Boerhaavia diffusa
Synonyms
No documentation.
Vernacular Name
Hog weed, Pig weed, Pega-pinto, Erva-toustao, Fowl’s lice, Spreading hogs weed
Description
Boerhaavia diffusa is a hardy, low growing vine that has a very generous taproot. The creeping, hairy and sometimes purplish stems yield small red or white flowers. The leaves of this plant are smooth and oblong or cordate in shape. It spreads rapidly and is often considered an invasive species.
Origin / Habitat
B. diffusa is a prostrate herb found growing in tropical, wet areas, mostly during rainy seasons and is likely native to Brazil as well as India. It should be noted that a few studies have found that the plant is most effective, medically, when harvested in the month of May [1] [2].
Chemical Constituents
Beta-sitosterol, chlorides, chlorates, hentriacontane, nitrates, potassium nitrate, Punarnavine, sulfates, ursolic acid [2], beta-ecdysone, boeravine, boeravinones, flavons, hypoxanthine-9-L-arabinofuranoside, liridoderdin, punarnavoside, syringaresinol mono Beta-D-glucoside [3] [4].
Plant Part Used
Roots and leaves [4].
Traditional Use
The root of B. diffusa is widely used in Brazilian traditional medicine as a liver tonic and as a diuretic. Additional uses include as a gallbladder ‘stimulant’, to ease the pain of gallstones and kidney stones, to treat urinary tract infections, kidney disorders and cystitis. It has also been traditionally used to treat guinea worms. While much work has been done globally to eradicate guinea worms, they are a common source of ill health in poor areas. Several countries including Brazil, Guatamala and West Africa use B. diffusa as a treatment for this parasitic infection [4] [5].
Pharmacology
Pre-clinical
B. diffusa is presently being studied for its potential role in diabetes and liver disorders. Numerous laboratory and animal studies have proven the efficacy of B. diffusa as a hypoglycemic [1] [6] [7]. This is probably due to its regenerative actions upon Beta-cells in the pancreas [8]. One study suggested that the effect of B. diffusa on blood glucose was comparable to glibenclamide [6].
B. diffusa has been used to treat hepatic disorders for thousands of years. Today there are many studies that verify this claim. One animal study evaluated the effect of B. diffusa on rats with ethanol-induced liver damage. The liver damage consisted of increased levels of cholesterol, free fatty acids and triglycerides in the liver and kidneys, all of which were reversed after treatment with B. diffusa [9]. Additional studies have confirmed the usage of B. diffusa as a hepatoprotective [2] with no signs of toxicity [10].
B. diffusa also may play a role in cancer treatment. Animal studies have shown the effectiveness of using B. diffusa as both a chemopreventive in mice [11] and radioprotective in mice [12].
Animal studies have also confirmed the effectiveness of B. diffusa as a dermatological antifungal. These studies show that treatment decreases the growth of various species of fungus from the Microsporum genus [13] [14]. Additional research has indicated that B. diffusa, particularly the chemical Punarnavine, has the ability to inhibit the metastasis of certain melanomas in mice [15] [16] [17].
In other research settings animal and pre-clinical studies have showed that B. diffusa exhibits spasmolytic [18] [19], analgesic [20],and immunomodulatory [21] activity.
Clinical
No documentation.
Interaction and Depletions
Interaction with other Herbs
No documentation.
Interaction with Drugs
Not to be used by those taking diabetes medication as this herb may alter the dosage required.
Precautions and Contraindications
Side effects
Not to be used by those taking medication for hepatic disorders as this herb may alter treatment outcomes.
Pregnancy
Not to be used by pregnant and nursing women.
Age limitation
No documentation.
Adverse reaction
No documentation.
Read More
2) Western Herb
4) Ayuverda
References
- Chude MA, Orisakwe OE, Afonne OJ, Gamaniel KS, Vongtau OH, Obi E. Hypoglycaemic effect of the aqueous extract of Boerhavia diffuse leaves. Ind J Pharmacol. 2001; 33: 215-216.
- Rawat AK, Mehrotra S, Tripathi SC, Shome U. Hepatoprotective activity of Boerhaavia diffusa L. roots–a popular Indian ethnomedicine. J Ethnopharmacol.Mar1997;56(1):61-66.
- Premila, M.S. Ayurvedic Herbs: A Clinical Guide to the Healing Plants of Traditional Indian Medicine. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press; 2006. 475.
- Taylor L. The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals. New York: Square One Publishers; 2005.259.
- Duke JA. Medicinal Plants of Latin America. New York: Taylor and Francis; 2009.721.
- Pari L, Amarnath Satheesh M. Antidiabetic activity of Boerhaavia diffusa L.: effect on hepatic key enzymes in experimental diabetes. J Ethnopharmacol. Mar2004;91(1):109-113.
- Satheesh MA, Pari L. Antioxidant effect of Boerhavia diffusa L. in tissues of alloxan induced diabetic rats. Indian J Exp Biol. Oct2004;42(10):989-992.
- N. Koteswara Rao, MM. Annapurna, Boini KM, S. Nammi. Antidiabetic Activity of Boerhaavia diffusa L. Leaf Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced IDDM Model Rats. Asia Pacific Journal of Pharmacology 2004; 16: 67–70.
- Devaki, T., Shivashangari, K. S., Ravikumar, V., Govindaraju, P.Hepatoprotective activity of Boerhavia diffusa on ethanol-induced liver damage in rats. J Nat Rem. 4, 2; 2004.
- Chandan BK, Sharma AK, Anand KK. Boerhaavia diffusa: a study of its hepatoprotective activity. J Ethnopharmacol. Mar1991;31(3):299-307.
- Bharali R, Azad MR, Tabassum J. Chemopreventive action of Boerhaavia diffusa on DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis in mice. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. Oct2003;47(4):459-464.
- Manu KA, Leyon PV, Kuttan G. Studies on the protective effects of Boerhaavia diffusa L. against gamma radiation induced damage in mice. Integr Cancer Ther. Dec2007;6(4):381-388.
- Agrawal A, Srivastava S, Srivastava MM. Antifungal activity of Boerhavia diffusa against some dermatophytic species of Microsporum. Hindustan Antibiot Bull. Feb2003- Nov2004;45-46(1-4):1-4.
- Agrawal A, Srivastava S, Srivastava JN, Srivastava MM. Inhibitory effect of the plant Boerhavia diffusa l. against the dermatophytic fungus Microsporum fulvum. J Environ Biol. Jul2004;25(3):307-311.
- Manu KA, Kuttan G. Anti-metastatic potential of Punarnavine, an alkaloid from Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Immunobiology. 5Dec2008. [Epub ahead of print]
- Manu KA, Kuttan G. Boerhaavia diffusa stimulates cell-mediated immune response by upregulating IL-2 and downregulating the pro-inflammatory cytokines and GM-CSF in B16F-10 metastatic melanoma bearing mice. J Exp Ther Oncol. 2008;7(1):17-29.
- Manu KA, Kuttan G. Effect of Punarnavine, an alkaloid from Boerhaavia diffusa, on cell-mediated immune responses and TIMP-1 in B16F-10 metastatic melanoma-bearing mice. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2007;29(3-4):569-586.
- Borrelli F, Ascione V, Capasso R, Izzo AA, Fattorusso E, Taglialatela-Scafati O. Spasmolytic effects of nonprenylated rotenoid constituents of Boerhaavia diffusa roots. J Nat Prod. Jun 2006;69(6):903-906.
- Borrelli F, Milic N, Ascione V, Capasso R, Izzo AA, Capasso F, Petrucci F, Valente R, Fattorusso E, Taglialatela-Scafati O. Isolation of new rotenoids from Boerhaavia diffusa and evaluation of their effect on intestinal motility. Planta Med. Oct2005;71(10):928-932.
- Hiruma-Lima CA, Gracioso JS, Bighetti EJ, Germonsén Robineou L, Souza Brito AR. The juice of fresh leaves of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae) markedly reduces pain in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. Jul2000;71(1-2):267-274.
- Mehrotra S, Mishra KP, Maurya R, Srimal RC, Singh VK. Immunomodulation by ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa roots. Int Immunopharmacol. Jun2002;2(7):987-996.
