White Cleome: Benefits, Uses & Dosage

If you have ever wondered how Ayurveda handles a plant that comes in more than one color, White Cleome is a good place to start. It is the white variety of Hurhur, a Cleome plant, and the Bhavaprakash Nighantu, a classical encyclopedia of medicinal substances, describes it as sharing the properties of the yellow variety while being milder in action.

Our records give its botanical name as Cleome viscosa Linn. Its Sanskrit name is Shveta Hurhur (Shvetahurhur), which simply means "white Hurhur," and in Hindi it is called Safed Hurhur.

The Sahasra Yoga drug index lists a related entry under the Sanskrit synonyms Ajagandha and Pasugandha, with the Latin name Gynandropsis gynandra (Linn.) Briquet. Classical texts name its main actions as expelling worms and easing pain, which is why it appears in discussions of parasites and worms.

The classical record for White Cleome is short, so this section stays close to what the Bhavaprakash Nighantu actually says. It lists two therapeutic actions (Karma), meaning the effects a substance is known to produce in the body.

Worms and Intestinal Parasites

White Cleome is classed as an anthelmintic (Krimighna), a term that literally means "destroyer of worms." On that basis, Ayurvedic tradition connects it with parasites and worms (Krimi).

Ayurvedic reasoning ties this to its pungent taste (Katu Rasa), sharp quality (Tikshna Guna) and hot potency (Ushna Virya). Potency here means the warming or cooling effect a substance has once taken.

Pain Relief

The same text also names it an analgesic (Vedanasthapana), meaning a substance that settles pain. The sources here do not specify which kinds of pain or how it was applied, so treat this as a classical description rather than a practical recommendation.

A Milder Option

Because the white variety is described as milder than the yellow one, classical readers would have seen it as the gentler of the two forms of Hurhur.

The classical sources we draw on for White Cleome describe its properties and actions, but they do not record a preparation method, a dose, or a vehicle (Anupana), which is the liquid or food a herb is traditionally taken with.

Rather than guess, we leave the details blank. If you want to use White Cleome, a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner can decide whether it suits you and how it should be prepared.

Keep in mind that it is hot and sharp in nature, which in Ayurvedic thinking calls for careful, supervised use rather than casual self-dosing.

The classical sources here do not list specific contraindications, drug interactions, or overdose signs for White Cleome. That silence is not proof of safety, so the honest answer is that its safety profile is not documented in our records.

What Its Properties Suggest

White Cleome is pungent, sharp and hot (Ushna Virya), with a pungent post-digestive effect (Katu Vipaka), which is the taste-like effect a substance leaves after digestion. In Ayurvedic reasoning, hot and sharp substances call for caution in people who already run warm or have a sensitive digestive tract.

It is described as milder than the yellow variety of Hurhur, but milder does not mean risk free.

Practical Advice

• Do not use it during pregnancy or nursing, or give it to children, without professional guidance.
• If you take any prescription medicine, speak with your doctor first, since interactions are not addressed in these sources.
• Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before starting.

Few herbs are directly compared with White Cleome in the classical record. The clearest comparison is with its own sibling, the yellow variety of Hurhur, plus the name confusion that comes with its synonyms.

Because the sources here say little about other herbs in relation to White Cleome, we do not offer broader verdicts.

The classical sources here do not give population-specific guidance for White Cleome. The notes below apply general Ayurvedic caution to its hot, sharp and pungent nature.

Pregnancy & Nursing

Pregnancy and nursing are not addressed in these sources. Given its hot potency (Ushna Virya), avoid it unless a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor specifically advises it.

Children

No pediatric use or dose is recorded here. Do not give it to children without professional guidance.

Elderly

No specific guidance exists in these sources for older adults. Its milder action compared with the yellow variety does not replace the need for a practitioner's advice.

Athletes

The sources do not mention any use for athletic performance or recovery, so there is no basis for recommending it here.