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.
How does Sida rhombifolia work as a bronchodilator?
Sida rhombifolia contains ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, alkaloids that stimulate beta-2 adrenergic receptors in bronchial smooth muscle. This stimulation causes airway relaxation and widening, making breathing easier during asthma attacks or bronchitis episodes. These compounds also produce mild central nervous system stimulation. The plant has been used traditionally in Amazonian medicine specifically for respiratory conditions. Evidence level: C (preliminary clinical evidence).
Can Sida rhombifolia interact with medications or MAOIs?
Yes, Sida rhombifolia poses significant interaction risks. It should never be combined with MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), as this combination can cause dangerous hypertensive crisis. The ephedrine content may also interact with blood pressure medications, stimulants, decongestants, and certain antidepressants. Individuals taking heart medications or psychiatric drugs should consult a healthcare provider before use. Evidence level: C.
What is the recommended dosage of Sida rhombifolia for adults?
The typical adult dosage is 3-6 grams of dried herb prepared as a decoction, or approximately 300mg of standardized extract taken twice daily. Traditional preparations in West African and Amazonian medicine often use the aerial parts brewed as tea. Due to its stimulant properties, evening doses should be avoided to prevent insomnia. Individual tolerance should guide dosage adjustments. Evidence level: C.
Is Sida rhombifolia safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
No, Sida rhombifolia is unsafe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The ephedrine and pseudoephedrine content can cause uterine stimulation, elevated blood pressure, and increased heart rate, posing risks to fetal development and pregnancy stability. These alkaloids may pass into breast milk and affect nursing infants. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should completely avoid this herb. Evidence level: C.
What are the side effects of Sida rhombifolia?
Common side effects include tachycardia (rapid heart rate), hypertension, and insomnia due to the stimulant alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Some individuals may experience nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, or headaches. Effects are dose-dependent and more pronounced in stimulant-sensitive individuals. People with hypertension, heart disease, or anxiety disorders should avoid this herb entirely. Evidence level: C.
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
Sida rhombifolia is a medicinal plant from the Malvaceae family recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties [PMID: 38943520, 28152649, 30662377].
Background
Sida rhombifolia is a seasonal plant that grows in equatorial and tropical climates [PMID: 32733569]. It is a member of the Malvaceae family and is used in various traditional medicine systems, including Ayurveda and Siddha [PMID: 40644693, 29057840].
Traditional uses
Traditionally used in India and other countries to treat cough, cold, fever, stomach, kidney, and liver disorders, as well as pains, inflammations, wounds, diarrhea, malarial, gastrointestinal dysentery, asthma, and bronchitis [PMID: 29057840, 28152649, 26497766]. In Ayurveda, it is purported as a source of Bala and used as a rejuvenator of muscles for joint pains, rheumatism, and neurological deficits [PMID: 41315559, 20192593].
Active compounds
Identified compounds include ephedrine [PMID: 35961325], alkaloids such as cryptolepine, quindoline, and quindolinone [PMID: 34121522, 28067836], phenolics (e.g., epicatechin, scopoletin, scoporone) [PMID: 36444580, 28067836], flavonoids (e.g., kaempferol, tiliroside) [PMID: 34121522, 28067836], and ecdysteroids including 20-hydroxyecdysone [PMID: 17886841, 34121522]. Volatile organic compounds include palmitic acid, phytol, and oleic acid [PMID: 36296660].
Mechanism of action
The plant exhibits antioxidant activity through the scavenging of DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP radicals [PMID: 36296660, 28152649]. Anti-inflammatory effects have been observed via gene panel expression of PERK, GRP78, ATF6, IRE1A, and CHOP [PMID: 41315559]. Certain alkaloids (quindolinone and cryptolepine salt) demonstrate vasorelaxant activity in rodent mesenteric arteries [PMID: 28067836].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DArthritis
Polar constituents (ethanol and aqueous extracts) were found useful in the treatment of adjuvant-induced arthritis in animal models [PMID: 19418351]
Evidence DHepatotoxicity/Preneoplasia
Seed extract significantly inhibited the increase of pre-cancerous and hepatotoxicity marker enzymes in DEN and CCl4 induced rat models [PMID: 20192593]
Evidence DDiabetic Nephropathy
Extracts were evaluated for effectiveness in the prevention of diabetes and treatment of diabetic nephropathy in a rat model [PMID: 36975210]
Evidence DLiver Cancer (HepG2 cells)
Ethyl acetate extracts exerted anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in vitro [PMID: 36444580]
Evidence BAntioxidant status (Veterinary)
Dietary supplementation (3%) in chickens significantly increased total antioxidant capability, catalase, and superoxide dismutase [PMID: 38943520]
Safety & adverse effects
One study describes the herb as harmless in the prevention of diabetes [PMID: 36975210]. In vitro cytotoxicity was noted against HepG2 cells, though it showed less cytotoxicity in HFF cells [PMID: 36444580].
Evidence summary
The current evidence is primarily based on in vitro studies and animal models (Level D), with one veterinary RCT (Level B). There is strong evidence for antioxidant and phytochemical diversity, but a lack of human clinical trials.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 36975210 (2023) — Evaluation of Sida cordifolia and Sida rhombifolia extracts in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy. · Polimery w medycynie
2.PMID: 34121522 (2022) — Chemical constituents of two Cameroonian medicinal plants: Sida rhombifolia L. and Sida acuta Burm. f. (Malvaceae) and their antiplasmodial activity. · Natural product research
3.PMID: 35961325 (2022) — Quality by design-based optimization of Soxhlet extraction and identification of ephedrine by a HPTLC method for Sida rhombifolia and Sida Cordifolia. · Biomedical chromatography : BMC
4.PMID: 38943520 (2024) — Dietary supplementation of Sida rhombifolia enhances the plasma antioxidation and modulates gut microbiota in Anyi tile-like grey chickens. · Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
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.
— UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HR-MS-Based Metabolomics for Profiling the Sida rhombifolia Metabolites with Different Plant Organs and Cultivation Ages.
· Chemistry & biodiversity
6.PMID: 36296660 (2022) — Chemical Composition and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Sida rhombifolia L. Volatile Organic Compounds. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
7.PMID: 40644693 (2025) — FTIR- and LC-HRMS-Metabolomics Analysis, Total Phenolics, and Antioxidant Activity of Sida rhombifolia From Different Growth Locations. · Chemistry & biodiversity
8.PMID: 41187659 (2026) — LC-HRMS- and TLC-based metabolomics for the identification and authentication of Sida rhombifolia. · Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
9.PMID: 28152649 (2017) — Anti-inflammatory, anti-cholinergic and cytotoxic effects of Sida rhombifolia. · Pharmaceutical biology
10.PMID: 36444580 (2022) — Sida rhombifolia Exerts Anti-Proliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Effects in Human Liver Cancer HepG2 Cells in Vitro. · Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
11.PMID: 29057840 (2017) — Ethnomedicinal, Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Aspects of Four Medicinal Plants of Malvaceae Used in Indian Traditional Medicines: A Review. · Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
12.PMID: 30662377 (2018) — Assessments of Antibacterial Effects of Aqueous-Ethanolic Extracts of Sida rhombifolia's Aerial Part. · TheScientificWorldJournal
13.PMID: 35047048 (2022) — In Vitro Assessment of the Cercaricidal Activity of Sida acuta Burm. F. and Sida rhombifolia Linn. (Malvaceae) Hydroethanolic Extracts, Cytotoxicity, and Phytochemical Studies. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
14.PMID: 17886841 (2007) — Ecdysteroid glycosides from Sida rhombifolia L. · Chemistry & biodiversity
15.PMID: 32733569 (2020) — Physical and Tensile Properties of Handmade Sida rhombifolia Paper. · International journal of biomaterials
16.PMID: 26497766 (2015) — The genus Sida L. - A traditional medicine: Its ethnopharmacological, phytochemical and pharmacological data for commercial exploitation in herbal drugs industry. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
17.PMID: 19418351 (2009) — Anti-arthritic activity of various extracts of Sida rhombifolia aerial parts. · Natural product research
18.PMID: 28067836 (2017) — Alkaloids and Phenolic Compounds from Sida rhombifolia L. (Malvaceae) and Vasorelaxant Activity of Two Indoquinoline Alkaloids. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
19.PMID: 18158841 (2007) — Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of Sida rhombifolia (L.) ssp. retusa (L.). · Journal of medicinal food
20.PMID: 41315559 (2025) — Sida Rhombifolia linn: an empirical analysis on phytochemicals and an in vitro outcome on anti-inflammatory and antioxidant perspective. · Scientific reports
21.PMID: 20192593 (2009) — Sida rhombifolia ssp. retusa seed extract inhibits DEN induced murine hepatic preneoplasia and carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity. · Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP