Gurmar, Gymnema Sylvestre, Gymnema, Cowplant, Australian, Cowplant

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 7 min read

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For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

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Article Summary

Gurmar is also known as Gymnema Sylvestre is a perennial woody vine grown in tropical areas of Africa, India, and Australia. It is also known as Australian cowplant, gymnema, Periploca of the woods. It is a staple herb of Ayurvedic apothecary used traditionally to balance the level of blood sugars. It supports pancreas functions. Leaves and extracts possess gymnemic acids which is the major bioactive...

Key Takeaways

This article explains Gurmar Scientific Classification in simple medical language.
This article explains Health Benefits of Gurmar in simple medical language.
This article explains Traditional uses in simple medical language.

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.

Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.

Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

Name	Gurmar
Scientific Name	Gymnema sylvestre
Native	Tropical forests of southern and central India and SriLanka
Common/English Name	Gymnema, Cowplant, Australian, Cowplant, and Periploca of the woods, Gemnema Melicida, Gur-Mar, Gimnema, Gurmar, Gurmarbooti, Gymnema montanum, Gymnéma Sylvestre, Gymnema sylvestre, Gymnéma, Madhunashini, Merasingi, Miracle Plant, Meshashringi, Shardunika, Periploca sylvestris, Vishani
Name in Other Languages	Bengali: meshashrunga (মেষশৃঙ্গ); Gujarati: gudmar (ગુડમાર), madhunashini (મધુનાશિની); Hindi: gurmar (गुड़मार); Kannada: madhunashini (ಮಧುನಾಶಿನಿ); Konkani: kawli (कौळी); Malayalam: cakkarakkolli (ചക്കരക്കൊല്ലി); Marathi: bedakicha pala (बेडकीचा पाला), gudmar (गुडमार); Oriya: lakshmi (ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀ), mendhasingia (ମେଣ୍ଢା ଶିଙ୍ଗିଆ), nagapushpi (ନାଗପୁଷ୍ପୀ); Sanskrit: madhunashini (मधुनाशिनी); Tamil: cirukurinca (சிறுகுறிஞ்சா), kokilam (கோகிலம்); Telugu: podapatri (:పొడపత్రి); Urdu: sa sri ngi, sa si nga; Chinese: Chi geng teng; English: Miracle-fruit; Hindi: Medhasingi, Gurhmar; Malayalam: Shiru kuranja; Sanskrit: Meshashringi, Meshashiringi; Tamil: Shirukuriy; Telugu: Vodapatte
Plant Growth Habit	Slow growing, perennial, medicinal woody climber
Leaves	Elongate, elliptic, oval-shaped
Flower	Pale yellow, bell-shaped
Taste	Astringent, Bitter

Gurmar Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Gymnema sylvestre

Rank	Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom	Viridiplantae (Green plants)
Infrakingdom	Streptophyta (Land plants)
Superdivision	Embryophyta
Division	Tracheophyta (Vascular plants, tracheophytes)
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Gentianales
Family	Apocynaceae (Dogbane, apocyns)
Genus	Gymnema R. Br.
Species	Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R. Br. ex Schult. (Miracle fruit)
Synonyms	Apocynum alterniflorum Lour. Asclepias geminata Roxb. Conocalpis umbellata Boj. Conocalpis umbellata Boj. ex Decne. Cynanchum senegalense Sieber Cynanchum senegalense Sieber ex Decne. Cynanchum subvolubile Schum. & Thonn. Gymnema affine Decne. Gymnema alterniflorum (Loureire) Merr. Gymnema formosanum Warburg Gymnema geminatum R.Br. Gymnema humile Decne. Gymnema melicida Edgew. Gymnema mkenii Harv. Gymnema parvifolium Wall. Gymnema rufescens Decne. Gymnema subvolubile Decne. Gymnema sylvestre R.Br. Gymnema sylvestre var. affine (Decne.) Tsiang Gymnema sylvestre var. chinensis Bentham Gymnema thorelii Costantin Marsdenia sylvestris (Retz.) P.I.Forster Periploca sylvestris Retz. Periploca tenuifolia Willd. Periploca tenuifolia Willd. ex Schult. Strophanthus alterniflorus (Lour.) Spreng.

Plant

Gurmar is a climber plant having leaves with soft hairs on the upper surface. Leaves are elongate and oval-shaped. Flowers are small, umbelliferous inflorescence which blooms throughout the year.

Health Benefits of Gurmar

Halt sugar cravings

Gurmar is known for its ability to lower the perception of sweet flavors and lower cravings for sweets and sugars. People with ketosis if an experienced occasional sweet tooth may find it beneficial to add Gymnema Sylvestre by avoiding sugar and sweet treats by making it less appealing.

Weight loss

Gymnema and its extracts is beneficial to lose weight. In humans and rats, Gymnema shows an anti-obesity effect and prevents weight gain and improves health markers related to being overweight. Gymnema Sylvestre when taken before meals by overweight people tends to eat less. It lowers body weight by stimulating the central nervous system by managing stress, disrupting sleep and altering cortisol levels. Also, it lowered the body weight to normal levels in obese rats. It makes a transition to low carb intake easier and lowers the adverse effects of consuming too many carbs and sugar.

Manage blood sugar

Gymnema is helpful for insulin is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।" data-rx-term="diabetes" data-rx-definition="Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar stays too high because insulin is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।">diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It controls blood sugar and also reduces the levels of high blood glucose. It improves insulin response to food and lowers the dependence on insulin therapy and oral diabetes drugs. It restores insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells and regenerates the damaged beta cells.

Antioxidant activity

Gymnema is loaded with antioxidants. Reactive oxygen species are also known as free radicals that cause oxidative stress in the human body. People who are overweight have low antioxidants and high levels of oxidative stress that is associated to high chances of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, insulin is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।" data-rx-term="diabetes" data-rx-definition="Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar stays too high because insulin is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।">diabetes, cancer, and fatty liver disease. Study shows that in obese rats, it boosts the antioxidant system and reduces tendon. সহজ বাংলা: মাংসপেশি/টেনডনে টান।" data-rx-term="strain" data-rx-definition="A strain is injury to a muscle or tendon. সহজ বাংলা: মাংসপেশি/টেনডনে টান।">strain on the body from being overweight.

Prevent microbes

Research shows that Gymnema Sylvestre possesses antimicrobial activity. It is effective against Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria.

Traditional uses

Leaves are useful for constipation, stomach ailments, liver disease, and water retention.
Leaves, flowers and fruits are used to treat high/low blood pressure, arrhythmias, and tachycardia.
It eliminates bad odor of breast milk.
Flower and leaf extract is beneficial to maintain eye health.
Root bark is used to treat piles.
In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, it is used for treating health conditions such as metabolic syndrome, insulin is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।" data-rx-term="diabetes" data-rx-definition="Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar stays too high because insulin is low or not working well. সহজ বাংলা: রক্তে চিনি বেশি থাকার রোগ।">diabetes, malaria and snakebites.
It is also used to treat jaundice.
Leaf juice is use to avoid constipation.
It prevents formation of dental plaque.
It is helpful in treating phlegm and other respiratory infections.
It relieves colic pain and cures dropsy.

Dosage

Tea: Boil the leaves for about 5 minutes and then steep for 10 to 15 minutes before drinking.

Side effects

It may lower the blood pressure.
It could lead to side effects such as nausea, pain in the head or upper neck. সহজ বাংলা: মাথাব্যথা।" data-rx-term="headache" data-rx-definition="Headache means pain in the head or upper neck. সহজ বাংলা: মাথাব্যথা।">headache, shakiness, lightheadedness and dizziness.

References

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

Write when the problem started and how it changed.
Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
Basic physical examination by a clinician
CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

Drink safe fluids and monitor temperature.
In dengue-prone areas, discuss CBC and platelet count when fever persists or warning signs appear.
Use tepid sponging for high fever discomfort; avoid ice-cold bathing.

OTC medicine safety

For fever, common fever medicine may be discussed with a clinician or pharmacist.
Avoid aspirin/ibuprofen-like medicines in suspected dengue unless a doctor says it is safe.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

Fever with breathing difficulty, confusion, repeated vomiting, bleeding, severe weakness, stiff neck, or dehydration needs urgent care.

Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Doctor / qualified healthcare provider

Tests to discuss with doctor

Basic vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level if needed
Relevant blood, urine, imaging, or specialist tests only after clinical assessment

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
Which tests are really needed now?
Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Go to emergency care if you notice:

Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration

Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.

Step 1
Check danger signs first
If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.
Step 2
Record the symptom story
Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.
Step 3
Visit a qualified clinician
A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.
Step 4
Do only useful tests
Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.
Step 5
Follow up and return early if worse
If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips

Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.