Varuna
Crateva nurvala
Varuna (Crateva nurvala) is a plant drug, also called Barna.
| Botanical name | Crateva nurvala |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. I: VARUNA (Stem bark) |
| Also called | Crateva magna (Lour.) DC. (nomenclatural synonym) Crateva religiosa G.Forst. (attribution recorded without a cited source) Crateva adansonii DC. (reported in the literature) |
| Currently accepted name | Crateva magna (Lour.) DC., the name above is treated as a synonym by GBIF; both are in use |
| Family | Capparaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Brassicales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3871453 · Wikidata Q11140127 · NCBI Taxonomy 1149812 |
| Sanskrit | Varuna |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Barna |
| English | Three leaved caper |
| Tamil | Maralingam |
| Malayalam | Neermatalam |
| Telugu | Bilvarani |
| Kannada | Bipatri, Mattamavu, Neervalamara |
| Marathi | Haravarna, Varun, Vayavarna |
| Gujarati | Varano, Vayvarno |
| Punjabi | Barna, Barnahi |
| Oriya | Baryno |
Source: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed). How we source.
The evidence at a glance
6papers on this site for this drug, published 1977 to 2018, 5 with a DOI.
- 2Randomised controlled trials
- 1Other clinical studies and reviews
- 3Laboratory 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
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Three leaved caper |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Tikta, Kashaya | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu, Ruksha | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Ushna | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (bark powder), Kwatha (decoction), Capsule, Tablet, Asava/Arishta (fermented liquid), Ghrita (medicated ghee)
Standard Dosage: 3-6 g bark powder twice daily; 50-100 mL decoction twice daily; 15-30 mL Varunadi Kwatha twice daily
Optimal Timing: Before meals on empty stomach for urinary conditions; morning dosing with first urine output to observe diuretic effect
Storage: Bark powder in airtight, moisture-proof containers at 15-25 deg C. Protect from insects (bark material susceptible to borers). Decoction containers should be glass or stainless steel.
Marker Compounds: Lupeol, Betulinic acid, Friedelin, beta-Sitosterol, Glucocapparin, Glucocleomin, Varunosides, Diosgenin (trace)
Synergistic Combinations
- Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris) - traditionally combined for urinary stones and diuresis (Varunadi formulations)
- Pashanbheda (Bergenia ligulata) - traditionally combined for urinary stones
- Shilajit - mineral-rich adjunct for urinary conditions
- Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa) - renal supportive synergy
- Yavakshara (barley alkali) - alkalinizing combination for urinary pH management
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 trials2
- 2018. Urox containing concentrated extracts of Crataeva nurvala stem bark, Equisetum arvense stem and Lindera aggregata root, in the treatment of symptoms of overactive bladder and urinary incontinence: a phase 2, randomised, double-blind placebo controlled trialBMC complementary and alternative medicine. PMID 29385990 · doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2101-4
- 2008. A prospective, randomized, controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of Ayurvedic formulation "varuna and banana stem" in the management of urinary stonesJournal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). PMID 19040391 · doi:10.1089/acm.2008.0189
Other clinical studies and reviews1
Laboratory and animal studies3
- 2010. Antidiabetic activity of Crateva nurvala stem bark extracts in alloxan-induced diabetic ratsJournal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences. PMID 21814425 · doi:10.4103/0975-7406.62700
- 2006. Cryopreservation of in vitro-grown shoot tips of Crateva nurvala Buch. Ham, an important medicinal treeCryo letters. PMID 17256072
- 1977. A new pentacyclic triterpene from the root bark of Crateva nurvalaPlanta medica. PMID 918156 · doi:10.1055/s-0028-1097588
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.
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