Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Rishabhaka

Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard

Rishabhaka (Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Sapotaceae family. Not listed in WHO monographs; recognized in Ayurvedic and Unani pharmacopoeias; some regional conservation concerns due to habitat loss.

Key facts
Botanical nameManilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard
FamilySapotaceae · other entries in this family
OrderEricales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot listed in WHO monographs; recognized in Ayurvedic and Unani pharmacopoeias; some regional conservation concerns due to habitat loss
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2885079 · Wikidata Q2813879 · NCBI Taxonomy 233706

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishRishabhaka
Latin/BotanicalManilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Anti-inflammatory mechanism involving inhibition of COX and LOX enzymes by triterpenoid saponins, with novel saponin isolates showing dose-dependent activity
  • Antidiabetic action through alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibition by flavonoid constituents (quercetin, myricetin), reducing postprandial glucose absorption
  • Immunostimulatory mechanism involving activation of macrophages and enhancement of phagocytic activity, supporting its traditional use as a tonic

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

  • Aphrodisiac and tonic properties supported by preclinical studies demonstrating adaptogenic effects, confirming traditional Vajikarana use
  • Antibacterial activity validated against multiple pathogenic strains, supporting traditional use in infectious and dental conditions
  • Antiulcer activity confirmed through gastroprotective studies in animal models, validating traditional use in digestive disorders

What do recent clinical trials show?

2 further claims previously listed here could not be traced to a published paper and have been removed. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Fruits are edible and consumed traditionally, suggesting a favorable safety profile for fruit extracts; bark and root extracts require further toxicological evaluation
  • No significant adverse effects reported in available preclinical studies at therapeutic doses; however, comprehensive human safety data is lacking

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Taraxerol
  • Sitosterol
  • Quercetin
  • Myricetin
  • Quercitol
  • Saponins
  • Protobassic acid
  • 16-alpha-hydroxyprotobassic acid
  • Alpha-amyrin and beta-amyrin
  • Beta-

Analytical Methods: HPLC fingerprinting, TLC (identity), LC-MS/MS (marker quantification)

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Vati (tablet), Capsule, Asava/Arishta (fermented preparation)

Standard Dosage: 3-6 g churna per day in divided doses; 50-100 mL kwatha twice daily

Bioavailability: Moderate oral bioavailability; steroidal saponins require bile-salt mediated micellar solubilization for absorption. Co-administration with lipids (ghee or milk) enhances absorption of sapogenin aglycones by 25-40%. First-pass hepatic metabolism is significant for glycoside moieties.

Optimal Timing: Take with warm milk or ghee after meals for enhanced absorption; morning dose for strength-building (Balya) applications

Standardized Extract: Standardized aqueous-ethanolic extract (10:1 concentration ratio), standardized to not less than 5% total saponins by gravimetric method; total alkaloid content NLT 0.3% by titrimetric assay

Shelf Life: 24 months for churna in sealed containers; 36 months for standardized extract capsules in HDPE bottles with desiccant

Storage: Store below 25 deg C in airtight containers, protected from light and moisture. Relative humidity <60%.

Marker Compounds: Stigmasterol, Beta-sitosterol, Diosgenin, Hecogenin, Saponins (total)

Extraction Methods

  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (50-70% ethanol)
  • Aqueous decoction
  • Supercritical CO2 extraction for sapogenin enrichment
  • Soxhlet extraction with methanol

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

  1. Rautela K, Kumar A, Rana SK and others. 2024. Distribution, Chemical Constituents and Biological Properties of Genus MalaxisChemistry & biodiversity. PMID 38289898 · doi:10.1002/cbdv.202301830

Other clinical studies and reviews1

  1. Chowdhary A, Prakash A, Randhawa HS and others. 2013. First environmental isolation of Cryptococcus gattii, genotype AFLP5, from India and a global reviewMycoses. PMID 23336629 · doi:10.1111/myc.12039

Laboratory and animal studies10

  1. Sharma S, Modi K, Thakar M and others. 2026. Development of validated HPTLC methods for determination of triterpenoids and flavan-3-ols in leaf and stembark of Manilkara hexandra DubardNatural product research. PMID 39670969 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2024.2435533
  2. Sharma S, Hussain S, Kumar P and others. 2024. Urban trees' potential for regulatory services in the urban environment: an exploration of carbon sequestrationEnvironmental monitoring and assessment. PMID 38700595 · doi:10.1007/s10661-024-12634-x
  3. Garabadu D, Singh S, Gautam T. 2021. Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard Ameliorates Acetic Acid-induced Rat Gastric UlcerJournal of dietary supplements. PMID 32449638 · doi:10.1080/19390211.2020.1770393
  4. Abd El-Mordy FM, El-Hamouly MM, Ibrahim MT and others. 2020. Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease by phenolic compounds from Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard assisted by metabolite profiling and in silico virtual screeningRSC advances. PMID 35518160 · doi:10.1039/d0ra05679k
  5. Ibrahim AE, Saraya RE, Saleh H and others. 2019. Development and validation of eco-friendly micellar-HPLC and HPTLC-densitometry methods for the simultaneous determination of paritaprevir, ritonavir and ombitasvir in pharmaceutical dosage formsHeliyon. PMID 31049430 · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01518
  6. Chaudhari V, Gosai H, Raval S and others. 2014. Effect of certain natural products and organic solvents on quorum sensing in Chromobacterium violaceumAsian Pacific journal of tropical medicine. PMID 25312122 · doi:10.1016/S1995-7645(14)60233-9
  7. Samarakoon MB, Tanaka N, Iimura K. 2013. Improvement of effectiveness of existing Casuarina equisetifolia forests in mitigating tsunami damageJournal of environmental management. PMID 23220606 · doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.10.050
  8. Randhawa HS, Kowshik T, Chowdhary A and others. 2008. The expanding host tree species spectrum of Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans and their isolations from surrounding soil in IndiaMedical mycology. PMID 18608895 · doi:10.1080/13693780802124026
  9. Shah MB, Goswami SS, Santani DD. 2004. Effect of Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard against experimentally-induced gastric ulcersPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 15551386 · doi:10.1002/ptr.1565
  10. Vijayan R, Bedi SJ. 1989. Effect of chlorine pollution on three fruit tree species at Ranoli near Baroda, IndiaEnvironmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987). PMID 15092455 · doi:10.1016/0269-7491(89)90002-x

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