Embelin

CAS Number	550-24-3 (verified against PubChem CID 3218)
Molecular Formula / MW	C17H26O4 / 294.39 g/mol
Chemical Class	Alkyl-substituted hydroxybenzoquinone — 2,5-dihydroxy-3-undecyl-1,4-benzoquinone
Botanical Source	Embelia ribes (vidanga; false black pepper); also E. tsjeriam-cottam
Plant Part(s)	Fruit (berry)
Typical Standardisation	Embelin by HPLC; 98% high-purity isolate
Claim Strength (Overview)	Emerging — the only known non-peptide small-molecule XIAP inhibitor; documented antifertility activity is a material safety flag
Buy from Herbuno	Embelin 98% Powder (Vidanga) | High-Purity Isolate | Embelia ribes →

Name origin: Embelin is named directly for the source genus Embelia. Structurally it is an unusual and rather elegant molecule — a polar dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone head bearing a long saturated undecyl (C11) tail, which gives it a distinctly amphipathic character: the quinone ring makes it a competent redox-cycling radical scavenger, while the lipid tail favours membrane insertion. It is also known as embelic acid. Traditional use: Embelia ribes — vidanga in Ayurveda — is one of the classical anthelmintic drugs of the Indian materia medica, prescribed principally for intestinal worm infestation, and the bright orange embelin-rich berries have a long-documented ethnomedicinal record. Critically, its second classical use was as a contraceptive, and this is not an incidental footnote: it is the basis of the safety flag that dominates this page. Safety context: This monograph must state up front that embelin has extensively documented antifertility activity in both male and female animal models, and was formally investigated in the mid-20th century as an oral contraceptive of plant origin. That is a material and disqualifying consideration for most general supplement applications, and it should determine how any formulator approaches this ingredient. Commercial source: Embelia ribes fruit, from which embelin is isolated at high purity. Contemporary interest is overwhelmingly pharmaceutical — embelin is the only known non-peptide small-molecule XIAP inhibitor — rather than nutraceutical.

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Evidence for Embelin Applications

Embelin’s antifertility activity must be stated before anything else, because it is the fact that governs the ingredient’s appropriate use. Embelin has become known specifically for its antihelminthic and contraceptive use, and a drug evaluation reviewing its history, therapeutic use, phytochemistry, and toxicology confirms this positioning explicitly (Radhakrishnan 2014). The antifertility literature is substantial and spans decades: embelin was formally investigated as an oral contraceptive of plant origin, and its antifertility effects have been demonstrated in male rats. Any formulator considering this ingredient for a general-population supplement must reckon with this directly rather than treating it as a historical curiosity. Claim strength: Moderate (adverse/contraceptive signal, animal-model).

The contemporary scientific interest in embelin is pharmaceutical and is genuinely distinctive. The same evaluation identifies embelin as the only known non-peptide small-molecule X-linked inhibitor of the apoptosis protein (XIAP) — an anti-apoptotic protein considered a promising cancer therapeutic target — and notes that embelin acts as an NF-κB blocker and potential suppressor of tumorigenesis, while exhibiting potent cytotoxic, antioxidant, and cancer-chemopreventive effects. Being the sole non-peptide small molecule in a target class is a legitimately notable structural achievement. Claim strength: Emerging (preclinical only).

The XIAP mechanism has been characterised at cellular resolution. Work in leukemic cell lines K562 and U937 found that embelin causes dose-dependent suppression of proliferation correlating with induction of apoptosis, with treatment causing loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c, subsequent caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage, alongside decreased phosphorylation of AKT and downregulation of XIAP (Siveen 2017). This is a coherent, well-mapped apoptotic mechanism — and precisely because it is a pro-apoptotic, cell-death-inducing mechanism, it is a poor fit for indiscriminate consumer supplementation. Claim strength: Emerging (preclinical only).

An additional pharmacological finding with direct safety relevance: embelin has been identified as an inhibitor of protein kinase C in platelets, inhibiting platelet aggregation induced by multiple agonists. This antiplatelet activity is a mechanistically real effect and creates plausible bleeding-risk interaction with anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication — a caution that should be stated on any embelin-containing product independently of the antifertility concern. Claim strength: Emerging.

The honest summary of this compound’s commercial position: embelin is a scientifically interesting molecule with a well-defined pharmaceutical target and a substantial preclinical literature spanning anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, and antidiabetic activity — and essentially no human clinical trial data supporting any consumer application. Combined with the documented antifertility and antiplatelet activities, this places embelin firmly in the research-and-pharmaceutical-intermediate category rather than the supplement category, and Herbuno’s 98% isolate should be understood and sold in that light. Claim strength: Emerging.

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Dosage & Formulator Specification

Herbuno carries Embelin at 98% purity as a high-purity isolate from Embelia ribes. This grade is appropriate for research applications, analytical reference use, and pharmaceutical intermediate supply. It is not an appropriate ingredient for a general-population supplement, and Herbuno will discuss intended application with any buyer.

No human dose-response data exists for embelin, and it would be irresponsible to supply a serving-size recommendation. Preclinical work has used oral embelin at doses such as 75 mg/kg/day in rats over 15–30 days, and the antifertility investigations used comparable regimes — these are toxicological and pharmacological reference points, not supplement dosing guidance. Formulators should not extrapolate a human serving size from rodent pharmacology for a compound with documented reproductive and antiplatelet activity.

Analytical verification should specify embelin content by HPLC against a certified reference standard, with purity of the 98% grade confirmed by a batch certificate rather than a specification sheet. Embelin has poor aqueous solubility owing to its long undecyl chain, and the substantial published effort on embelin derivatives with improved aqueous solubility reflects this as a real formulation constraint. Solvent-residue testing is standard given that isolation typically involves organic solvents. Botanical authentication of Embelia ribes is appropriate given documented substitution within the genus.

The safety profile of embelin is dominated by two documented pharmacological activities that are not side effects but core properties of the molecule. First, antifertility activity — demonstrated across male and female animal models and formally investigated as a plant-origin oral contraceptive — makes this compound unsuitable for anyone of reproductive intent and, in the absence of human safety data, for general supplementation. Second, embelin inhibits platelet protein kinase C and platelet aggregation, creating plausible bleeding-risk interaction with anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication and before surgery. The pro-apoptotic XIAP-inhibitory mechanism, while pharmacologically valuable, is a further reason to treat this as a targeted research compound rather than a general wellness ingredient.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Embelin

Is embelin safe as a dietary supplement?
It should not be treated as one. Embelin has extensively documented antifertility activity in male and female animal models and was formally investigated as a plant-origin oral contraceptive. It also inhibits platelet aggregation. Combined with a complete absence of human clinical safety data, this places it in the research and pharmaceutical-intermediate category, not the supplement category.

What is XIAP and why does embelin matter for it?
XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein) is an anti-apoptotic protein considered a promising cancer target. Embelin is the only known non-peptide small-molecule XIAP inhibitor — a genuinely notable structural achievement. It blocks XIAP binding to procaspase-9, inducing apoptosis. All of this evidence is preclinical.

What was embelin traditionally used for?
Two things, and the second matters. In Ayurveda, Embelia ribes (vidanga) is a classical anthelmintic for intestinal worms. But its other classical use was as a contraceptive — which is not an incidental footnote but the historical basis of the modern antifertility findings.

Can embelin interact with medication?
Yes. Embelin has been identified as a protein kinase C inhibitor in platelets and inhibits platelet aggregation induced by multiple agonists. This creates plausible bleeding-risk interaction with anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication, and warrants caution before surgery — independently of the antifertility concern.

Related compounds: Gallic Acid, Quercetin, Curcumin, Resveratrol

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Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.

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