Rishabhaka
Malaxis muscifera (Lindl.) Kuntze
Rishabhaka is one of the eight Ashtavarga drugs, paired with Jivaka. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India identifies it as Malaxis muscifera, a Himalayan orchid, and names Vidari (Pueraria tuberosa) as its official substitute because the orchid is scarce and threatened.
| Botanical name | Malaxis muscifera (Lindl.) Kuntze |
|---|---|
| Family | Orchidaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Asparagales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2808137 · Wikidata Q15470874 · NCBI Taxonomy 1920881 |
The evidence at a glance
1paper on this site for this drug, every one with a DOI.
- 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
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 |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Rishabhaka |
| Latin/Botanical | Malaxis muscifera (Lindl.) Kuntze |
| Family | Orchidaceae |
| Official substitute | Vidari (Pueraria tuberosa) |
Rishabhaka belongs to the Ashtavarga, the group of eight drugs in four pairs. It is paired with Jivaka, and the classical substitute for the pair is Vidari.
It is a different drug from Rajadana or Kshirini (Manilkara hexandra), a fruit tree.
Where does the identification come from?
- Virk JK, Gupta V, Kumar S, Singh R and others 2017. Ashtawarga plants: suffering a triple standardization syndrome. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. PMID 29034185 · doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.12.011
Tabulates the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia’s identification of Rishabhaka as Malaxis muscifera, with Pueraria tuberosa as the official substitute, and describes how the scarcity of the Ashtavarga orchids leads to substitution and adulteration in the market.
Recent safety updates
- Because the authentic orchid is scarce, products sold as Rishabhaka may contain a substitute or an adulterant. Ask the supplier which plant is used.
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
- 2024. Distribution, Chemical Constituents and Biological Properties of Genus MalaxisChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 38289898 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202301830
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
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