Rohisha
Cymbopogon martinii
Rohisha (Cymbopogon martinii) is a plant drug, from the Poaceae family. Oral bioavailability of monoterpenoids is moderate (35-55%) due to first-pass metabolism. Lipophilic terpenoids benefit from lipid-based delivery systems. Powder: airtight containers below 25 deg C, protect from light and moisture.
| Botanical name | Cymbopogon martinii |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. V: ROHISA (Whole Plant) |
| Also called | Andropogon martinii Roxb. (attribution recorded without a cited source) Cymbopogon schoenanthus (Andropogon schoenanthus L.) (reported in the literature) |
| Currently accepted name | Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) W.Watson, the name above is treated as a synonym by GBIF; both are in use |
| Family | Poaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Poales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 7421320 · NCBI Taxonomy 79837 |
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2003 to 2025, 11 with a DOI.
- 1Other clinical studies and reviews
- 11Laboratory 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. 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 | Rohisha |
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: Essential oil, Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Arka (distillate), Taila (medicated oil), Capsule
Standard Dosage: 1-3 g powder per day; 2-5 drops essential oil in carrier oil for external application; 10-20 mL arka twice daily
Optimal Timing: Morning or afternoon administration; avoid evening doses as aromatic constituents may be mildly stimulating
Storage: Essential oil: store at 15-25 deg C in amber glass, nitrogen-blanketed. Powder: airtight containers below 25 deg C, protect from light and moisture.
Marker Compounds: Geraniol, Citral (geranial + neral), Citronellol, Linalool, Geranyl acetate
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 reviews1
Laboratory and animal studies11
- 2025. Influence of growth stage on the chemical composition, antimicrobial, and antioxidant potential of Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) Wats. essential oilFrontiers in plant science. PMID 41019755 · doi:10.3389/fpls.2025.1660363
- 2024. Antiviral Effect of Different Essential Oils on Avian CoronavirusAvian diseases. PMID 39400220 · doi:10.1637/aviandiseases-D-24-00015
- 2020. Antifungal and antimycotoxigenic effects of Zingiber officinale, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cymbopogon martinii essential oils against Fusarium verticillioidesFood additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment. PMID 32684097 · doi:10.1080/19440049.2020.1778183
- 2014. Bronchodilator, vasodilator and spasmolytic activities of Cymbopogon martiniiJournal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society. PMID 25554990
- 2014. Cymbopogon martinii essential oil and geraniol at noncytotoxic concentrations exerted immunomodulatory/anti-inflammatory effects in human monocytesThe Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology. PMID 24934659 · doi:10.1111/jphp.12278
- 2014. Effect of Inhaling Cymbopogon martinii Essential Oil and Geraniol on Serum Biochemistry Parameters and Oxidative Stress in RatsBiochemistry research international. PMID 25574396 · doi:10.1155/2014/493183
- 2014. Effect of Cymbopogon martinii, Foeniculum vulgare, and Trachyspermum ammi Essential Oils on the Growth and Mycotoxins Production by Aspergillus SpeciesInternational journal of food science. PMID 26904653 · doi:10.1155/2014/874135
- 2012. Neuroprotective activityof Cymbopogon martinii against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative stress in ratsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 22855942 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2012.04.007
- 2011. Anthelmintic activity of Cymbopogon martinii, Cymbopogon schoenanthus and Mentha piperita essential oils evaluated in four different in vitro testsVeterinary parasitology. PMID 21820807 · doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.07.001
- 2007. Evaluation of Cymbopogon martinii oil extract for control of postharvest insect deterioration in cereals and legumesJournal of food protection. PMID 17265877 · doi:10.4315/0362-028x-70.1.172
- 2003. Geraniol, the putative anthelmintic principle of Cymbopogon martiniiPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 13680833 · doi:10.1002/ptr.1267
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.