrrole glycosides
  • Phenolic glycosides
  • Gallic acid

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (root/fiber powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsules, Tablets, Lepa (topical paste), Taila (medicated oil)

Standard Dosage: 3-6 g root powder per day; 50-100 mL decoction twice daily; 500-1000 mg extract capsules daily

Optimal Timing: Between meals for anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects; morning for digestive stimulation; topical application twice daily

Storage: Store below 25 deg C in airtight containers. Protect from moisture and light. Fiber preparations in dry conditions. Cardiac glycoside-containing preparations require restricted access storage.

Marker Compounds: Periplocin, Periplocymarin, Lupeol, Beta-amyrin, Marsdekoiside, Conduritol, Tenacigenin

Synergistic Combinations

  • Guduchi (anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory)
  • Sariva (blood purification and cooling)
  • Musta (digestive and anti-inflammatory)
  • Punarnava (diuretic and anti-inflammatory)
  • Gokshura (renal protective 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.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses1

  1. Zhou X, Liu M, Ren Q and others. 2019. Oral and injectable Marsdenia tenacissima extract (MTE) as adjuvant therapy to chemotherapy for gastric cancer: a systematic reviewBMC complementary and alternative medicine. PMID 31830977 · doi:10.1186/s12906-019-2779-y

Other clinical studies and reviews1

  1. Wang X, Yan Y, Chen X and others. 2018. The Antitumor Activities of Marsdenia tenacissimaFrontiers in oncology. PMID 30406035 · doi:10.3389/fonc.2018.00473

Laboratory and animal studies10

  1. Xu Z, Li L, Zhang W and others. 2026. Network pharmacology and experimental validation identify the targets of Marsdenia tenacissima in neutrophilic asthma treatmentJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 41135618 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2025.120782
  2. Yang L, Ren A, Wang X and others. 2026. Marsdenia tenacissima extract potentiates the anti-lung cancer efficacy of gefitinib through dual regulation of the Wnt pathway and ferroptosisJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 41461328 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2025.121121
  3. Li R, Li L, Li R and others. 2025. Biomarker Discovery and Molecular Docking Reveal Marsdenia tenacissima Fermentation Product's Anti-Lung Cancer ComponentsCurrent issues in molecular biology. PMID 40699827 · doi:10.3390/cimb47060427
  4. Xiang D, Zhang X, Xue X and others. 2025. Marsdenia tenacissima extract accelerates ferroptosis of osteosarcoma cells by upregulating HO-1 and activating mitophagyJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 40441459 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2025.120055
  5. Du TT, Fan MH, Liu JL and others. 2024. Three New Steroids from the Roots of Marsdenia tenacissimaChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 39211952 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202401801
  6. Li C, Wang K, Wang C and others. 2024. A glucose-rich heteropolysaccharide from Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn. and its zinc-modified complex enhance immunoregulation by regulating TLR4-Myd88-NF-κB pathwayInternational journal of biological macromolecules. PMID 39537046 · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.137529
  7. Zhou Y, Fan W, Zhang H and others. 2023. Marsdenia tenacissima genome reveals calcium adaptation and tenacissoside biosynthesisThe Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology. PMID 36575579 · doi:10.1111/tpj.16081
  8. Li R, Zhang Z, Su X and others. 2022. Nontargeted metabolomics study and pharmacodynamic evaluation of bidirectional fermentation for Ganoderma lucidum with Marsdenia tenacissimaFrontiers in pharmacology. PMID 36386222 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1012063
  9. Lin S, Sheng Q, Ma X and others. 2022. Marsdenia tenacissima Extract Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis of Hepatocellular Cells via MIF/mToR SignalingEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM. PMID 35280512 · doi:10.1155/2022/7354700
  10. Wang S, Lu L, Song T and others. 2022. Optimization of Cordyceps sinensis fermentation Marsdenia tenacissima process and the differences of metabolites before and after fermentationHeliyon. PMID 36636205 · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12586

Reference lists that include it

Gallic acid, Lupeol, Quercetin

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.