IngredientsThe accepted botanical name is Lilium polyphyllum D. Don ex Royle (family Liliaceae). Synonyms recorded in the literature include Lilium punctatum Jacquem. ex Duch and Lilium polyphyllum var. uniflorum Boiss.
In the Hindi language, the plant is identified as Ksirakakoli (क्षीरकाकोली) — a name used across multiple Indian languages including Kannada, Malayalam, and Sanskrit, all referring to Lilium polyphyllum D. Don from the family Liliaceae. The Sanskrit name Kshirakakoli derives from the words Kshira, meaning "milk," and Kakoli, referring to a medicinal herb known for nourishing properties.
Common English names include "White Himalaya Lily" and "Many-leaved Lily." Regional names include Kalihari and Kshirakakoli in Hindi.
Taxonomically, the species is placed in section Liriotypus of the Eastern Iranian–Himalayan Transitional Group. Its origin is the Western Himalaya — specifically northern India (Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand), eastern Afghanistan, and northern Pakistan. The chromosome number is 2n = 24 (diploid).
Lilium polyphyllum is a narrow bulbous herb with fleshy scales that are long, narrow, and subequal. The stem grows 60–120 cm tall, erect, and slender. Leaves are alternate and lower-whorled, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 5–13 cm long and 0.5–1.5 cm wide, acute, with hairy margins. The raceme bears 4–10 flowers.
The flowers are pendulous and fragrant. Pedicels are 4–10 cm long, slightly drooping. Tepals are dull yellow or greenish on the outside and white within with purple streaks, 3–4 cm long, and oblanceolate. The fruit is a capsule.
The bulbs are ovoid, 2–3 cm across, with dense scales. Habitat consists of subalpine to alpine meadows, grassy slopes, and rocky scrub at elevations of 1,800–3,200 m.
In its natural range, L. polyphyllum is found from the north-western Himalayas of Uttarakhand, India, westward to Afghanistan. In India, recorded localities include Hattpo Peak, Narkanda Forests, Chail in Solan District, and Sungari-Bahli on the Rampur Road of Himachal Pradesh; Gulmarg and the Liddar Valley of Jammu and Kashmir; and Gangotri, Rainthal, Amardhar, Kedarnath, and Madmaheshwar in Uttarakhand.
Traditional Ayurvedic practice harnesses both the bulb (for decoctions and powders) and the petals (in infusions or topical pastes). Bulbs are traded under the name Kakoli or Kshirkakoli in local and national markets. Paste of bulbs is the main component of the ancient herbal preparation Chyawanprasha. Across the broader Lilium genus, plants are consumed in various culinary and processed forms, including steamed bulbs, flour, wine, and functional beverages.
"Ashtawarga," constituting a group of eight plants (Jivaka, Rishbhaka, Meda, Mahameda, Kakoli, Kshirakakoli, Riddhi, and Vriddhi), forms an important component of a number of Ayurvedic preparations, including the well-renowned preparation Chyawanprash. As per Ayurveda, this group of medicinal plants is classified as Rasayana (Rejuvenation) and constitutes important ingredients of preparations such as Chyawanprasha rasayan, Ashtavarga churna, Brimhanigutika, and Vajikaraghrita.
L. polyphyllum has been harvested indiscriminately to prepare the vitality-promoting product Chyawanprash since the Charaka Samhita period, dating to the fourth century BC. Chyawanprash includes the Ashtavarga as a class of threatened medicinal herbs from the northwestern Himalayas. The Chyawanprash formula is described in the ancient Ayurvedic texts Ashtanga Hridayam, Charaka Samhita, and Sangandhara Samhita.
In Ayurveda, L. polyphyllum is classified as a Rasayana, meaning it supports rejuvenation, vitality, and longevity. Ayurvedic texts attribute to it the following properties: taste (rasa) — sweet; energy (virya) — cold (sheeta); post-digestive taste (vipaka) — sweet; quality (guna) — heavy for digestion; and action (karma) — Shukrala (increases sperm count), Vrishya (aphrodisiac), Basti vishodini (cleanses urinary tract), Jivana (enlivening), and Sthanyakara (galactagogue). Conditions addressed include Asra roga (blood disorders), Hridroga (cardiac diseases), Shwasa (asthma), Kasa (cough), Kshya (emaciation), Jwara (fever), and Shosha (tissue depletion).
Ayurveda recommends the usage of bulbs of Kshirakakoli to treat general debility, rheumatism, bleeding disorders, fever, bronchitis, and other conditions mainly related to Vata and Pitta dosha.
In India, L. polyphyllum bulbs are regarded as having galactagogue, expectorant, and tonic properties.
Commonly known as the White Himalayan Lily, L. polyphyllum has a long-standing history in traditional medicine, particularly in regions of the Himalayas. The bulbs have been utilized in Ayurvedic and folk remedies as a tonic for general health, believed to promote vitality, support the immune system, and aid in respiratory and digestive wellness. Historical texts and ethnobotanical surveys highlight its valued role in regional health traditions, where it was often consumed as a food supplement or decoction.
More than 30 Ayurvedic formulations employ L. polyphyllum to treat general ill health, and it has been used as an expectorant during febrile conditions, to stimulate sexual desire, and as an astringent.
According to ethnomedicinal documentation, dried, powdered bulbs (2 g) and roots of Astavarga plants were taken after dinner to treat impotency.
Chyawanprash is a potent antioxidant paste prepared through the synergistic blending of around 50 herbs and spices. By virtue of its consistency and form of dosage, it falls under the category of Awaleha (electuaries or herbal jams), a group of Ayurvedic formulations. In the classical Kottakkal formulation of Chyawanprash, Kshirakakoli (Lilium polyphyllum) appears at a dose of 89 mg as one of the major herbal ingredients.
Phytochemical studies have shown that L. polyphyllum is a rich source of different active chemical constituents, including alkaloids, furocoumarins, flavonoids, O-isopentenyl compounds, halfordinol, and glycosides. L. polyphyllum also contains sugars, alkaloids, flavonoids, and steroids.
Across the genus Lilium, over 180 compounds have been isolated and identified, including steroidal saponins, polysaccharides, phenolic glycerides, flavonoids, and alkaloids. To date, 123 chemical metabolites have been isolated and characterized across the genus, with saponins, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and polysaccharides recognized as the principal bioactive metabolites.
GC-MS analysis of L. polyphyllum extracts has identified several significant phytochemicals, including Methyl 2-furoate, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, Piperine, Palmitic acid, and Methyl Palmitate, which are considered responsible for the observed enzyme inhibitory properties.
HPLC, GC-MS, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR analysis has shown the presence of additional phytochemicals including Methyl piperate, 7,10-hexadecadienoic acid methyl ester, and Methyl palmitate.
In the dried pseudobulb, compounds identified include Linalool, Terpineol, Sitosterol-3-glyceryl-2-linoleiyl-3-linoleiate, Glyceryl-1-octadec-9-enoyl-2-octadec-9, and related long-chain glyceride derivatives.
Phytochemical investigations across Lilium species have revealed a diverse array of bioactive metabolites comprising polysaccharides, saponins, sterols, alkaloids, glycerolglycolipids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids.
Nutritionally, Lilium bulbs are rich in polysaccharides, saponins, dietary fibers, vitamins, amino acids, starch, pectin, phospholipids, and essential minerals such as calcium and iron. This broad nutritional profile underpins their historical use as both food and medicine.
Modern research on the genus Lilium has centered on its traditional uses, elucidating that alkaloids, polysaccharides, steroidal saponins, and other metabolites have demonstrated clear anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, sedative-hypnotic, and lung-protective effects, aligning with traditional medicine records.
Molecular docking analysis of compounds isolated from L. polyphyllum has revealed that identified compounds exhibit strong binding affinities with myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the purinergic receptor P2X7R, further supporting their potential anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive mechanisms.
Important caveat: Modern scientific exploration into Lilium polyphyllum specifically is still in its early stages. Most studies on pharmacological effects across the genus remain at the in vitro level; further studies on mechanism-based pharmacological activities in vivo and in vitro are needed. No randomized controlled human clinical trials specific to L. polyphyllum have been identified in the peer-reviewed literature at the time of this article's preparation.
L. polyphyllum (Himalayan lily) has long been valued in traditional medicine for managing pain, rheumatism, bronchitis, and intermittent fever. Despite its ethnomedicinal relevance, robust scientific evidence supporting its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects remains limited.
A 2025 study published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation aimed to validate the traditional anti-inflammatory and analgesic uses of L. polyphyllum bulb through an integrated approach using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models. LC-MS/MS and GC-MS analyses were conducted on the most bioactive chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of bulb extracts.
In an abdominal constriction test (a standard rodent model of visceral pain), the ethyl acetate fraction at 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly reduced abdominal writhing, followed by the n-hexane fraction, crude methanol extract, and chloroform fraction. In the hot plate test (a model of central analgesic activity), the latency time was significantly increased at 100 mg/kg by the ethyl acetate fraction, followed by the chloroform fraction and n-hexane fraction.
The authors stated that this study provides the first comprehensive characterization of the phytochemical profiles of chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of L. polyphyllum bulb, demonstrating significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential that scientifically validates ethnomedicinal applications in pain and inflammation.
Evidence strength: Preliminary. Evidence is limited to a single preclinical in vivo/in vitro study with in silico support. No human clinical data exist.
One study investigated L. polyphyllum stem extract as a potential inhibitor of the enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase — enzymes responsible for the breakdown of oligosaccharides into glucose molecules — using standard in vitro procedures.
The results showed inhibition of α-amylase by 54.95% (water extract), 53.01% (ethanol extract), and 47.87% (dichloromethane extract). The inhibition of α-glucosidase was found to be 48.48%, 48.48%, and 43.85% for water, ethanol, and dichloromethane extracts, respectively.
The compounds identified by GC-MS as potentially responsible for enzyme inhibition included Methyl 2-furoate, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, Piperine, Palmitic acid, and Methyl Palmitate. The authors concluded that extracts of L. polyphyllum could be a possible source of natural antidiabetic medicine.
A 2025 study additionally investigated the anticancer, antidiabetic, and antioxidant activities of L. polyphyllum bulb extracts and fractions, using GC-MS for phytochemical characterization, and examined antidiabetic potential via α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzyme inhibition assays.
Evidence strength: Weak, preliminary. All evidence is in vitro enzyme inhibition assay data. No animal or human studies of antidiabetic effects have been published for this species specifically.
Extracts and monomer compounds from Lilium species have been evaluated for antioxidant activity, alongside anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antidepressant, and hepatoprotective activities. Research specifically on L. polyphyllum antioxidant activity has been conducted in the context of Astavarga species conservation studies in the Indian Himalayas.
In a study across six common edible Lilium cultivars (not exclusively L. polyphyllum), total phenolics, total flavonoids, total saponins, total polysaccharides, and soluble proteins were quantified by HPLC and LC-MS. Antioxidant activity (reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity), anti-inflammatory capacity, and sedative-hypnotic capacities were evaluated in mouse models.
Evidence strength: Preliminary; largely in vitro and animal-model based. No controlled human trials exist for L. polyphyllum antioxidant effects.
Compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins from Lilium species have been linked to antibacterial action. Antibacterial activity and the components of lily bulb extracts demonstrated a strong dose-effect relationship; the findings indicated that antibacterial activity rose proportionately as the amount of lily bulb extracts increased.
Evidence strength: Very preliminary; available data on L. polyphyllum specifically are limited to in vitro phytochemical screening. No clinical antimicrobial trials exist.
A study aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of L. polyphyllum bulb extracts, with GC-MS used for phytochemical characterization and in silico toxicity predictions carried out using Swiss ADME and ProTox-3.0. Anticancer activity was assessed through the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay.
Studies indicate that dietary phenolic acids, monophenols, and polyphenols can inhibit the invasive and metastatic behaviors of various cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. To date, researchers have isolated 23 phenolic metabolites from lily bulbs across the genus.
Evidence strength: Very preliminary; limited to in vitro assay and in silico modeling. No clinical data exist.
Traditionally included in the Ashtavarga group, L. polyphyllum has long been used in classical Ayurvedic formulations to support reproductive health and tissue nourishment. In India, the bulbs are regarded as having galactagogue properties. These uses have not been evaluated in controlled clinical or animal studies specific to this species.
Evidence strength: Traditional use only; no scientific studies have validated reproductive or galactagogue claims for L. polyphyllum specifically.
The bulbs have been utilized in Ayurvedic and folk remedies as a tonic for general health, believed to aid in respiratory wellness. L. polyphyllum has long been valued in traditional medicine for managing bronchitis. The broader genus-level literature records treatment of lung deficiency and asthma as classical indications, but no controlled studies have examined L. polyphyllum specifically for respiratory outcomes.
Modern research at the genus level has shown that alkaloids, polysaccharides, and steroidal saponins have demonstrated lung-protective effects in experimental models, aligning with traditional records.
Evidence strength: Traditional use only; no clinical trials specific to L. polyphyllum.
In the classical Chyawanprash formulation, Kshirakakoli (Lilium polyphyllum) is incorporated at 89 mg as one constituent among approximately 50 herbs.
In ethnomedicinal practice, dried, powdered bulbs at a dose of 2 g (combined with roots of other Astavarga plants) are taken after dinner to treat impotency.
In the preclinical anti-inflammatory and analgesic study, acute in vivo testing of bulb extracts was conducted up to 2,400 mg/kg in animal models, supported by Swiss ADMET predictions. No human equivalence dosing derived from this study should be inferred.
In the in vitro antidiabetic study, aqueous, ethanolic, and dichloromethane extracts of the plant were tested at unspecified concentrations against α-amylase and α-glucosidase; no mg/kg clinical dosage equivalents were established.
No standardized human dosage has been established by any regulatory body or pharmacopoeial monograph specifically for L. polyphyllum as a standalone supplement. The plant features in composite Ayurvedic preparations, where its individual dose contribution is not independently validated in clinical trials.
In a preclinical study, toxicity of L. polyphyllum bulb extracts was assessed via fibroblast viability testing, brine shrimp lethality assay, and acute in vivo testing up to 2,400 mg/kg, with additional support from in silico SwissADMET predictions. Specific toxicity findings from these preclinical models have not been detailed in publicly available abstracts; no no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for humans has been established.
There are presently limited research data on the safety and toxicological effects of Lilium species generally, and further investigation is specifically recommended.
According to the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Fritillaria roylei and Lilium polyphyllum are listed as the botanical names of Kshirakakoli and Kakoli, respectively. However, research literature has variously listed L. polyphyllum and Roscoea purpurea as Kshirakakoli and Kakoli. Due to these similar or controversial names, the herbs are often interchanged or adulterated in trade.
In case of non-availability of Kakoli (rhizomes) and Kshirakakoli (bulbs), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root is used as a substitute. Illegal collection of L. polyphyllum has been significantly reduced by the official recommendation to use Withania somnifera as a substitute species. Consumers and clinicians should be aware that commercial products labeled as Kshirakakoli may therefore contain entirely different botanical material.
To overcome the problem of non-availability of endangered species, the Department of AYUSH, Government of India, has permitted the substitution of rare herbal drugs with available substitutes based on Ayurvedic concepts.
A field survey of L. polyphyllum found three populations (total 649 individuals) that are in decline because of habitat degradation, agricultural invasion, and over-exploitation. The survey confirmed the Critically Endangered status of the species. The IUCN has categorized L. polyphyllum as a Critically Endangered medicinal herb and included it in the Red Listed species.
L. polyphyllum is facing a serious threat of extinction in India. Survey data reveal that only a few populations remain due to destructive harvesting and high demand for multiple purposes. This critically endangered status means that authentic wild-harvested material is extremely scarce, increasing the probability of adulteration or misidentification in commercial preparations.
No specific herb–drug interaction data for L. polyphyllum have been identified in the peer-reviewed literature. The limited research on safety and toxicological effects is explicitly acknowledged as a gap requiring further exploration. Given the saponin and alkaloid content identified in the plant, caution is theoretically warranted alongside medications affecting glycemic control, given the in vitro enzyme inhibition data, but no clinical interaction data exist to support or quantify this concern.
Literature surveys have identified diverse compounds and evaluated a number of pharmacological activities across the Lilium genus, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antidepressant, and hepatoprotective activities through different extracts and monomer compounds.
Pharmacological studies have demonstrated a wide range of biological activities for the genus, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antidepressant, sedative, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, and joint-protective effects. However, the vast majority of this research has been conducted on closely related species such as L. lancifolium, L. brownii, and L. pumilum — not specifically on L. polyphyllum.
Lilium polyphyllum D. Don ex Royle (Liliaceae) bulbs are traditionally used to treat various ailments; however, their phytochemical composition and bioactivities remain rarely explored. The critically endangered status of the plant severely limits the availability of authenticated raw material for research, which in turn constrains the scientific evidence base.
Most studies on pharmacological effects are still at the in vitro level, and further studies on mechanism-based pharmacological activities in vivo and in vitro are needed in the future. The complete absence of human clinical trials for L. polyphyllum as a standalone intervention means that no evidence-based dosing, efficacy, or safety conclusions can currently be drawn for human supplementation.
Health conditions that Lilium polyphyllum may help support.
Body systems that Lilium polyphyllum may help support.
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