About
Sesbania grandiflora (family Fabaceae), native to India and Indonesia, is a perennial legume tree whose leaves have been consumed as food and used in traditional medicine across South and Southeast Asia for centuries. The leaf extract is rich in bioactive phytochemicals — including flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol), alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phenolic acids, and biotin — and is used in dietary supplements and functional-food formulations for its antioxidant, anti-fibrotic, and antimicrobial properties.
Safety summary
Available preclinical and limited clinical evidence indicates that S. grandiflora leaf extract is well tolerated in healthy adults at typical supplemental doses; a 90-day randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial reported no adverse safety signals in participants receiving 1.25 mg biotin-standardised extract orally. No Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) has been formally established by EFSA, FDA, or FSSAI, and no IARC classification exists. The presence of tannins, saponins, and oxalates in the leaf matrix warrants caution at very high extract doses, particularly in individuals with kidney or liver conditions.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Under the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016, legumes and botanical plants listed in the Indian Food Composition Tables — which includes S. grandiflora — may be used as ingredients in supplements and nutraceuticals either as-is or as extracts obtained via water, ethyl alcohol, or hydro-alcoholic extraction. Specific health claims require prior approval from the Food Authority.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Under_review | Sesbania grandiflora is not listed as an approved food additive in the EU. EFSA's Compendium of Botanicals is an open-source reference database of plant species that contain substances of potential concern for safety assessment purposes; the Compendium has no legal force and inclusion or absence does not constitute a safety ruling. No dedicated EFSA opinion on S. grandiflora leaf extract as a food ingredient has been published as of 2025.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Under_review | Sesbania grandiflora leaf extract is present in marketed dietary supplement products tracked in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. No FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) affirmation or food additive petition specific to S. grandiflora leaf extract has been identified. The extract is not listed in FDA's Substance Registration System (GSRS) as a food additive; its use in dietary supplements falls under 21 CFR Part 111 GMPs but does not require pre-market approval.source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1PubMed. Distribution, Phytochemical Insights, and Cytotoxic Potential of the Sesbania Genus: A Comprehensive Review of Sesbania grandiflora, Sesbania sesban, and Sesbania cannabina, 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2PubMed. The Role of Sesbania grandiflora-Derived Biotin and Bambusa arundinacea-Derived Silica Extracts in Promoting Hair, Skin, and Nail Health: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study, 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3PubMed. Phenolic composition, antioxidant and anti-fibrotic effects of Sesbania grandiflora L. (Agastya) – An edible medicinal plant, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016 — Compendium (2021 edition), 2021. fssai.gov.in
- 5PubMed. Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Cytoprotective Activity of Agathi Leaf Protein, 2014. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
