Pilu
Salvadora persica
Pilu (Salvadora persica, family Salvadoraceae) is a plant drug, also called Piluh.
| Botanical name | Salvadora persica |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. V: PILUH (Fruit) |
| Also called | Salvadora oleoides Decne. (regional usage) |
| Family | Salvadoraceae |
| Order | Brassicales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 5580727 · Wikidata Q143525 · NCBI Taxonomy 4326 |
| Sanskrit | पीलुः (pīluḥ) |
|---|---|
| Hindi | पीलु (pīlu) |
| Tamil | உகாய், பீலு |
Sources: efloraofindia, Salvadora persica Hindi list: जाल jaal, खरजाल kharjaal, मेस्वाक meswak, पीलु pilu; efloraofindia, Salvadora persica Sanskrit list: पीलु pilu, गुडफल gudaphala, शीतसह shitasaha, विरेचन virechana; efloraofindia, Salvadora persica Tamil list: பெருவிளா peru-vila, பீலு pilu, உகாய் ukay; efloraofindia, Salvadora persica: Tamil "பெருவிளா peru-vila, பீலு pilu, உகாய் ukay". How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2010 to 2024, 11 with a DOI.
- 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- 4Other clinical studies and reviews
- 7Laboratory 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
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Pilu |
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: Churna (bark/fruit powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Datun (chewing stick), Toothpaste/powder, Taila
Standard Dosage: 2-4 g bark powder daily; 15-20 mL decoction twice daily; 500-750 mg standardized extract twice daily; dental use as needed
Optimal Timing: Chewing stick: morning before meals (traditional dental hygiene). Oral supplements: after meals. Toothpaste/powder: twice daily brushing.
Storage: Fresh sticks: cool, moist environment to prevent drying. Dried material: airtight containers, below 25 deg C, RH <50%. Volatile-containing extracts: sealed, amber containers, cool storage.
Marker Compounds: Salvadorine, Benzyl isothiocyanate, Salvadourea, Fluoride, Chloride, Silica, Beta-sitosterol, Trimethylamine
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.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses1
- 2021. Salvadora persica L. chewing stick and standard toothbrush as anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis tool: A systematic review and meta-analysisJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 33513418 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.113882
Other clinical studies and reviews4
- 2022. Salvadora persica's Biological Properties and Applications in Different Dental Specialties: A Narrative ReviewEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM. PMID 35652125 · doi:10.1155/2022/8667687
- 2021. Salvadora persica: Nature's Gift for Periodontal HealthAntioxidants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 33946353 · doi:10.3390/antiox10050712
- 2021. Salvadora persica L.: Toothbrush tree with health benefits and industrial applications - An updated evidence-based reviewSaudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society. PMID 34400870 · doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2021.05.007
- 2014. Miswak (Salvadora persica chewing stick): the natural toothbrush revisitedOdonto-stomatologie tropicale = Tropical dental journal. PMID 24979958
Laboratory and animal studies7
- 2024. Synergistic effect of Salvadora persica and chitosan nanoparticles against oropharyngeal microorganismsScientific reports. PMID 38844768 · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-63636-1
- 2024. Effect of Salvadora persica on resin-dentin bond stabilityBMC oral health. PMID 38684974 · doi:10.1186/s12903-024-04244-3
- 2024. Phytochemical Composition and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Salvadora persica Root Extracts Against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumanniiCureus. PMID 38774172 · doi:10.7759/cureus.58660
- 2023. Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Potentials of the Chewing Stick, Salvadora persicaJournal of tropical medicine. PMID 37096220 · doi:10.1155/2023/9683240
- 2021. Salvadora persica mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their antimicrobial efficacyScientific reports. PMID 33727607 · doi:10.1038/s41598-021-85584-w
- 2020. Tamarix arabica and Salvadora persica as antibacterial agentsAIMS microbiology. PMID 32617445 · doi:10.3934/microbiol.2020008
- 2010. Salvadora persicaPharmacognosy reviews. PMID 22228963 · doi:10.4103/0973-7847.70920
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.
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