This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
Dalbergia sissoo contains active isoflavones such as dalbergin, sissotrin, and biochanin, which are responsible for its primary mechanisms of action. These compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties by modulating inflammatory pathways and reducing oxidative stress in tissues. Additionally, the presence of tannins provides astringent effects, which helps in wound healing and managing skin infections. Evidence for these specific mechanisms is currently rated Level C, based on phytochemical analysis and traditional use rather than extensive clinical trials.
Is Dalbergia sissoo safe to take during pregnancy?
No, Dalbergia sissoo is considered unsafe during pregnancy. The herb contains isoflavones that exert estrogenic effects, which can potentially stimulate uterine contractions or disrupt hormonal balance critical for fetal development. Due to these risks, it is contraindicated for pregnant women. Women who are breastfeeding should also avoid this herb due to a lack of safety data regarding its transfer through milk and potential effects on the infant.
Does Dalbergia sissoo interact with hormone medications?
Yes, Dalbergia sissoo has potential interactions with hormone-sensitive medications. Because the plant contains isoflavones with estrogenic properties, it may interfere with hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, or anti-estrogen drugs like tamoxifen. These interactions could reduce medication efficacy or increase the risk of adverse side effects. Patients with hormone-sensitive conditions or those undergoing hormone therapy should avoid this herb unless supervised by a qualified healthcare provider.
What is the recommended dosage for Dalbergia sissoo bark?
Traditional Ayurvedic practice suggests a bark decoction dosage of 5 to 10 grams, taken twice daily. This preparation is traditionally used to manage skin diseases and liver conditions. However, standardized clinical trials have not established a definitive therapeutic dose, and evidence remains at Level C. Users should exercise caution, as higher doses may lead to gastrointestinal upset, and treatment should ideally be supervised by a medical herbalist.
What are the traditional uses of Dalbergia sissoo in Ayurveda?
In Ayurvedic medicine, Dalbergia sissoo is primarily utilized for treating skin diseases, liver conditions, and providing support for leprosy. The bark and leaves are the standard parts used for these preparations. Historical texts also cite its use for gonorrhea and as a general anti-inflammatory agent. While these applications are well-documented in traditional texts, current scientific evidence supporting these specific uses is rated Level C, indicating a reliance on historical precedent rather than modern clinical data.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Dalbergia sissoo, also known as Indian rosewood or Shisham, is a woody plant of the Fabaceae family with significant economic, cultural, and medicinal importance in the Indian subcontinent [PMID:37993468, PMID:35335342].
Background
Dalbergia sissoo is a medium to large deciduous tree native to the Indian subcontinent [PMID:28114964]. It is a timber-producing species used in forestry, agroforestry, and horticulture [PMID:37993468, PMID:36999059].
Traditional uses
Traditionally used to treat sore throats, dysentery, syphilis, bronchitis, inflammations, infections, hernia, skin diseases, gonorrhea [PMID:28114964], gastric and skin problems [PMID:33634685], joint inflammation and joint pain [PMID:34116187], and various types of cancer by local tribes in Western India [PMID:37394798].
Active compounds
The plant contains terpenoids, flavonoids, and isoflavones [PMID:35335342]. Specific identified compounds include isoflavone glycosides (biochanin A and tectorigenin derivatives) [PMID:11454356], neoflavonoids (dalsissooal, cearoin, dalbergin, 4-methoxy dalbergion, dalbergiphenol, dalbergichromene, methyl dalbergin, and latinone) [PMID:24803361], the coumarin nordalbergin [PMID:39062947], and caviunin glycoside (CAFG) [PMID:34116187].
Mechanism of action
Nordalbergin destabilizes the cell membrane and promotes permeabilization, suppressing beta-lactamase performance [PMID:39062947]. 4-Methoxydalbergione inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in astroglioma cells by stalling the cell cycle in G2 phase [PMID:33311599]. Caviunin glycoside (CAFG) modulates chondrogenic and matrix regulating proteins [PMID:34116187].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DMyocardial Injury (Rat Model)
Standardized leaf extract (DSE) significantly improved heart weight/body weight ratio, myocardial infarcted areas, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure in isoproterenol-induced injury [PMID:25420456]
Evidence DPain/Nociception (Mouse Model)
Methanol extract of leaves (MEDS) demonstrated potent and dose-dependent antinociceptive activity across multiple pain models [PMID:28114964]
Evidence DOsteoarthritis (Rat Model)
Leaf extract and the compound CAFG attenuated osteoarthritis by modulating chondrogenic and matrix regulating proteins [PMID:34116187]
Ethanolic extracts of leaves (EEDS) provided protective effects against amyloid-beta (1-42)-induced cognitive deficit, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation [PMID:33634685]
Evidence DAstroglioma (In vitro/In vivo)
4-Methoxydalbergione inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in U87 cells with greater potency than temozolomide [PMID:33311599]
Evidence D
Safety & adverse effects
A case of rosewood dermatitis associated with the genus Dalbergia (East Indian rosewood) has been reported [PMID:4261471].
Evidence summary
The evidence is primarily based on in vitro studies and animal models (Level D), with one systematic review (Level A) supporting its use as a mosquito repellent. Most pharmacological claims regarding cardiovascular, neuroprotective, and anti-cancer effects are not yet proven in human clinical trials.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 37662156 (2023) — Chromosome-scale genome of Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo). · Frontiers in plant science
2.PMID: 25420456 (2015) — Assessment of Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) Standardized Leaf Extract on Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Injury in Rats. · Cardiovascular toxicology
3.PMID: 39262243 (2024) — Association of water stress and Fusarium solani exacerbated Dalbergia sissoo dieback disease. · Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
4.PMID: 37993468 (2023) — De novo transcriptome assembly of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. (Fabaceae) under Botryodiplodia theobromae-induced dieback disease. · Scientific reports
5.PMID: 35335342 (2022) — Metabonomics Analysis of Stem Extracts from Dalbergia sissoo. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
Nordalbergin potentiated the activities of beta-lactam antibiotics by suppressing beta-lactamase and improving biofilm susceptibility [PMID:39062947]
Evidence DColibacillosis (Calves)
Methanolic and aqueous leaf extracts significantly reduced the oxidative stress index (OSI) [PMID:4019295 la]
Evidence AMosquito Repellency
Dalbergia sissoo is identified as an effective plant-based repellent against Anopheles mosquitoes [PMID:31864359]
6.PMID: 37117212 (2023) — Functional characterization and molecular fingerprinting of potential phosphate solubilizing bacterial candidates from Shisham rhizosphere. · Scientific reports
7.PMID: 36999059 (2023) — Phylogenomics resolves the etiology of dieback disease and deciphers Ceratocystis dalbergicans sp.nov., causal agent of Dalbergia sissoo decline. · Frontiers in genetics
8.PMID: 33620593 (2021) — Gnotobiotic evaluation of Dalbergia sissoo genotypes for resistance against Fusarium solani via dual culture set up. · Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology
9.PMID: 38739202 (2024) — Morpho-physiological studies of sandalwood-host interaction under individual and interactive water and salt stress. · Biologia futura
10.PMID: 41168759 (2025) — Predicting habitat suitability of Dalbergia latifolia Roxb. (Indian rosewood) using MaxEnt: implications for conservation and sustainable forest management. · BMC ecology and evolution
11.PMID: 36438130 (2022) — Optimization and identification of siderophores produced by Pseudomonas monteilii strain MN759447 and its antagonism toward fungi associated with mortality in Dalbergia sissoo plantation forests. · Frontiers in plant science
12.PMID: 38660477 (2024) — Delineating the role of host plants in regulating the water and salinity stress induced changes in sandalwood roots. · 3 Biotech
13.PMID: 40259846 (2025) — Dalbergia sissoo Ethanolic Extract: A Natural Source of Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Anticorrosive Agents. · Chemistry & biodiversity
14.PMID: 37394798 (2024) — Dalbergia sissoo phytochemicals as EGFR inhibitors: an in vitro and in silico approach. · Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
15.PMID: 37908834 (2023) — In silico structural-functional characterization of three differentially expressed resistance gene analogs identified in Dalbergia sissoo against dieback disease reveals their role in immune response regulation. · Frontiers in plant science
16.PMID: 4261471 (1972) — An unusual case of rosewood dermatitis of the genus Dalbergia (East Indian rosewood). · British journal of industrial medicine
17.PMID: 31864359 (2019) — Effectiveness of plant-based repellents against different Anopheles species: a systematic review. · Malaria journal
18.PMID: 28114964 (2017) — Antinociceptive effect of methanol extract of Dalbergia sissoo leaves in mice. · BMC complementary and alternative medicine
19.PMID: 25911856 (2014) — Micropropagation of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. through tissue culture technique. · Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
20.PMID: 36276980 (2022) — Identification of resistance gene analogs of the NBS-LRR family through transcriptome probing and in silico prediction of the expressome of Dalbergia sissoo under dieback disease stress. · Frontiers in genetics
21.PMID: 40192952 (2025) — Anti-oxidative activities of Dalbergia sissoo and Aegle marmelos extracts in calves with colibacillosis inhabiting the tropical desert climatic region of Rajasthan (India). · Molecular biology reports
22.PMID: 12096818 (2002) — Structure and function of shisham forests in central Himalaya, India: dry matter dynamics. · Annals of botany
23.PMID: 34116187 (2022) — Caviunin glycoside (CAFG) from Dalbergia sissoo attenuates osteoarthritis by modulating chondrogenic and matrix regulating proteins. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
25.PMID: 12096819 (2002) — Structure and function of shisham forests in central Himalaya, India: nutrient dynamics. · Annals of botany
26.PMID: 33311599 (2021) — 4-Methoxydalbergione is a potent inhibitor of human astroglioma U87 cells in vitro and in vivo. · Acta pharmacologica Sinica
27.PMID: 39062947 (2024) — Nordalbergin Synergizes with Novel β-Lactam Antibiotics against MRSA Infection. · International journal of molecular sciences
28.PMID: 24803361 (2014) — Neoflavonoids as potential osteogenic agents from Dalbergia sissoo heartwood. · Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
29.PMID: 33634685 (2021) — Protective Effect of Dalbergia sissoo Extract Against Amyloid-β (1-42)-induced Memory Impairment, Oxidative Stress, and Neuroinflammation in Rats. · Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences
30.PMID: 36500279 (2022) — Cerium Oxide Nanorods Synthesized by Dalbergia sissoo Extract for Antioxidant, Cytotoxicity, and Photocatalytic Applications. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)