Other Names: Three-leaved caper • Barun • Varun • Crataeva • Sacred Garlic Pear
✨ Energetic & Astrological Profile
Element: Water + Air
Phase of the Moon: Waning Moon
Zodiac Signs: Pisces, Virgo, Scorpio – offers balance and detox to Capricorn and Taurus
Planets: Moon, Neptune
Tarot Cards:
🌊 The Moon – hidden conditions, deep detox
⚖ Justice – balance, restoration
💧 Ace of Cups – purification, emotional clarity
🌍 Habitat & Sensory Nature
Native to India and Sri Lanka, Varuna thrives near rivers and wetlands — always with its roots in water and its branches reaching toward clarity.
Flavour: Pungent, astringent, slightly bitter
Temperature: Warming
Humidity: Drying
Tissue State Support: Damp stagnation, obstruction
🧬 Phytochemistry & Herbal Actions
Constituents:
- Saponins
- Flavonoids
- Glucosinolates (like sinigrin)
- Lupeol
- Sterols
Primary Actions:
Diuretic • Anti-inflammatory • Litholytic (stone-breaker) • Antibacterial • Anti-edematous • Tonic to bladder and kidneys
💊 Medicinal Benefits
Corydalis is to pain what Varuna is to urinary flow — a deep system mover, breaking through blockages and easing what feels “stuck” in the body.
🌿 Urinary Support:
- Traditionally used for kidney and bladder stones — helps break them down and ease their passage
- Clears urinary tract infections and supports healthy urination
- Strengthens bladder tone and relieves chronic cystitis, prostatitis, and painful urination
🌿 Lymphatic & Circulatory Support:
- Eases fluid retention and puffiness (especially in the lower body)
- Supports detoxification via kidneys and lymph
- Helpful in cases of sluggish elimination or oedema
🌿 Liver & Skin Connection:
- Gently stimulates liver function — helpful for skin conditions rooted in poor detox pathways
- Used traditionally in Ayurvedic formulas for eczema, acne, and boils with a damp or inflamed presentation
🧘 Emotional & Energetic Benefits
Energetically, Varuna clears emotional sludge — the kind that clogs clarity and movement. If you’ve felt emotionally bogged down or energetically bloated, this is the plant to get things flowing again.
- Especially helpful for those who hold onto grief in the body
- Assists with emotional stagnation linked to pelvic, reproductive, or urinary issues
- Encourages emotional release via the water element — through tears, sweat, or sacred flow
🧒 Child-Friendly Use
⚠ Not typically used in children unless under the guidance of a qualified herbalist. Mild formulas may be appropriate in cases of urinary infection or water retention.
⚠️ Contraindications
⚠ Avoid during pregnancy unless directed by a practitioner
⚠ May increase urination – ensure adequate hydration
⚠ Use caution with diuretic medications or known kidney conditions
⚠ Not for prolonged use in those with severely depleted constitutions
🧪 Dosage & Preparation
🌼 Tea (decoction): 1 tsp bark per cup of water, simmer 15–20 mins, drink up to 2x daily
🌼 Tincture (1:5): 20–40 drops, up to 3x daily
🌼 Powdered Bark: 1–3g daily, often used in Ayurvedic formulas
🛒 Shop This Herb
Coming soon: Varuna-based formulations for urinary support, fluid balance, and deep detox. Sign up for our newsletter for the drop 🌿
🔮 Daz’s Diagnosis
Varuna doesn’t play around. This is the herb you bring in when the body needs to let go — physically, emotionally, spiritually. She’s like that no-nonsense aunty who hands you a cup of detox tea and says, “Pee it out, cry it out, sweat it out — just stop holding it in.”
It’s especially for the ones who suppress grief in the belly, carry frustration in their bladder, or walk around like they’re fine... but inside? Swampy.
Let Varuna drain what doesn’t belong. Not with force, but with a grounded wisdom that knows when it’s time to release and move on.
Disclaimer: The information shared in these plant profiles is intended for educational and inspirational purposes only. The uses and properties described are based on traditional knowledge, folk practices, and historical sources. They are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner or clinical herbalist before using any herbs, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or managing a health condition.
