Patha
Cissampelos pareira
Patha (Cissampelos pareira) is a plant drug, also called Ambasthaki, Akanadi and Padh.
| Botanical name | Cissampelos pareira |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. I: PATHA (Root) |
| Also called | Cyclea peltata (regional usage) Stephania japonica (traded as a substitute) |
| Family | Menispermaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Ranunculales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3033937 · Wikidata Q3291604 · NCBI Taxonomy 108409 |
| Sanskrit | Ambasthaki |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Akanadi, Padh, Patha |
| English | Velvet leaf |
| Tamil | Vatta tiruppi |
| Malayalam | Patha |
| Telugu | Adivibankatiga, Boddi tiga, chiru boddi |
| Kannada | Agalushunthi, Pahadavela |
| Marathi | Padali, Pahadavel, Paharrel, Pashadvel |
| Bengali | Akanadi, Patha |
| Gujarati | Kalipath, Karedhium, Karondium, Venivel |
| Punjabi | Patha |
| Oriya | Kanabindhi, Patha |
| Assamese | Tuprilata |
| Kashmiri | Pad |
Source: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed). How we source.
The evidence at a glance
3papers on this site for this drug, published 2014 to 2021, every one with a DOI.
- 3Other clinical studies and reviews
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
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Velvet leaf |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | 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: Churna (root powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Vati, Asava
Standard Dosage: 1-3 g root powder daily; 15-20 mL decoction twice daily; 500 mg standardized extract twice daily
Optimal Timing: After meals to reduce GI irritation. For fever: between meals with warm water. Not recommended for extended continuous use beyond 4-6 weeks.
Storage: Root material and powder: airtight containers, below 25 deg C, RH <55%, protected from light and moisture. Extracts: amber containers, cool storage. Products with alkaloids: secure storage as required by local regulations.
Marker Compounds: Cissampeline (Hayatinine), Hayatine, Pareirubrine, Cissamine, Curine, Isochondrodendrine, Beta-sitosterol
Synergistic Combinations
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 reviews3
- 2021. Cissampelos pareira L.: A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacologyJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 33485976 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.113850
- 2017. Medicinal plants used to treat snakebite in Central America: Review and assessment of scientific evidenceJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 28179114 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2017.02.011
- 2014. From arrow poison to herbal medicine--the ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological significance of Cissampelos (Menispermaceae)Journal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 24997389 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.06.054
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.