Evodia Fruit (Tetradium ruticarpum): Benefits, Dosage, Safety & Evidence

Frequently asked questions

How does evodia fruit work in the body?

Evodia fruit contains bioactive alkaloids, primarily evodiamine and rutaecarpine, which stimulate vanilloid receptors (TRPV1) to produce warming effects and increase blood flow. Evodiamine exhibits anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, while rutaecarpine promotes gastrointestinal motility. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, evodia warms the middle burner and redirects rebellious qi downward, explaining its effectiveness for cold-type digestive complaints and headaches. Evidence level: C.

Does evodia fruit interact with any medications?

Evodia fruit may interact with medications metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes, particularly CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. Rutaecarpine inhibits these enzymes, potentially altering blood levels of certain drugs. Caution is advised when combining evodia with anticoagulants, antiplatelet medications, or drugs with narrow therapeutic windows. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before combining evodia with prescription medications. Evidence level: C.

What is the recommended dosage for evodia fruit?

The standard adult dosage for evodia fruit is 2-5 grams of dried fruit prepared as a decoction. When using concentrated extracts or standardized preparations, follow manufacturer guidelines or consult a qualified herbalist. Evodia is typically taken in divided doses and is often combined with other warming herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas. Dosage should be adjusted based on individual constitution and the specific condition being treated. Evidence level: Traditional.

Is evodia fruit safe to take during pregnancy?

Evodia fruit is contraindicated during pregnancy and should be strictly avoided. The herb has emmenagogue properties that can stimulate uterine contractions and potentially induce miscarriage. Traditional Chinese Medicine classifies evodia as a warming herb that moves qi downward, actions considered unsafe during pregnancy. Breastfeeding women should also avoid evodia due to insufficient safety data. Evidence level: Traditional.

What is evodia fruit used for in herbal medicine?

Evodia fruit is primarily used for warming the digestive system and relieving cold-type conditions. Traditional applications include treating headaches caused by cold, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The herb redirects rebellious qi downward, making it useful for digestive upset where energy moves upward, such as hiccups or acid reflux. Modern research suggests potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic benefits, though clinical evidence remains limited. Evidence level: C.

What are the side effects of evodia fruit?

Common side effects of evodia fruit include nausea, particularly when taken on an empty stomach or at high doses. Some individuals report headaches with excessive consumption. Evodia's warming nature makes it unsuitable for those with Yin deficiency or excess heat patterns, as it may worsen symptoms like dry mouth, night sweats, or irritability. Long-term use without professional supervision is not recommended. Evidence level: Traditional.

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

Evodia Fruit (Tetradium ruticarpum) is a traditional herbal medicine used in China, Japan, and Korea for treating pain and gastrointestinal disorders [PMID:32210796, PMID:30472402].

Background

The fruit of Tetradium ruticarpum, also known as Tetradii fructus, Evodiae fructus, or Wu-Zhu-Yu, is a medicinal plant from the Rutaceae family [PMID:32758577, PMID:31448637].

Traditional uses

It has been used for thousands of years to treat headache, vomit, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation, menorrhagia, dermatophytosis, celialgia, aphtha, and hypertension [PMID:32758577, PMID:30472402, PMID:29425585].

Active compounds

Bioactive constituents include alkaloids (such as evodiamine, rutaecarpine, and dehydroevodiamine), limonoids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, saponins, phenols, and volatile oils [PMID:32092638, PMID:36442477, PMID:34331552].

Mechanism of action

Evodiamine suppresses lung cancer by downregulating the FAK/STAT3/AKT signaling pathway [PMID:40582716] and protects against cardiac remodeling by modulating calcium signaling and CD47 [PMID:40609209]. Dehydroevodiamine alleviates ulcerative colitis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway via targeting AKT1 [PMID:39274878]. Evodiamine inhibits nitroglycerin-induced migraine-like responses by targeting nNOS and AMPA receptor GluA1 [PMID:32147481].

Clinical evidence

Evidence DUlcerative Colitis

Dehydroevodiamine demonstrated significant alleviation of DSS-induced colitis symptoms in a rat model [PMID:39274878]

Evidence DLung Cancer

Evodiamine suppressed the proliferation and migration of A549 and H1299 cells [PMID:40582716]

Evidence DHeart Failure

Evodiamine improved cardiac function and reduced apoptosis, hypertrophy, and fibrosis in TAC-induced HF rats [PMID:40609209]

Evidence DMigraine

Evodiamine inhibited nitroglycerin-induced migraine-like behavior in rats [PMID:32147481]

Evidence DObesity

Combination of berberine and evodiamine alleviated obesity by promoting browning in 3T3-L1 cells and HFD-induced mice [PMID:40362407]

Evidence DChronic Atrophic Gastritis

Rutaecarpine showed potential therapeutic activity in treating CAG in SD rats [PMID:39581285]

Safety & adverse effects

Potential toxicity has been reported with long-term use or excessive doses [PMID:32210796]. In rats, doses 60 times the recommended amount caused hepatocellular injury and local hepatocyte necrosis, though this reversed after two weeks of recovery; 3 times the recommended dose showed no obvious subacute toxicity [PMID:35295336].

Drug interactions

Alkaloidal compounds in Tetradium may interact with liver cation transporters hOCT1 and kidney cation transporters hOCT2 to alter cell drug disposal [PMID:35597409].

Evidence summary

The current evidence consists primarily of in vitro studies and animal models (Level D) and literature reviews (Level C), with no human clinical trials provided in the abstracts.

PubMed sources

1.PMID: 35889335 (2022) — Untargeted LC-MS/MS-Based Multi-Informative Molecular Networking for Targeting the Antiproliferative Ingredients in Tetradium ruticarpum Fruit. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2.PMID: 39274878 (2024) — Dehydroevodiamine Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis by Inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB Signaling Pathway via Targeting AKT1 and Regulating Gut Microbes and Serum Metabolism. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3.PMID: 32758577 (2020) — Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicology of the fruit of Tetradium ruticarpum: A review. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
4.PMID: 32210796 (2020) — Processing and Polyherbal Formulation of Tetradium ruticarpum (A. Juss.) Hartley: Phytochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Toxicity. · Frontiers in pharmacology
5.PMID: 30472402 (2019)

Evodia Fruit

Sources & Citations

Calculate a safe dose of Evodia Fruit