Age Ayurveda Nighantu Ayurvedic practitioner? List or verify your practice

Trivrit

Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso (syn. Ipomoea turpethum R. Br.)

Trivrit (Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso (syn. Ipomoea turpethum R. Br.)) is a plant drug, also called Triputa and Nisotha, from the Convolvulaceae family. Included in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; widely used in Panchakarma Virechana therapy; no standalone WHO monograph.

Key facts
Botanical nameOperculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso (syn. Ipomoea turpethum R. Br.)
FamilyConvolvulaceae · other entries in this family
OrderSolanales
Pharmacopoeia statusIncluded in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; widely used in Panchakarma Virechana therapy; no standalone WHO monograph
Taxon identifiersGBIF 5341747 · Wikidata Q3595168 · NCBI Taxonomy 197426
Names in other languages
Sanskritत्रिपुट (tripuṭa), त्रिवृत् (trivṛt)
Hindiनिसोथ (nisotha)
Tamilசிவதை, கும்பஞ்சான்

Sources: Flowers of India, Operculina turpethum ('Transparent Wood Rose') page: 'Hindi: निशोथ Nisoth, निशोधि Nishodhi'; also 'Nepali: निसोथ Nisoth'. IAFA / Trivrit review literature on Operculina turpethum gives 'Hindi: Nisot, Pitohari'; Flowers of India, Operculina turpethum page: 'Sanskrit: त्रिपुट Triputa'; Flowers of India, Operculina turpethum page: 'Sanskrit: त्रिपुट Triputa, त्रिवृथ Trivrutha, निशोत्र Nishotra'; Flowers of India, Operculina turpethum page: 'Tamil: கும்பஞ்சான் Kumpncan, சரளம் Caralam, சிவதை Chivatai, பகன்றை Paganrai'. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

10papers on this site for this drug, published 2009 to 2025, every one with a DOI.

  • 1Randomised controlled trials
  • 1Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 8Laboratory and animal studies

A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. 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
EnglishTrivrit
Latin/BotanicalOperculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso (syn. Ipomoea turpethum R. Br.)

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Purgative: Turpethein resin glycosides stimulate intestinal peristalsis and fluid secretion by irritating colonic mucosa and activating enteric neurons
  • Anti-inflammatory: Scopoletin inhibits COX-2 and iNOS expression; lupeol suppresses NF-kB-mediated inflammatory signaling
  • Hepatoprotective: Betulin and beta-sitosterol reduce hepatic oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, restoring liver enzyme levels

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.

  • Virechana (purgation): traditionally used as a purgative. Animal studies have reported stimulation of colonic peristalsis and fluid secretion.
  • Krimighna (anti-helminthic): traditionally used against intestinal worms. In vitro studies have reported activity against intestinal parasites, including Ascaris and Taenia species.
  • Anti-inflammatory use: traditionally used for inflammation. An animal study using a carrageenan-induced edema model reported COX-2 and iNOS inhibition linked to scopoletin and lupeol.

What do recent studies show?

Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Strong purgative; must be administered in controlled therapeutic doses under practitioner supervision; overdose may cause severe griping, diarrhea, and dehydration
  • Contraindicated in pregnancy, intestinal obstruction, acute inflammatory bowel disease, and in debilitated patients; chronic use may cause electrolyte imbalance

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Scopoletin
  • Coumarin
  • Sitosterol
  • Lupeol
  • Betulin
  • Alpha-turpethein
  • Beta-turpethein
  • Turpethinic acids A-E

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Avaleha (Trivrit Lehyam), Sneha (medicated oil/ghee)

Standard Dosage: 1-4 g powder as a single purgative dose; 3-6 g in lehyam form; dose titrated to individual purgative response

Optimal Timing: Early morning on empty stomach for purgative action; in Panchakarma, administered after proper Snehana (oleation) and Swedana (sudation) pre-procedures

Storage: Store in airtight containers at 15-25 deg C, protected from moisture. Root bark powder is moderately hygroscopic. Keep out of reach of children due to potent purgative activity.

Marker Compounds: Turpethin, Turpethinic acid A, Turpethinic acid B, Scopoletin, beta-Sitosterol, Operculinic acid

Synergistic Combinations

  • Triphala - combined for Virechana (therapeutic purgation) in Panchakarma
  • Shunthi (ginger) - reduces griping associated with purgation
  • Shatapushpa (fennel) - carminative to prevent colic during purgation
  • Ghrita - vehicle for graduated purgation (milder action)
  • Saindhava Lavana - enhances purgative action

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.

Randomised controlled trials1

  1. Alam MA, Quamri MA, Sofi G and others. 2025. Evaluation of the add on effect of Majoone Sarkhas with levothyroxine in primary hypothyroidism: a randomized standard control adjuvant clinical studyDrug metabolism and personalized therapy. PMID 39976613 · doi:10.1515/dmpt-2024-0096

Other clinical studies and reviews1

  1. Gupta S, Ved A. 2017. Operculina turpethum (Linn.) Silva Manso as a Medicinal Plant Species: A Review on Bioactive Components and Pharmacological PropertiesPharmacognosy reviews. PMID 28989252 · doi:10.4103/phrev.phrev_6_17

Laboratory and animal studies8

  1. Choudhary N, Suttee A, Khatik GL and others. 2025. Deciphering the anthelmintic mechanisms of Operculina turpethum through integrated computational and in vitro approachesIn silico pharmacology. PMID 41048577 · doi:10.1007/s40203-025-00432-3
  2. Rabbani F, Raeisi M, Keivanfar M and others. 2022. The Efficacy of an Oral Formulation of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Viola odorata, and Operculina turpethum as an Add-on Therapy for Mild-to-moderate Childhood Asthma: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical TrialJournal of research in pharmacy practice. PMID 37304220 · doi:10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_77_22
  3. Talekar MT, Mandal SK, Sharma RR. 2018. Clinical evaluation of Trivṛta powder (Operculina turpethum Linn.) and Aragvadha Patra Lepa (paste of leaves of Cassia fistula Linn.) in the management of Vicharchika (eczema)Ayu. PMID 30595628 · doi:10.4103/ayu.AYU_45_15
  4. Arora R, Bharti V, Gaur P and others. 2017. Operculina turpethum extract inhibits growth and proliferation by inhibiting NF-κB, COX-2 and cyclin D1 and induces apoptosis by up regulating P53 in oral cancer cellsArchives of oral biology. PMID 28351666 · doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2017.03.015
  5. Shareef H, Rizwani GH, Mandukhail SR and others. 2014. Studies on antidiarrhoeal, antispasmodic and bronchodilator activities of Operculina turpethum LinnBMC complementary and alternative medicine. PMID 25496022 · doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-479
  6. Sharma V, Singh M. 2014. Ameliorative Effects of Operculina turpethum and its Isolated Stigma-5,22dien-3-o-β-D-glucopyranoside on the Hematological Parameters of Male Mice Exposed to N-Nitrosodimethylamine, a Potent CarcinogenToxicology international. PMID 24748732 · doi:10.4103/0971-6580.128789
  7. Ding W, Zeng F, Xu L and others. 2011. Bioactive dammarane-type saponins from Operculina turpethumJournal of natural products. PMID 21866900 · doi:10.1021/np200274m
  8. Ahmad R, Ahmed S, Khan NU and others. 2009. Operculina turpethum attenuates N-nitrosodimethylamine induced toxic liver injury and clastogenicity in ratsChemico-biological interactions. PMID 19589336 · doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2009.06.021

Reference lists that include it

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.