Patala (Stereospermum suaveolens): Traditional Uses, Research & Safety

TL;DR

Patala is the stem bark of Stereospermum suaveolens, a Bignoniaceae tree and one of Ayurveda's ten Dashamula roots, traditionally used for breathing difficulty, swelling, vomiting, and hiccups. Rat studies found its bark extract protected against chemically induced liver injury and stimulated immune responses, but no human trials exist. Human safety data are lacking.

(53 words. Sources: JETIR 2022 review; Thangavel, Balasubramanian & Chatterjee 2010; RJPBCS 2017 toxicity study.)

What it is

Patala is the stem bark of Stereospermum suaveolens (Roxb.) DC., a tree in the Bignoniaceae family found in marshy areas of Bihar, Bengal, the Himalayan terai, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala (review). It is one of the ten roots of Dashamula, the classical ten-root formula of Ayurveda, and a 2022 review notes that it is a monographed drug in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (same review). Its reported constituents include flavonoids, tannins, and glycosides (same review).

Traditional use

In Ayurvedic tradition, patala is used for aruchi (loss of taste or appetite), shwasa (breathing difficulty), shotha (swelling), chhardi (vomiting), hikka (hiccups), and trushna (excessive thirst), and the plant more broadly appears in formulations for inflammation, asthma, blood disorders, fevers, and liver disorders (JETIR 2022 review). These are traditional claims, not clinical proof: the modern evidence is assessed separately below.

What modern research says

Liver protection (animal studies)

The most studied effect is hepatoprotection in rats. Thangavel, Balasubramanian & Chatterjee (2010) gave Wistar rats an ethanol extract of S. suaveolens bark (200 and 400 mg/kg orally for 14 days) in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) model of liver damage. The extract restored the elevated liver enzymes (SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase) and bilirubin toward normal in a dose-dependent manner, restored antioxidant defenses (superoxide dismutase, glutathione, catalase), reduced lipid peroxidation, and histopathology showed less fatty degeneration and liver necrosis. Silymarin (50 mg/kg) was the reference standard (Thangavel et al., Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine 2010). A separate rat study using a methanol stem-bark extract (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) against CCl4 damage, with Liv-52 as the standard, reported similarly significant protection (p<0.001) on the same biochemical and histopathological measures (summarized in JETIR 2022 review). These are animal findings: they do not establish liver benefits in humans.

Immune effects (animal study)

A root extract of S. suaveolens was tested in vivo for immunomodulatory potential using a sheep red blood cell antigen challenge in animals, with reported effects on leukocyte counts, neutrophil adhesion, phagocytic activity, and delayed-type hypersensitivity responses (JETIR 2022 review). This is a single animal-study report, not human evidence.

Toxicity screening (animal study)

A 28-day subacute toxicity study in rats found that oral ethanol extract of S. suaveolens roots at 200 and 400 mg/kg produced no behavioral, hematological, biochemical, or histopathological signs of toxicity (RJPBCS 2017/%5b139%5d.pdf)). This is reassuring only within its limits: a short animal study does not establish human safety.

What the evidence does not support (yet)

No human clinical trials of patala were identified. All of the pharmacological findings above come from rat models, and the human evidence base is effectively zero. Traditional uses for breathing difficulty, swelling, vomiting, and liver complaints should be read as traditional practice, not proven treatment.

Dosage

No pharmacopoeial or clinical-trial dose for patala could be verified from the cited sources, so none is given here.

Safety & contraindications

Human safety data for patala are lacking. The only toxicity data identified come from a 28-day rat study that found no adverse effects at the tested doses: which does not translate to human safety (RJPBCS 2017/%5b139%5d.pdf)). Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been studied. Use only under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.

FAQs

What is patala?

Patala is the stem bark of Stereospermum suaveolens, a tree in the Bignoniaceae family. It is one of the ten Dashamula roots of Ayurveda and a monographed drug in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (JETIR 2022 review).

What is patala traditionally used for?

Traditional indications include loss of appetite, breathing difficulty, swelling, vomiting, hiccups, and excessive thirst, plus broader use in formulations for inflammation, asthma, fevers, and liver disorders (JETIR 2022 review). These are traditional claims, not proven effects.

Is there any clinical evidence for patala?

No human clinical trials were identified. The available evidence is limited to rat studies: bark extracts protected against chemically induced liver injury, and a root extract showed immunomodulatory effects in animals (Thangavel et al. 2010; JETIR 2022 review).

What did the liver studies actually find?

In rats with CCl4-induced liver damage, S. suaveolens bark extract (200–400 mg/kg for 14 days) dose-dependently normalized liver enzymes and bilirubin, restored antioxidant enzymes, and reduced liver tissue damage on histopathology (Thangavel et al. 2010). Animal results do not prove human benefit.

Is patala safe?

Human safety data are lacking. A 28-day rat toxicity study found no adverse effects at the tested doses, but that does not establish human safety (RJPBCS 2017/%5b139%5d.pdf)). Consult a qualified practitioner before use.

Sources

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.