Atibala

Abutilon indicum
Atibala (Abutilon indicum) is a prevalent herb in Ayurveda, known for its claimed effects on Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas. Traditionally, its roots and seeds are supposedly beneficial for vitality and strength. Found widely in tropical regions, this plant, also known as Indian Mallow or Kanghi, has a long history of traditional use.
PLANT FAMILY
Malvaceae (Mallow)
PARTS USED
Root, Seed
AYURVEDIC ACTION
Vata ↓, Pitta ↓, Kapha ↑
ACTIVE COMPOUNDS
Alkaloids (0.1-0.2%), Flavonoids

What is Atibala?

Atibala, scientifically known as Abutilon indicum, is a widely recognized herbaceous plant native to tropical and subtropical regions. Belonging to the Malvaceae family, it's characterized by its heart-shaped leaves, solitary yellow or orange flowers, and distinctive disc-shaped fruits. Often found in disturbed areas like roadsides and agricultural fields, it thrives in warm climates.

Despite its common presence, Atibala holds historical significance in traditional medicinal systems. Its various parts, including roots, leaves, and seeds, have been utilized for their reported therapeutic properties, contributing to its sustained relevance in herbal practices.

Other Names of Atibala

  • Indian Mallow
  • Country Mallow
  • Thangai
  • Kanghi
  • Peeli Buti

Benefits of Atibala

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<h3> Absolute Contraindications of Atibala </h3> <h4> Pregnancy and Breastfeeding (Avoid internal use)</h4> <ul> <li> 🤰</li> <li> Recommendation: Do not take Atibala internally during pregnancy or while breastfeeding; discuss with your healthcare provider before any herbal use.</li> <li> Reasoning: Animal toxicology testing indicates that at high doses seed extracts produced measurable DNA damage (comet assay) and other dose-related effects; because developmental safety was not established, internal use in pregnancy/lactation is not advised.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Toxicological profiling of methanolic seed extract of Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet: in-vitro and in-vivo analysis.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39097211/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): In comprehensive toxicological work, researchers administered single and repeated oral doses of methanolic seed extract to rats and performed genotoxicity testing. Acute dosing produced no mortality up to the highest single dose tested; however, sub-acute (28-day) exposure at the higher dose level (1000 mg/kg) caused histological changes in the liver and small but measurable increases in DNA damage in comet assays. Lower doses (250-500 mg/kg) showed minimal genotoxicity and no significant adverse histology. The authors conclude seed powder appears safe at lower doses but advise caution at and above higher tested doses because of observed DNA and liver changes in animals.</p> </li> </ul> <h4> Concurrent use with glucose-lowering medications (Risk of hypoglycaemia)</h4> <ul> <li> 🩸</li> <li> Recommendation: If you are taking insulin or oral diabetes medicines, avoid starting Atibala internally without medical supervision; monitor blood sugar closely if a practitioner recommends it.</li> <li> Reasoning: Experimental studies show A. indicum extracts reduce post-prandial glucose by inhibiting gut absorption and by stimulating insulin secretion / increasing glucose uptake; these actions can add to prescribed diabetes drugs and increase hypoglycaemia risk.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Aqueous extract of Abutilon indicum Sweet inhibits glucose absorption and stimulates insulin secretion in rodents.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19761892/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): In rodent studies, oral administration of the aqueous plant extract produced a rapid and significant reduction in post-prandial blood glucose during an oral glucose tolerance test. In intestinal tissue assays, the extract reduced glucose absorption across the gut wall in a dose-dependent manner. In isolated pancreatic beta cell preparations and INS-1E cells the extract enhanced insulin secretion. Taken together these data show multiple mechanisms (reduced absorption + increased insulin) by which the extract lowers blood glucose, supporting a real risk of additive glucose-lowering when combined with antidiabetic medications.</p> </li> </ul> <h4> Concurrent radiotherapy or treatments that rely on oxidative cellular damage (May reduce treatment effectiveness)</h4> <ul> <li> 🔆</li> <li> Recommendation: Avoid taking high-antioxidant herbal doses like Atibala during radiotherapy sessions unless cleared by the oncology team.</li> <li> Reasoning: In vitro and ex vivo data show Atibala leaf extracts have strong antioxidant and DNA-protective activity against radiation and oxidative agents; while protective to normal cells, this property could theoretically reduce the intended oxidative damage to cancer cells during radiotherapy.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Protective effect of leaf extract of Abutilon indicum on DNA damage and peripheral blood lymphocytes in combating the oxidative stress.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32792839/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): Researchers evaluated ethanolic leaf extract for antioxidant and DNA-protective effects using human peripheral blood lymphocytes and plasmid DNA assays. Pre-treatment with the extract significantly reduced hydrogen peroxide and UV-induced DNA strand breaks and improved cell viability after oxidative challenge. Multiple radical scavenging assays (DPPH, superoxide, nitric oxide) showed strong antioxidant capacity comparable to ascorbic acid in the models used. These data support a clear DNA-protective antioxidant action which, while beneficial in preventing oxidative damage, raises theoretical concerns about concurrent use with therapies that depend on oxidative cell killing.</p> </li> </ul> <h3> Relative Contraindications of Atibala </h3> <h4> High-dose or prolonged internal use beyond studied ranges (use caution)</h4> <ul> <li> ⚠️</li> <li> Recommendation: Do not self-administer large or prolonged internal doses; follow traditional dose ranges or a qualified practitioner’s guidance. If treating long term, have periodic liver tests and clinical monitoring.</li> <li> Reasoning: Sub-acute animal studies detected liver histological changes and slight DNA damage at higher doses (1000 mg/kg); lower doses (250-500 mg/kg) were generally tolerated in the same experiments, indicating a dose-dependent safety margin.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Toxicological profiling of methanolic seed extract of Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet: in-vitro and in-vivo analysis.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39097211/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): The acute toxicity arm showed no mortality up to tested limits, and sub-acute dosing at 250-500 mg/kg caused minimal adverse findings. However, animals given 1000 mg/kg for 28 days had liver histological alterations and slightly increased DNA damage by comet assay. The study concludes that lower doses appear safe in this model, but doses above the mid-range used in the study produced signs of organ stress, supporting a practical upper limit for chronic use until human data are available.</p> </li> </ul> <h4> Use in people receiving chemotherapy (exercise caution; discuss with oncologist)</h4> <ul> <li> 🧪</li> <li> Recommendation: If you are receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy, consult your oncologist before using Atibala internally; do not self-prescribe.</li> <li> Reasoning: Abutilon contains compounds that can be cytotoxic to certain cancer cell lines in vitro and also contains antioxidants that can alter oxidative balance; these mixed actions create uncertainty about combined effects with specific chemotherapies.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Cytotoxic constituents of Abutilon indicum leaves against U87MG human glioblastoma cells.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25422029/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): The authors fractionated methanolic leaf extracts and identified several compounds, including methyl caffeate, that produced dose-dependent cytotoxicity against U87MG glioblastoma cells with relatively low IC50 values for the active compound. Importantly, these fractions were less toxic to a human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK-293) in the same experiments. The presence of both selective cytotoxic constituents and antioxidant activity in different fractions means combined use with chemotherapy could have unpredictable additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects and warrants specialist advice.</p> </li> </ul> <h4> Use in people with hypersensitivity to Malvaceae family plants (caution)</h4> <ul> <li> 🌿</li> <li> Recommendation: If you have known plant allergies (especially to Malvaceae family members), avoid topical or internal use unless a patch/test or practitioner guidance indicates safety.</li> <li> Reasoning: Pharmacognostic analyses show a complex mix of proteins, saponins and other phytochemicals in Atibala that can be allergenic in sensitive individuals; direct allergic reactions are not extensively studied but are biologically plausible.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Pharmacognostical and phytochemical studies of Atibala (Abutilon indicum [Linn.] Sweet) fruit.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37303858/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): Macroscopic, microscopic and phytochemical work on fruit and seed material identified proteins, saponins, flavonoids and other classes of compounds. The study provides a pharmacognostic fingerprint to authenticate material and documents constituents that are known in other plants to cause contact or ingestion-related hypersensitivity in susceptible people. The paper does not report clinical allergy cases but establishes a biochemical basis for caution in those with known plant allergies.</p> </li> </ul>

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<h4> Gastrointestinal upset (nausea, cramping)</h4> <ul> <li> 🤢</li> <li> Side effect summary: Some people or animals given higher oral doses may experience mild stomach upset or loose stools.</li> <li> Recommendation: If you develop persistent nausea, vomiting or severe abdominal pain, stop use and consult a healthcare professional. For mild symptoms, reduce dose or take with food.</li> <li> Reasoning: Traditional reports and pharmacognostic descriptions note demulcent and mild laxative actions; experimental dosing shows physiological effects on gut glucose absorption and motility that can cause transient GI symptoms in sensitive individuals.</li> <li> Severity Level: Mild</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Available: NA</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: NA</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: NA</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: NA</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: NA</li> </ul> <h4> Liver enzyme changes at high doses</h4> <ul> <li> 🧪</li> <li> Side effect summary: High, prolonged doses in animal studies have produced liver histology changes and altered liver-related blood markers.</li> <li> Recommendation: Avoid prolonged high-dose use; if you plan long-term use, periodic liver function monitoring is prudent. Stop use and see a doctor if you develop jaundice, dark urine, or severe abdominal pain.</li> <li> Reasoning: Sub-acute animal testing found liver tissue alterations at the highest tested doses (1000 mg/kg) while lower doses were tolerated, indicating a dose-dependent risk to liver health in some preparations.</li> <li> Severity Level: Moderate</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Available: Yes</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Toxicological profiling of methanolic seed extract of Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet: in-vitro and in-vivo analysis.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39097211/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): In a 28-day sub-acute administration to rats, seed extract doses at 1000 mg/kg produced observable liver histopathological changes and modest biochemical variations, whereas lower doses (250-500 mg/kg) did not demonstrate significant adverse hepatic findings. The authors recommend caution with higher doses and suggest that human safety margins require further study.</p> </li> </ul> <h4> Potential blood glucose lowering (hypoglycaemia risk)</h4> <ul> <li> ⚖️</li> <li> Side effect summary: Atibala extracts can lower blood sugar by multiple mechanisms; when combined with diabetes drugs this can cause low blood sugar symptoms (dizziness, sweating, fainting).</li> <li> Recommendation: People with diabetes should not use Atibala without medical supervision and frequent blood glucose monitoring; dose adjustments of medications may be needed under clinician guidance.</li> <li> Reasoning: Animal and cell studies show inhibition of intestinal glucose uptake and stimulation of insulin secretion/glucose transporters, supporting a biologically plausible hypoglycaemia risk if combined with other glucose-lowering agents.</li> <li> Severity Level: Moderate</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Available: Yes</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Aqueous extract of Abutilon indicum Sweet inhibits glucose absorption and stimulates insulin secretion in rodents.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19761892/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): Oral extract reduced post-prandial plasma glucose rapidly in diabetic rats and reduced glucose absorption in everted intestinal sacs; in pancreatic beta cell preparations the extract increased insulin release. These combined mechanisms provide clear experimental evidence for meaningful glucose-lowering activity.</p> </li> </ul>

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<h4> Antidiabetic drugs (insulin, sulfonylureas, metformin, etc.)</h4> <ul> <li> Interaction_Details: Abutilon extracts reduce intestinal glucose absorption and stimulate insulin secretion / glucose uptake; when taken with glucose-lowering medicines this can add to their effect and cause hypoglycaemia.</li> <li> Severity: Moderate</li> <li> Recommendation: Consult your physician before combining; if allowed, closely monitor blood sugar and adjust medication under medical supervision.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Available: Yes</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19761892/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Aqueous extract of Abutilon indicum Sweet inhibits glucose absorption and stimulates insulin secretion in rodents.</li> <li> Scientfic_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): In rodent oral glucose tolerance tests, the extract produced a rapid reduction in plasma glucose levels and the everted gut sac experiments showed dose-dependent inhibition of glucose absorption. In pancreatic beta cell preparations the extract increased insulin secretion. These combined mechanisms-reduced absorption plus increased insulin/glucose transporter activity-support a plausible interaction that can potentiate prescribed hypoglycaemic therapies and raise the risk of low blood sugar episodes when used concurrently.</p> </li> </ul> <h4> Radiotherapy and certain pro-oxidant cancer treatments</h4> <ul> <li> Interaction_Details: Atibala leaf extracts demonstrate strong antioxidant and DNA-protective effects in laboratory assays; such antioxidant protection could reduce the oxidative damage radiotherapy aims to produce in cancer cells.</li> <li> Severity: Moderate</li> <li> Recommendation: Do not use high-dose antioxidant herbal extracts during radiotherapy without oncologist approval; coordination with the treatment team is essential.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Available: Yes</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32792839/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Protective effect of leaf extract of Abutilon indicum on DNA damage and peripheral blood lymphocytes in combating the oxidative stress.</li> <li> Scientfic_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): The ethanolic leaf extract markedly reduced hydrogen-peroxide and UV-induced DNA strand breaks in plasmid and lymphocyte assays and showed potent radical scavenging activity across several in vitro assays. While potentially protective for normal tissues, this antioxidant/DNA-protective profile creates a mechanistic basis for concern that concurrent use with oxidative cancer therapies could blunt therapeutic effects.</p> </li> </ul> <h4> Concomitant cytotoxic chemotherapy (theoretical / caution)</h4> <ul> <li> Interaction_Details: Atibala contains fractions with direct cytotoxic activity against certain cancer cell lines and other fractions with antioxidant activity; interactions with chemotherapy may be unpredictable-either additive, antagonistic, or altering toxicity profiles.</li> <li> Severity: Moderate</li> <li> Recommendation: Discuss with your oncologist and avoid self-prescription during chemotherapy; any herbal adjunct must be cleared by the treating team.</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Available: Yes</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25422029/</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Title: Cytotoxic constituents of Abutilon indicum leaves against U87MG human glioblastoma cells.</li> <li> Scientfic_Study_Authors: (as listed) [Authors: see article details on PubMed]</li> <li> Scientific_Study_Excerpt: <p>Summary (paraphrase of study findings): Researchers isolated active compounds from methanolic leaf fractions that were cytotoxic to glioblastoma cells (IC50s in the low microgram per millilitre range for the most active compound) while showing low toxicity to a normal cell line in that experiment. The coexistence of selective cytotoxic compounds and antioxidant fractions supports a complex pharmacology, so combined use with specific chemotherapeutic agents should be considered on a case-by-case basis under specialist supervision.</p> </li> </ul>