Sharapunkha: Traditional Use, Evidence & Safety

TL;DR

Sharapunkha (Tephrosia purpurea) is an Ayurvedic herb famed as "Sarva wranvishapaka", the supreme wound healer, and used in liver formulations such as Tephroli and Yakrifit. Reviews report rotenoids, isoflavones, and flavonoids, with antiulcer effects shown in rats, but no human trials. No standard dose is established; the roots and seeds have insecticidal properties.

What it is

Sharapunkha (also spelled sarapunkha or sharkapunkha) is Tephrosia purpurea Linn., a member of the pea family (Fabaceae) (Ashok Kumar & Disha, J Indian Sys Med 2025). It is a highly branched, sub-erect herbaceous perennial with purple-red flowers and slightly curved pods containing 5–10 seeds (botanical review; morphological description). Phytochemical reviews report glycosides, rotenoids, isoflavones, flavanones, chalcones, flavanols, and sterols (Baranwal et al., Pharmacophore 2014). Its English common names include "wild indigo" and "fish poison," reflecting the insecticidal and pesticidal properties reported for its roots and seeds (same review).

Traditional use

In Ayurveda, sharapunkha is renowned as "Sarva wranvishapaka", the supreme wound healer, and is widely used across Asia and Africa in ethnomedicine (Ashok Kumar & Disha 2025). The same review notes its use in commercial formulations such as Tephroli and Yakrifit for liver disorders, as well as for respiratory ailments and dermatological conditions (same review). Traditional uses catalogued in reviews include tonic, laxative, and diuretic action, and use in bronchitis, boils, pimples, diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, rheumatism, and as a blood purifier (drug profile). These are traditional claims, not clinical proof: the research evidence is assessed separately below.

What modern research says

Wound healing

The "supreme wound healer" epithet is an Ayurvedic traditional claim documented in a 2025 review; the review does not cite human clinical trials testing sharapunkha for wound healing (Ashok Kumar & Disha 2025).

Liver

Sharapunkha appears in the commercial liver formulations Tephroli and Yakrifit (Ashok Kumar & Disha 2025), and a 2020 review of its pharmacological profile treats it as an important hepatoprotective plant (botanical review). No human randomized trial of sharapunkha for liver disease was found in the reviews surveyed for this article.

Ulcers (animal evidence)

The most specific experimental finding comes from an animal study: Deshpande et al. (2003) reported antiulcer activity of an aqueous extract of Tephrosia purpurea in rats in which gastric ulcers were induced by ethanol, hydrochloric acid, indomethacin, pyloric ligation, or duodenal procedures, as tabulated in a 2014 review (Baranwal et al. 2014). Animal results do not establish human efficacy.

What the evidence does not support (yet)

The reviews surveyed describe ethnopharmacology and preclinical pharmacology; they do not document human clinical trials of sharapunkha for wounds, liver disease, ulcers, or any other condition. Efficacy claims beyond traditional use are ahead of the data.

Dosage

The sources reviewed for this article do not establish a pharmacopoeial or trial-backed dose for sharapunkha, and no human clinical trial of sharapunkha was found in the reviews surveyed. Sharapunkha products should be used only as directed on a reputable preparation and under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.

Safety & contraindications

The roots and seeds of Tephrosia purpurea are reported to have insecticidal and pesticidal properties, and the plant carries the English common name "fish poison" (Baranwal et al. 2014): it is not a food plant and should never be consumed casually or self-administered. Human safety trials are lacking, so use in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and alongside prescription medicines should involve a qualified practitioner.

FAQs

What is sharapunkha?

Sharapunkha is Tephrosia purpurea Linn. (Fabaceae), an Ayurvedic herb whose name means "supreme wound healer" in the classical tradition. It is also known as wild indigo or fish poison in English (Ashok Kumar & Disha 2025).

Is sharapunkha good for the liver?

It is used in the commercial liver formulations Tephroli and Yakrifit, and reviews describe a hepatoprotective pharmacological profile: but no human clinical trials have tested it for liver disease (Ashok Kumar & Disha 2025).

Does sharapunkha heal wounds?

"Supreme wound healer" is its traditional Ayurvedic epithet. No human trials of sharapunkha for wound healing were found in the reviews surveyed.

Is there any human research on sharapunkha?

Not in the reviews surveyed for this article. The experimental evidence is preclinical: for example, antiulcer activity of a root extract in rats (Baranwal et al. 2014).

Is sharapunkha safe?

Human safety data are lacking. Because its roots and seeds have insecticidal properties, it should not be consumed casually or self-administered: use only qualified practitioner guidance (Baranwal et al. 2014).

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.