Sthuneyaka
Taxus baccata
Sthuneyaka (Taxus baccata) is a plant drug, from the Taxaceae family. Estimated moderate bioavailability based on phytochemical class. Lipophilic terpenoid constituents benefit from oil-based (taila) or milk-based administration. Traditional prescribing with specific Anupana (vehicle) likely optimizes bioavailability.
| Botanical name | Taxus baccata |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. III: STHAUNEYA (Leaf) |
| Also called | Taxus wallichiana Zucc. (nomenclatural synonym) Abies webbiana Lindl. (= Abies spectabilis (D. Don) Mirb.) (nomenclatural synonym) Juniperus communis Linn. (nomenclatural synonym) |
| Family | Taxaceae |
| Order | Pinales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 5284517 · Wikidata Q179729 · NCBI Taxonomy 25629 |
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 1999 to 2024, 11 with a DOI.
- 7Other clinical studies and reviews
- 5Laboratory 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 | Sthuneyaka |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Tikta, Kashaya | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Vati (tablet), Capsule, Taila (medicated oil)
Optimal Timing: After meals with warm water or milk; taila for external application as needed
Storage: Store below 25 deg C in airtight containers, protected from light and moisture. Taila in amber glass bottles.
Marker Compounds: Beta-sitosterol, Lupeol, Gallic acid, Total alkaloids, Total flavonoids
Synergistic Combinations
- Bala (Vatahara combinations)
- Eranda (traditionally combined in Vatahara formulations)
- Rasna (traditionally combined in Vatahara formulations)
- Ashwagandha (Balya, strength-building formulations)
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 reviews7
- 2024. Research on the Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology of Taxus × mediaInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 38891943 · doi:10.3390/ijms25115756
- 2022. Fatal ingestion of Taxus baccata: English yewJournal of forensic sciences. PMID 34779510 · doi:10.1111/1556-4029.14941
- 2022. Natural Taxanes: From Plant Composition to Human Pharmacology and ToxicityInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 36555256 · doi:10.3390/ijms232415619
- 2017. Post-mortem findings in 22 fatal Taxus baccata intoxications and a possible solution to its detectionJournal of forensic and legal medicine. PMID 28865388 · doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2017.08.016
- 2012. Taxanes PMID 31644104
- 2002. Taxanes in Taxus baccata pollen: cardiotoxicity and/or allergenicity?Planta medica. PMID 11842324 · doi:10.1055/s-2002-19865
- 1999. Taxanes: an overview of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamicsUrology. PMID 10606281 · doi:10.1016/s0090-4295(99)00451-3
Laboratory and animal studies5
- 2024. Seed Regeneration in Taxus baccata: Unveiling Ecological Restrictions and Paving the Way for Future StudiesEcology and evolution. PMID 39530032 · doi:10.1002/ece3.70534
- 2024. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1697-1780Fungal systematics and evolution. PMID 39830292 · doi:10.3114/fuse.2024.14.19
- 2024. Development of a highly polymorphic chloroplast SSR set in Abies grandis with transferability to other conifer species-A promising toolkit for gene flow investigationsEcology and evolution. PMID 38903146 · doi:10.1002/ece3.11593
- 2023. Shrub Cover and Soil Moisture Affect Taxus baccata L. Regeneration at Its Southern RangePlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 37176876 · doi:10.3390/plants12091819
- 2023. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613Persoonia. PMID 38665977 · doi:10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.08
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.