East Indian globe thistle

What it is used for

• Weight

  Limited

  In a double-blind trial in 60 adults with obesity (BMI 30–40), 400 mg capsules of an S. indicus flower-head and Garcinia mangostana rind blend taken twice daily for 8 weeks, with a 2,000 kcal diet and walking, gave 3.74 kg more weight loss than placebo. A second trial by the same group also reported benefits. Both tested the blend, not S. indicus alone, and minor adverse events were similar to placebo.^1,2

• Mouth ulcers and gum health

  Limited

  In the lab, ethanol extracts of the aerial parts, leaves and flowers inhibited four bacteria that cause gum disease (including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum). No clinical studies.⁵

• Liver health

  Traditional

  Powdered dried leaves are recorded for jaundice, and extracts are believed to help gastric and liver disorders (older Indian sources cited in a 2021 study). No clinical testing found.³

• Intestinal worms

  Traditional

  Seeds and roots are recorded as anthelmintic and stomachic; no clinical testing found.³

How it is prepared

Amounts are as recorded by the named source, not a recommendation.

Safety

In the healing traditions

• Ayurveda

  Sphaeranthus indicus

  The flower head is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for immune modulation, pain, anxiety and inflammation. Older Indian materia medica record the dried powdered leaves for chronic skin diseases, urethral discharges and jaundice, the plant as diuretic, styptic and a 'blood purifier' for skin disorders, and the seeds and roots as anthelmintic and stomachic.

  Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Medicinal Plants (1918); Chadha, Wealth of India (1976), as cited by Ahmad et al. 2021

Active compounds

7-hydroxyfrullanolide

sesquiterpene lactone; the marker compound the sports blend was standardised to (at least 2.5%)

eudesmanolides, sphaeranthanolide, 2-hydroxycostic acid

sesquiterpenes reported to have antioxidant activity

flavonoids and essential oil

thought to contribute to its varied lab activities

History

Long part of Indian herbal medicine, recorded in Kirtikar and Basu's Indian Medicinal Plants (1918). In the 2010s its flower-head extract became an ingredient in branded supplements for weight management and, later, for exercise performance: in an 8-week trial in 99 young men, the S. indicus–mango-bark blend increased strength gains from resistance training compared with placebo.

Sources

1. 1.Stern JS et al. Efficacy and tolerability of a novel herbal formulation for weight management. Obesity 2013 (abstract)
2. 2.Forgerini M et al. Herbal medicines for weight loss and lipid profile improvement: a scoping review of therapeutic effects and safety. Phytother Res 2025
3. 3.Ahmad HI et al. Phytopharmacological evaluation of different solvent extract/fractions from Sphaeranthus indicus L. flowers: from traditional therapies to bioactive compounds. Front Pharmacol 2021
4. 4.Salter D et al. A botanical extract blend of Mangifera indica and Sphaeranthus indicus combined with resistance exercise training improves muscle strength and endurance over exercise alone in young men: a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Front Nutr 2024
5. 5.Gawade MR et al. Antimicrobial efficacy of extracts obtained from aerial part, leaves, and flowers of Sphaeranthus indicus on different periodontal pathogens: an in vitro study. J Indian Soc Periodontol 2024 (abstract)
6. 6.GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Sphaeranthus indicus L.

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.