Aralu is the dried stem bark of Ailanthus excelsa, a large deciduous tree of central and peninsular India. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recognises this bark as Aralu, one of the named ingredients in several classical churna formulations.

Botanical identity and part used

Ailanthus excelsa belongs to the Simaroubaceae family, a small family better known for its bitter-principle-rich bark drugs. The tree grows large and fast, and is widely planted in agroforestry systems across arid and semi-arid India.

Only the dried stem bark is the recognised pharmacopoeial drug. The bark is thick, with a rough, ridged, light grey outer surface and a fibrous yellowish-white inner surface, with a bitter taste and a disagreeable odour when fresh.

Where it grows in India

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India records Ailanthus excelsa from Bihar, the Chhota Nagpur plateau, Madhya Pradesh, and the forests of Ganjam and Vishakhapatnam through the Deccan. The species is now also widely grown in agroforestry plantings across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Because the tree is fast-growing and drought-tolerant, it is a common component of dryland farm-forestry programmes, which has broadened the bark supply base beyond natural forest tracts.

Harvest and processing

Bark is stripped from selected mature trees or branches, typically during the drier winter months when sap flow is lowest and the bark separates more cleanly. Harvested bark is sun dried and cleaned of adhering wood and moss before grading.

Dried bark is sold whole, cut into pieces, or milled to powder depending on the buyer's formulation requirement.

Why buyers source it

Aralu bark is a named ingredient in classical formulations including Pushyanuga Churna and Brihat Gangadhara Churna, which keeps demand tied closely to organised Ayurvedic pharmaceutical production rather than the open retail herb trade. Its constituents include quassinoids, a bitter-principle group also of research interest for antiparasitic and antidysenteric activity.

Because the tree is primarily grown for timber, fuelwood and fodder, bark collected specifically for the herbal trade needs to be sourced through suppliers who separate pharma-grade bark from general forestry byproduct.

Forms that trade

AV Biotech supplies Aralu as whole dried bark, cut bark, and milled powder, sourced and verified against the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India macroscopic description for Aralu.

Industry applications of Aralu

Aralu bark is bought almost entirely by classical and licensed Ayurvedic pharmaceutical manufacturers, with a smaller research and extract-development segment.

Ayurvedic pharmaceutical manufacturing

Aralu is a named ingredient in Pushyanuga Churna, Brihat Gangadhara Churna and Aralu Pushpaka, formulations used in classical Ayurvedic practice for digestive and gastrointestinal indications. Manufacturers working to Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India standards specify stem-bark-only material with documented identity.

Because Aralu appears in multi-ingredient churna rather than as a standalone single-herb product, most orders are recurring and tied to a manufacturer's production schedule rather than one-off purchases. Consistent bark thickness and bitterness across shipments matters more to these buyers than cosmetic appearance.

Extract and research use

Ailanthus excelsa bark contains quassinoids such as ailanthinone and glaucarubinone, a bitter-principle group studied for antidysenteric, antiparasitic and antimalarial activity in the wider quassinoid literature. Extract manufacturers and research institutions buy bark for isolation and standardisation work targeting this constituent group.

Veterinary and traditional formulation use

Bark decoctions appear in regional veterinary and folk formulations for digestive complaints, alongside the tree's separate and much larger role as a green fodder source, though fodder-grade leaf is a distinct product from pharma-grade bark.

Export and traditional medicine trade

Smaller volumes move to traditional medicine manufacturers in neighbouring South Asian markets that use Ailanthus bark in comparable formulations. These buyers generally request the same macroscopic identity check used by Indian classical manufacturers.

Sourcing note for pharma-grade buyers

Because the tree is grown mainly for timber, fuelwood and fodder, most bark generated in general forestry operations is not collected or cleaned to pharma-grade standard. Buyers should confirm that their supplier separates bark intended for Ayurvedic use at the point of stripping, rather than sourcing mixed forestry byproduct after the fact.

Common product formats

• Whole dried bark pieces for classical churna manufacturing
• Cut and sifted bark for kwath and decoction preparation
• Milled bark powder for churna blending
• Bark feedstock for quassinoid extraction and research

Traditional use and current research

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India describes Aralu bark as Tikta and Kashaya in taste, Ruksha in quality, Sita in potency and Katu in post-digestive effect. Its classical actions are listed as Dipana, Grahi, Pachana, Kaphapittahara and Vranashodhana.

These are classical Ayurvedic descriptions, not clinical claims. The notes below present traditional positioning and general research directions, not established medical outcomes.

Traditional digestive and anti-diarrhoeal use

The pharmacopoeia lists Atisara, Pravahika and Grahani, diarrhoea, dysentery and malabsorption-type conditions, among Aralu's classical therapeutic indications. Its Grahi, or binding, action is the traditional basis for this use.

Traditional use in worm infestation and skin conditions

Classical texts record Krimi, worm infestation, and Tvakaroga and Kushtha, skin conditions, among Aralu's indications. Vranashodhana, wound-cleansing action, is also listed as a classical property.

Quassinoid research interest

Modern phytochemical work has identified quassinoids, including ailanthinone and glaucarubinone, as the principal bitter constituents of this bark. This class of compounds has drawn research interest for antiparasitic and antidysenteric activity, an area of active study rather than an established clinical use.

Traditional respiratory and fever-related use

The classical dose recorded is 1 to 3 grams, and therapeutic uses listed include Shwasa and Sannipata Jvara, breathing difficulty and fever. These are text-based traditional indications, not treatment recommendations.

Traditional use in urinary and metabolic conditions

Classical texts also list Prameha, a group of urinary and metabolic conditions broadly associated with the modern understanding of diabetes, among Aralu's traditional indications. This is a historical text reference and not a basis for any diabetes-related claim on a modern product.

What buyers should note on claims

Because Aralu is a name applied specifically to Ailanthus excelsa stem bark, buyers should confirm plant part and species before referencing any classical indication in a finished-product claim. Bark-only material, verified against the pharmacopoeial description, should underpin any such reference.

This information is provided for educational and B2B product-sourcing purposes only. It is not medical advice and these statements have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority. Finished-product claims are the responsibility of the manufacturer.