Evodia rutaecarpa

Evodia rutaecarpa berries are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for warming effects and GI complaints. Contains evodiamine and rutaecarpine alkaloids. Evodiamine is a TRPV1 agonist (like capsaicin) creating sensation of warmth. Preclinical research shows anti-inflammatory (COX-2/NF-κB inhibition), anticancer (topoisomerase I inhibition, apoptosis), and thermogenic effects. Limited human data. Poor bioavailability. CAUTION: Potential hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity reported in animal studies.

Quick Answer

What it is

Evodia rutaecarpa berries are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for warming effects and GI complaints. Contains evodiamine and rutaecarpine alkaloids.

Key findings

Grade D: Tumor Cell Proliferation
Grade D: Inflammatory Markers
Grade D: Body Fat Accumulation

Safety

CAUTION: Potential hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity reported in animal studies.

ℹ️ Quick Facts: Evodia rutaecarpa

Quick Facts: Evodia rutaecarpa

Best Evidence:Grade D
Conditions Studied:1
Research Outcomes:5
Key Effect:Body Composition

Outcomes by grade:

1 conditions · 5 outcomes

Detailed Outcomes

Tumor Cell Proliferation

Multiple in vitro studies show evodiamine inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis across colon cancer, renal carcinoma, and other cell lines via topoisomerase I inhibition, G2/M cell cycle arrest, and IGF-1/HIF-1α downregulation. Novel evodiamine derivatives have been synthesized to improve potency. No human cancer trials exist.

moderate↓Worsens

Inflammatory Markers

In vitro and animal studies demonstrate evodiamine strongly inhibits prostaglandin E2 synthesis, COX-2 induction, and NF-κB activation. Traditional use in Chinese medicine for inflammatory GI complaints supports the mechanism, but no controlled human trials have been conducted.

moderate↓Improves

Cold Sensitivity

Evodiamine is a TRPV1 receptor agonist (the same target as capsaicin), producing a warming sensation and reducing perception of cold in mechanistic and animal studies. Traditional use in Chinese medicine centers on warming effects for cold-related conditions. No controlled human data is available.

small↓Worsens

Oral Bioavailability

Pharmacokinetic study in rats demonstrated poor oral bioavailability of evodiamine with rapid metabolism, suggesting that oral supplement dosing may not achieve therapeutically relevant plasma concentrations. This is a significant limitation for all proposed therapeutic applications.

large↓Worsens

Body Fat Accumulation

Two animal studies showed anti-obesity effects with evodiamine supplementation. However, the mechanism may involve TRPV1-mediated heat perception rather than true increases in caloric expenditure. Poor oral bioavailability limits translational relevance to humans.

small↓Improves

Evidence by Condition

Best grade per condition (each condition may have multiple outcomes)

DBody Composition

1 outcome · 2 studies

↓Body Fat AccumulationImproves

Research Citations (11)

Evodiamine: A extremely potential drug development candidate of alkaloids from Evodia rutaecarpa

Int J Nanomedicine (2024)

PMID: 39345907

Immobilized cells on microcarriers for efficient and biomimetic screening of active compounds acting on FGFR4 from Fructus evodiae.

Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis (2024)

PMID: 38908234

Design, synthesis and bioactivity evaluation of novel N-phenyl-substituted evodiamine derivatives as potent anti-tumor agents.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry (2022)

PMID: 34990980

Untargeted LC-MS/MS-Based Multi-Informative Molecular Networking for Targeting the Antiproliferative Ingredients in Tetradium ruticarpum Fruit.

Molecules (2022)

PMID: 35889335

Evodiamine: A review of its pharmacology, toxicity, pharmacokinetics and preparation researches

J Ethnopharmacol (2020)

PMID: 32956321

Evodiamine: A novel anti-cancer alkaloid from Evodia rutaecarpa

Molecules (2018)

PMID: 30415034

Cytological Assessments and Transcriptome Profiling Demonstrate that Evodiamine Inhibits Growth and Induces Apoptosis in a Renal Carcinoma Cell Line.

Scientific Reports (2017)

PMID: 28974748

Antiproliferation effect of evodiamine in human colon cancer cells is associated with IGF-1/HIF-1α downregulation.

Oncology Reports (2015)

PMID: 26503233

Evodiamine: a novel anti-cancer alkaloid from Evodia rutaecarpa.

Molecules (2009)

PMID: 19471205

Anti-inflammatory principles from the fruits of Evodia rutaecarpa and their cellular action mechanisms

Arch Pharm Res (2006)

PMID: 16681034

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