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Rohitaka

Tecomella undulata

Rohitaka (Tecomella undulata) is a plant drug, also called Dadimapuspa, Roheria and Roheda. Apigenin derivatives show improved absorption when taken with piperine (1.5-2x increase). Tannin content may reduce absorption if taken with iron supplements. Kwatha must be refrigerated (2-8 deg C) after opening.

Key facts
Botanical nameTecomella undulata
Identity sourceAyurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. VI: ROHITAKA (Stem Bark)
Also calledAphanamixis polystachya (attribution recorded without a cited source)
FamilyBignoniaceae · other entries in this family
OrderLamiales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 4093643 · Wikidata Q311815 · NCBI Taxonomy 680229
Names in other languages
Sanskritदाडिमपुष्प (dāḍimapuṣpa)
Hindiरोहेड़ा (roheṛā), Roheda
EnglishRohituka tree
TamilMalampulvan
MalayalamChemmaram
TeluguRohitaka
KannadaMullumuntala
MarathiRohida
BengaliHarinahada, Roda rayana
GujaratiRohido
PunjabiRohira

Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part I, ROHITAKA (Stem Bark) = Tecomella undulata (Sm.) Seem., 'SYNONYMS : Dadima puspa, Dadimacchada'; Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part I, ROHITAKA (Stem Bark) = Tecomella undulata (Sm.) Seem., Regional Language Names, Hindi: 'Roheda'; Gujarati 'Rohido', Marathi 'Rohida', Punjabi 'Rohira'.. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 1994 to 2025, every one with a DOI.

  • 2Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 10Laboratory 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

LanguageName
EnglishRohitaka

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Tikta, KashayaPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Laghu, RukshaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)SheetaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)KatuPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Kwatha (decoction), Churna (powder), Ghana vati (solid extract tablet), Asava/Arishta, Capsule, Syrup

Standard Dosage: 3-6 g bark powder per day; 50-100 mL kwatha twice daily; 500-1000 mg standardized extract capsule twice daily

Optimal Timing: Traditionally taken before meals on an empty stomach; morning and evening doses recommended

Storage: Store below 25 deg C in airtight containers. Kwatha must be refrigerated (2-8 deg C) after opening. Protect from light; flavonoids are photosensitive.

Marker Compounds: Apigenin, Rohitukine, Lupeol, Beta-sitosterol, Gallic acid, Ellagic acid

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 reviews2

  1. Vats S, Bhandari N, Ganie SA and others. 2025. Ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, pharmacological, and conservation studies of an endangered plant: the desert teak (Tecomella undulata (Sm.) Seem.)Frontiers in pharmacology. PMID 41333022 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2025.1665446
  2. Singh M, Hussain T, Firdous H and others. 2018. Preclinical Hepatoprotective Effect of Herbalism Against Ethanol Induced Hepatotoxicity: A ReviewCurrent drug metabolism. PMID 29600757 · doi:10.2174/1389200219666180330125003

Laboratory and animal studies10

  1. Paul E, Sharma C, Chaturvedi P and others. 2024. Quorum quenching activity of endophytic Bacillus sp. EBS9 from Tecomella undulata and its biocontrol applicationsCurrent research in microbial sciences. PMID 39584039 · doi:10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100307
  2. Srinivas AN, Suresh D, Suvarna D and others. 2023. Unraveling the Potential Role of Tecomella undulata in Experimental NASHInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 36834657 · doi:10.3390/ijms24043244
  3. Riaz S, Javed MA, Nawaz I and others. 2022. Biochemical characterization, cytotoxic, antimutagenic, anticancer and molecular docking studies on Tecomella undulataSaudi journal of biological sciences. PMID 35531249 · doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.12.015
  4. Khandelwal P, Tiwari H, Sharma V and others. 2022. Study of potent CDK7 inhibitor secondary metabolites from Tecomella undulataNatural product research. PMID 36411529 · doi:10.1080/14786419.2021.2016748
  5. Siddiqui N, Aeri V. 2016. Optimization of Betulinic Acid Extraction from Tecomella undulata Bark Using a Box-Behnken Design and Its Densitometric ValidationMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 27058523 · doi:10.3390/molecules21040393
  6. Alvala R, Alvala M, Sama V and others. 2013. Scientific evidence for traditional claim of anti-obesity activity of Tecomella undulata barkJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 23628454 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.04.033
  7. Kumar S, Sharma S, Vasudeva N and others. 2012. In vivo anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant potentials of ethanolic extract from Tecomella undulataDiabetology & metabolic syndrome. PMID 22769229 · doi:10.1186/1758-5996-4-33
  8. Ravi A, Mallika A, Sama V and others. 2011. Antiproliferative activity and standardization of Tecomella undulata bark extract on K562 cellsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 21843623 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2011.07.067
  9. Khatri A, Garg A, Agrawal SS. 2009. Evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of aerial parts of Tephrosia purpurea L. and stem bark of Tecomella undulataJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 19059328 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.10.043
  10. Ahmad F, Khan RA, Rasheed S. 1994. Preliminary screening of methanolic extracts of Celastrus paniculatus and Tecomella undulata for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activitiesJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 7934089 · doi:10.1016/0378-8741(94)90085-x

Reference lists that include it

Ellagic acid, Gallic acid, Lupeol

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.