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Jyotishmati

Celastrus paniculatus

Also calledMalkangni / Malkangani · Intellect tree

A woody climbing shrub of South and Southeast Asia whose seeds and seed oil are an Ayurvedic 'medhya rasayana', a tonic for memory and intellect. Seed extracts improve memory in rats, but a 2026 review found no randomised human trials.

What it is used for

  • Ayurveda uses the seeds to sharpen memory and intellect. Seed extract (80 mg/kg) improved memory and markers of synaptic plasticity in rats; a 2026 review states that randomised human trials are absent.1,2,3

  • Seed oil and extracts were neuroprotective in a rat model and in cell models of Parkinson's disease; no human studies.4,7

  • In mice, the plant reduced alcohol-seeking behaviour and withdrawal anxiety, tested because Ayurvedic texts describe it for nervous disorders; no human data.3

  • Ayurveda applies the seed and seed oil to skin ailments including ulcers, scabies, itching, wounds and leukoderma.3

  • Used in Ayurveda for joint pain and in northern and north-eastern Thailand for rheumatism.3,5

  • Period pain
    Traditional

    Dysmenorrhoea is among its Ayurvedic indications, along with headache and epilepsy.3

Safety

Pregnancy
Insufficient data
Breastfeeding
Insufficient data
Children
No safety data.

Toxicity

Human safety and dosing have not been established in clinical trials; the 2026 review calls for clinical validation and standardisation.

In the healing traditions

  • Ayurveda

    Jyotishmati

    Classed as a medhya rasayana (intellect-promoting rejuvenative); seeds for memory, cognition and intellect, and seed or seed oil for skin ailments, headache, joint pain, dysmenorrhoea and epilepsy.

  • Unani

    Malkangni

    Listed among the traditional Indian medical systems (Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha) that use the plant.

  • Southeast Asian (Jamu, Thai, Philippine…)

    Intellect tree

    In northern and north-eastern Thailand used for cognitive enhancement, inflammation, neurological disorders, rheumatism and digestive complaints.

Active compounds

sesquiterpenes and triterpenoids
part of the chemically diverse seed profile, with volatile oils and alkaloids
alkaloids and terpenoid-related compounds
enriched in polar seed fractions that reduced microglial inflammation in vitro

History

Jyotishmati has long been used in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicine as a brain tonic. Modern interest centres on memory and neurodegenerative disease, but the evidence remains preclinical.

Sources

  1. 1.Kumar N, Jaitak V. Celastrus paniculatus Willd.: an extensive review of phytochemistry, traditional uses, pharmacological potential, and safety profile. Phytother Res 2026 (abstract)
  2. 2.Thongon N et al. Enhancement of memory and synaptic plasticity by Celastrus paniculatus seed extract in male rats. ScientificWorldJournal 2026 (abstract)
  3. 3.Satam S et al. Effect of Celastrus paniculatus on alcohol-elicited conditioned place preference and alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety in mice. Cureus 2025
  4. 4.Phattanakiatsakul T et al. Celastrus paniculatus seed extract exhibits neuroprotective effects in a Parkinson's disease model. Biomed Rep 2024 (abstract)
  5. 5.Kaenkham K et al. Profiling genetic variation: divergence patterns and population structure of Thailand's endangered Celastrus paniculatus Willd. Biology 2025
  6. 6.Treerattanakulporn T et al. TLC-derived high-polar fractions of Celastrus paniculatus seeds attenuate astrocyte-driven microglial activation. Int J Mol Sci 2026 (abstract)
  7. 7.Rao BV et al. Neuroprotective effects of Celastrus paniculatus seed oil in rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease in Wistar rats. Curr Aging Sci 2026 (abstract title only)

Reference, not prescription. Nothing here is medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and be dangerous in pregnancy; tell your doctor or pharmacist about anything you take.