Description

Manjistha — the root of Rubia cordifolia — is the standard wholesale dried root designation used in Ayurvedic pharmaceutical procurement, distinct from the Majeeth (same species) entry which may reflect a regional market or grading variation. The straggling, perennial climber of the family Rubiaceae, native to the temperate Himalayan foothills and subtropical forests of South and East Asia, produces long, cylindrical orange-red roots documented in the Charaka Samhita as the premier Varnya (skin-illuminating), Raktashodhana (blood-purifying), and Raktagami (blood-moving) herb in classical Ayurveda. The root is incorporated in formulations including Manjistadi Kwatha, Sarivadi Vati, and numerous proprietary blood-purifying and skin health preparations. Rich in anthraquinone pigments alizarin and purpurin, the root has a three-thousand-year documented history as both a medicinal drug and natural red dye. Listed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.