Riddhi
Habenaria intermedia D. Don
Riddhi (Habenaria intermedia D. Don) is a plant drug, from the Orchidaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs; classified as rare and endangered under Indian wildlife protection guidelines; a member of the Ashtavarga group in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia.
| Botanical name | Habenaria intermedia D. Don |
|---|---|
| Family | Orchidaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Asparagales |
| Pharmacopoeia status | Not listed in WHO monographs; classified as rare and endangered under Indian wildlife protection guidelines; a member of the Ashtavarga group in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2828690 · Wikidata Q10937539 · NCBI Taxonomy 1097203 |
The evidence at a glance
3papers on this site for this drug, published 2015 to 2023, every one with a DOI.
- 3Laboratory 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.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Riddhi |
| Latin/Botanical | Habenaria intermedia D. Don |
Key Phytochemical Constituents
- Scopoletin (coumarin)
- Gallic acid
- Total phenols (high content)
- Thiamins
- Tannins
- Calcium (high mineral content)
- Flavonoids
- Alkaloids
- Glycosides
How does it work?
- Potent antioxidant mechanism through free radical scavenging and nitric oxide inhibition, primarily mediated by scopoletin and gallic acid synergistic activity
- Immunomodulatory action through stimulation of both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, supporting its traditional Rasayana (rejuvenation) role
- Neuroprotective potential through antioxidant-mediated protection against oxidative neuronal damage, supporting traditional use as a memory enhancer
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Traditionally used as a Rasayana (rejuvenation) herb. Experimental studies have reported antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity.
- Traditionally used as an Aphrodisiac and general tonic. Nutritional profiling has reported high calcium and mineral content.
- Traditionally used as a vitality-enhancing herb. Preliminary immunological studies have reported immune-boosting activity.
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
- No documented toxicity at traditional Ayurvedic doses; it is a traditional ingredient of Ashtavarga and Chyawanprash formulations
- Rare and endangered orchid species; authenticity of commercial samples is a major concern, with frequent adulteration by unrelated species posing potential safety risks
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (tuber powder), Capsule, Tablet, Avaleha (confection), Ghrita (medicated ghee), Milk decoction (Ksheerapaka)
Standard Dosage: 3-6 g tuber powder daily; 500 mg - 1 g standardized extract twice daily; Ghrita: 5-10 g with warm milk
Optimal Timing: With warm milk at bedtime for Rasayana (rejuvenation) effects. Morning with ghee on empty stomach for strength and vitality. As part of Chyawanprash: 1-2 teaspoons morning and evening.
Storage: Dried tubers: cool, dry, pest-proof, below 25 deg C, RH <50%. Powder: airtight containers, moisture-barrier packaging (highly hygroscopic due to polysaccharides). Ghrita: clean, dry glass containers, below 30 deg C. Store CITES documentation with inventory records.
Marker Compounds: Glucomannan, Steroidal saponins, Diosgenin (if Dioscorea substitute), Beta-sitosterol, Stigmasterol, Phenanthrene derivatives (orchid-specific), Mucilage polysaccharides
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.
Laboratory and animal studies3
- 2023. Discovery of Anti-NRLP3 Inflammasome, Immunomodulatory Phytochemicals from the Extract of Habenaria intermediaD. Don: An Unexplored Plant SpeciesACS omega. PMID 37663462 · doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c03071
- 2016. Anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties of some ethno-therapeutically important medicinal plants of Indian Himalayan Region3 Biotech. PMID 28330226 · doi:10.1007/s13205-016-0470-2
- 2015. New ethnomedicinal claims from Gujjar and Bakerwals tribes of Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 25680841 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2015.01.056
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.