Herb library · Herb · Boerhavia diffusa (syn. Boerhaavia diffusa)
Punarnava
A creeping weed of the tropics whose root is a mainstay of Ayurvedic remedies for swelling, the kidneys and the liver. It has been studied in the laboratory and in animals, but no study of the herb on its own in people was found.
Traditional use
Dutt's 1877 compilation from Sanskrit medical works records that Sanskrit writers knew a red and a white variety, preferring the white, under the names Punarnavá and Sothaghni. Hindu physicians regarded the root as laxative, diuretic and stomachic and used it in jaundice, dropsy (fluid swelling) and scanty urine, often in compound decoctions such as Punarnaváshṭaka, in a medicated oil rubbed on the body, and in an electuary described in the Bhávaprakása. It is still used in Ayurveda for liver and kidney complaints and is an ingredient of multi-herb products.
What studies show
No studies in people of this herb on its own yet. What is known of it comes from the traditions that use it.
- Insufficient
Kidney, liver and other uses: research is in the laboratory and in animals. A 2025 review of the plant describes its chemistry and lab findings; the studies in people that exist tested it only as one ingredient of multi-ingredient products.
Be careful of
Cautions
- NoteSafety has not been studied in people. It is often sold in multi-ingredient products (such as Punarnava Mandura, a traditional remedy for anemia), so check labels for everything you are taking.
- NoteA 2025 review reports that overharvesting for medicine has reduced wild populations and recommends cultivation.
- PregnancyNCCIH advises talking with your clinician before using Ayurvedic products while pregnant or nursing.
- NoteSome Ayurvedic preparations include metals. The FDA warns that this makes some Ayurvedic products potentially harmful, and a 2015 survey found high lead or mercury levels in some of the supplements tested.
- Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving it to a child.
From the old books
What herbals and dispensaries of the past printed. History, in their words.
“Both the red and white varieties of this plant are noticed by Sanskrit writers but the white is preferred for use. Its root is regarded as laxative, diuretic and stomachic; it is used in jaundice, ascites, anasarca, scanty urine and internal inflammations.”
Sources
- Boerhavia diffusa L.: Integrative Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Properties, and Quality Control/Quality Assurance (2025) (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
- Ayurvedic Medicine: In Depth (opens in a new tab) · NCCIH · read September 25, 2026
Reviewed September 25, 2026.