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Talamuli

Curculigo orchioides

Talamuli (Curculigo orchioides) is a plant drug, also called Bhumitila, Kali musali and Syahmusali. Mucilaginous polysaccharides provide local GI effects (demulcent, prebiotic) rather than systemic absorption. Diosgenin derivatives are lipophilic and benefit from lipid-based formulations. Traditional Ghrita preparation enhances lipophilic constituent bioavailability by 2-3x.

Key facts
Botanical nameCurculigo orchioides
FamilyHypoxidaceae
OrderAsparagales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2853024 · Wikidata Q5194664 · NCBI Taxonomy 681286
Names in other languages
SanskritBhumitila, तालमूली (tālamūlī)
Hindiकाली मुसली (kālī musalī), Syahmusali
TamilNilappanai, நிலப்பனைக்கிழங்கு
MalayalamNilappenea
TeluguNel tadigadda
KannadaNelatelegadde, Neltal, Neltathigodde
MarathiBhuimaddi, Kali musali
BengaliTallur, Talmalu
GujaratiKalirnusali
UrduKali Musali, Musali Siyah
PunjabiMusali safed, Syah musali
OriyaTalamuli
AssameseTalmuli

Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed); efloraofindia.com, Curculigo orchioides: Hindi 'काली मुसली kali musli', 'ताल मूली tal-muli'; efloraofindia.com, Curculigo orchioides: Sanskrit 'तालमूली talamuli', 'मुसली musali'; efloraofindia.com, Curculigo orchioides: Tamil 'நிலப்பனைக்கிழங்கு nilappanaikkilanku', 'நிலப்பனை nilappanai'. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2007 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
EnglishTalamuli

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)MadhuraPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Guru, SnigdhaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)MadhuraPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Swarasa (fresh juice), Capsule, Ghrita (medicated ghee), Leha/Avaleha (confection)

Standard Dosage: 3-6 g tuber powder per day; 10-20 mL swarasa twice daily; 50-100 mL kwatha twice daily; 500-1000 mg extract capsule twice daily

Optimal Timing: With warm milk at bedtime for Vajikarana action; morning dose with ghee for Rasayana (rejuvenative) effects

Storage: Swarasa: refrigerate 2-8 deg C. Churna: below 25 deg C in airtight containers with desiccant, hygroscopic. Capsules: standard storage below 25 deg C. Ghrita: glass jars at room temperature, protect from light.

Marker Compounds: Curculigoside, Curculigoside B, Curculigosaponin C, Curculigine, Diosgenin, Yuccagenin, Beta-sitosterol

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. Nie Y, Dong X, He Y and others. 2013. Medicinal plants of genus Curculigo: traditional uses and a phytochemical and ethnopharmacological reviewJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 23562803 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.03.066
  2. Chauhan NS, Sharma V, Thakur M and others. 2010. Curculigo orchioides: the black gold with numerous health benefitsZhong xi yi jie he xue bao = Journal of Chinese integrative medicine. PMID 20619136 · doi:10.3736/jcim20100703

Laboratory and animal studies10

  1. Huong LT, Bach VD, Hai PT and others. 2025. Cycloartane-type saponins from Curculigo orchioides and their anti-inflammatory activityRSC advances. PMID 41169998 · doi:10.1039/d5ra04849d
  2. Hu YY, Zhong RH, Guo XJ and others. 2023. Jinfeng pills ameliorate premature ovarian insufficiency induced by cyclophosphamide in rats and correlate to modulating IL-17A/IL-6 axis and MEK/ERK signalsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 36775079 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2023.116242
  3. Wang J, Yang J, Tang Z and others. 2023. Curculigo orchioides polysaccharide COP70-1 stimulates osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells by activating the BMP and Wnt signaling pathwaysInternational journal of biological macromolecules. PMID 37473884 · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125879
  4. Bui-Le TN, Hoang-Tan Q, Hoang-Viet H and others. 2023. Protective Effect of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. Extract on Heat Stress-Induced Spermatogenesis Complications in Murine ModelCurrent issues in molecular biology. PMID 37185736 · doi:10.3390/cimb45040212
  5. Kushalan S, D'Souza LC, Aloysius K and others. 2022. Toxicity Assessment of Curculigo orchioides Leaf Extract Using Drosophila melanogaster: A Preliminary StudyInternational journal of environmental research and public health. PMID 36429955 · doi:10.3390/ijerph192215218
  6. Liu Y, Guo Y, Gong S and others. 2022. Discrimination of Curculigo orchioides Rhizoma and Curculigo glabrescens Rhizoma using stable isotope and mineral element analyses coupled with chemometricsScientific reports. PMID 35869256 · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-16851-7
  7. Pham T, Phan NNDH, Tran VG and others. 2022. Analysis of a Major Phenolic Glucoside and Biochemistry Compounds from Curculigo Orchioides GaertnReports of biochemistry & molecular biology. PMID 35291616 · doi:10.52547/rbmb.10.4.565
  8. Deng XL, Zheng RR, Han ZZ and others. 2021. New chlorophenolic glycoside from Curculigo orchioides and their activities on 5α-reductaseJournal of Asian natural products research. PMID 32131631 · doi:10.1080/10286020.2020.1731800
  9. Murali VP, Kuttan G. 2016. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn Effectively Ameliorates the Uro- and Nephrotoxicities Induced by Cyclophosphamide Administration in Experimental AnimalsIntegrative cancer therapies. PMID 26424815 · doi:10.1177/1534735415607319
  10. Vijayanarayana K, Rodrigues RS, Chandrashekhar KS and others. 2007. Evaluation of estrogenic activity of alcoholic extract of rhizomes of Curculigo orchioidesJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 17900835 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2007.08.009

Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.

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