Herbs for Liver Health

6 Sri Lankan medicinal plants traditionally used for this purpose. Open a herb to see its Sinhala, English and botanical names, the parts used, how it is prepared, the research behind it and safety notes.

Use with care: Traditional use does not prove that a herb works or that it is safe for you. Talk to a doctor or a registered Ayurveda practitioner before using herbs to treat a condition, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines, or treating a child. Read our disclaimer

Flowers

Bim Kohomba (Munronia pinnata): Sri Lanka's Endangered Bitter Endemic

(Munronia pinnata)

Bim Kohomba (Munronia pinnata) is one of the few plants on this site that Sri Lanka could actually l

Leaves

Kikirindiya (Eclipta prostrata): Bhringraj, the Hair Herb

(Eclipta prostrata)

Kikirindiya (Eclipta prostrata) is the plant Sri Lankans reach for when hair starts going grey or fa

Leaves

Heen Pitiyawakka (Phyllanthus): Stonebreaker, and What Hepatitis B Actually Needs

(Phyllanthus debilis)

Heen Pitiyawakka (Phyllanthus debilis, and its close relatives P. niruri and P. amarus) is a weed th

Leaves

Heen Bovitiya (Osbeckia octandra): Sri Lanka's Traditional Liver Herb

(Osbeckia octandra)

Heen bovitiya (Osbeckia octandra) is a plant with an unusually specific reputation. Where many herbs

Leaves

Sarana (Boerhavia diffusa): Punarnava, the Weed That Renews

(Boerhavia diffusa)

Sarana (Boerhavia diffusa) sprawls along roadsides and waste ground with pink-purple flowers no bigg

Fruits & Seeds

Divul (Limonia acidissima): Wood Apple, the Hard-Shelled Fruit of the Dry Zone

(Limonia acidissima)

Divul (Limonia acidissima) is the fruit you crack open with a stone. Behind its grey, wooden shell l

Other uses

Digestion (42) Coughs and Colds (22) Skin Conditions (22) Blood Sugar and Diabetes (18) Fever (16) Urinary and Kidney Health (16) Cooling the Body (14) Joint Pain and Arthritis (13) Wound Healing (12) Sleep and Stress (9) Immunity (8) Diarrhoea (8) Oral and Dental Health (8) Constipation (7) Cholesterol and Heart Health (7) Hair Care (7) Asthma and Breathing (5) Women's Health (4) Inflammation and Swelling (4) Memory and Brain Health (4) Eye Health (4) Weight Management (3) Piles (Haemorrhoids) (3) Intestinal Worms (3)