Karkatashringi in Ayurveda: Properties & Everyday Use

What it is

Karkatashringi (Unani: Kakra Singhi) is the horn-shaped gall that forms on Pistacia integerrima J.L. Stewart ex Brandis, a tree of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae), when insects induce abnormal growths on it. The galls, not ordinary tree tissue, are the medicinal part; they are hollow, bitter, and rich in tannins (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025).

Classical properties

• Taste (rasa): bitter (Tikta), astringent (Kashaya)
• Qualities (guna): heavy (Guru)
• Potency (virya): warming (Ushna)
• After digestion (vipaka): pungent (Katu)
• Doshas: traditionally said to settle Vata and Kapha; may increase Pitta

Traditional use

In Unani, Ayurvedic, Siddha, and folk medicine, Karkatashringi is a classical herb of the chest and the cool season, used for cough, asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough in children, and hiccup, and also for diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting, fever, skin diseases, and liver disorders (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). It appears in marketed Unani formulations for respiratory and digestive ailments. These are traditional descriptions, not clinical proof; the research is assessed separately below.

What research has looked at

No human trial of Karkatashringi was identified in the review surveyed. All findings below come from animal or laboratory studies.

Asthma and bronchospasm (guinea-pig studies)

Methanolic gall extracts protected guinea pigs against histamine-induced bronchospasm, relaxed isolated guinea-pig tracheal chains contracted with histamine, and stabilized mast cells in rats. A 10-day treatment protected guinea pigs against histamine-aerosol-induced bronchospasm (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025, summarizing studies including Shirole et al., J Ethnopharmacol 2014). Consistent with the traditional respiratory use: but guinea pigs are not people.

Airway inflammation (mouse study)

In a mouse model of ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma, P. integerrima reduced airway inflammation: lowering TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-5 expression and pulmonary edema (Rana et al., Phytomedicine 2016, as summarized in Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). Preclinical evidence only.

Inflammation and pain (rat studies)

Methanolic gall extract significantly reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, plausibly by inhibiting the COX and LOX inflammatory enzymes (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025).

Bacteria and fungi (laboratory studies)

Gall extracts inhibited bacteria including E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis: one study reported a 28.0 mm inhibition zone: and fungi including Aspergillus niger (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). Test-tube findings are not treatments.

Gut motility (animal study)

Crude methanolic extract reduced gastrointestinal motility in a charcoal-propulsion model in animals, suggesting a muscarinic-linked antimotility action (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025).

Tumors (laboratory study)

An isolated compound, 3-oxo-6-β-hydroxy-β-amyrin, showed antitumor effects in laboratory tests by reducing early tumor antigen expression (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). This is early-stage lab research and must not be read as support for cancer treatment.

Safety notes

No human safety study of Karkatashringi was identified in the review surveyed. The galls are tannin-rich (the review reports 20–75% tannins), and traditional use includes giving it for children's coughs: but traditional use is not safety evidence (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). Safety in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and childhood is unknown, and people with respiratory disease should not replace prescribed treatment on the basis of animal studies. Discuss use with a qualified practitioner.

FAQs

What exactly is Karkatashringi made from?

Karkatashringi is the horn-shaped gall, an abnormal, insect-induced growth, on the tree Pistacia integerrima, not a fruit, seed, or ordinary tree part. The galls are hollow and bitter and are the part used in traditional medicine (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). Because the drug is a gall rather than a plant part, its composition differs from the tree's leaves or bark.

Is Karkatashringi proven to help asthma?

No. It is a classical remedy for cough and asthma, and guinea-pig and mouse studies support anti-asthmatic activity: protection against histamine-induced bronchospasm and reduced airway inflammation (Rana et al., Phytomedicine 2016, via Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). But no human trial was identified in the review surveyed. Animal results frequently fail to translate, so do not replace prescribed asthma treatment; discuss any herbal use with your doctor.

What dose is traditionally used?

Swastik does not suggest amounts. The right amount depends on the person, the preparation and the product, so check with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or your doctor before taking any herb.

Is Karkatashringi safe in pregnancy or for children?

There are no human safety data, so safety in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and childhood is unknown (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). Traditional use includes giving it for children's coughs, but long traditional use is not the same as tested safety. Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women should use it only if a qualified practitioner advises it: and respiratory illness in children always warrants proper medical assessment.

Can it treat cancer?

No. One laboratory study of an isolated compound from the galls (3-oxo-6-β-hydroxy-β-amyrin) reported antitumor effects by reducing early tumor antigen expression (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). That is early-stage lab research on a single compound, not on Karkatashringi as used traditionally, and it says nothing about cancer treatment in people. Do not use it as a cancer remedy.

Is Karkatashringi the same as pistachio?

No. The medicinal drug is the gall, tissue that grows abnormally in response to insects, on Pistacia integerrima, a Himalayan tree, not the edible pistachio nut or the tree's normal leaves and bark (Mahveen & Hussain, AYUSHDHARA 2025). Confusing the gall with other Pistacia products would mean using the wrong material entirely, so check the botanical source before buying.

Sources

• Mahveen A, Hussain SM. "Kakra Singhi—A potent Unani drug for respiratory disorders." AYUSHDHARA. 2025;12(1):338–344 — ayushdhara.in

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Herbal products can interact with medications and are not suitable for everyone. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use — especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.