Ringworm Bush (Akapulko)

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Ringworm Bush (Akapulko) – Cassia alata

An erect, shrubby legume reaching 6 ft tall, Akapulko grows throughout the Philippines. It has dark green leaves and yellow-orange flowers, producing as much as 50 to 60 small, triangular seeds. For medicinal purposes, leaves, flowers and seeds are used.

The akapulko leaves contain chrysophanic acid, a fungicide that is used to treat fungal infections, like ringworms, scabies and eczema

Medicinal Uses:

• Decoction of leaves and flowers is very effective in easing asthma, cough and bronchitis.
• The seeds are effective in expelling intestinal parasites.
• Juice from leaves aids in controlling fungal infections like; eczema, athlete’s foot, ringworm, scabies, and herpes.
• Pounded leaves reduce injury-related swellings, treat insect bites, and ease rheumatism.
• Leaves and flowers concoction used as mouthwash in treating stomatitis.
• Juice from leaves ease fetid discharges.
• The leaves stain is an effective purgative.

News about Ringworm Bush (Akapulko)

Cassia alata Linn : A magical psoriasis healer

• Source:http://www.wlorganics.com/cassia-alata-linn-a-magical-psoriasis-healer/

(wlorganics admin)

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory disease, quite often leads to mental depression and make the patients to stay away from socializing and other normal activities. Psoriasis begins as a small scaling papule. When multiple papules coalesce, they form scaling plaques. These plaques tend to occur in the scalp, elbows, and knees. It is also mentioned as a non-curable disease in the medical dictionary. However, the great news here is, it can be controlled with proper treatment. Modern technologies involve various treatment protocols including narrow band UVB treatment, synthetic drugs, biologics and other topical applications. Eventually, this will also lead to some side effects like skin cancer and it is expensive as well, based on the intensity and treatment of choice. Percentage differs, but it is. Traditional medical practice with medicinal herbs is booming as one of the best possible solution for the aforesaid complications. Recently, medicinal plants are gaining significant attention among the affected population across the globe.

Cassia alata, known as ringworm shrub, winged Senna, candle tree or ringworm Cassia, owing to its traditional use of the juice from fresh leaves or as leaf decoction against ringworm, psoriasis, pruritis, itching, scabies, ulcers and others skin diseases. Cassia alata leaf has immense activity in controlling psoriasis. Indeed, this medicinal herb restores the happiness and peace of mind in the affected individual. When, remedy is the only thing of need, Cassia alata helps you out to jump off from the depression created by psoriasis. Try it and nurture it to create a peaceful life for psoriasis patients.

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Asian plants may offer remedy for diabetes

• Source:http://zeenews.india.com/ayurveda/asian-plants-may-offer-remedy-for-diabetes_1325.html

(IANS)

London: Two plants from South East Asia may have anti-diabetic properties and could help tackle obesity as well, believe British researchers.

A team of researchers at the University of Greenwich plans to investigate Cassia auriculata and Cassia alata whose extracts could yield active ingredients for a remedy to diabetes which exists in two forms - Type 1 and Type 2.

The former normally affects children, while type 2, which is most common in adults, (often diagnosed later in life) can be managed by diet, exercise and weight loss to some extent.

The group had previously hit upon a constituent called kaempferol 3-O-rutinosidehe from the extracts of one of the plants which was proven to be eight times more potent than the standard anti-diabetic drug acarbose.

The researchers have also identified anti-oxidant properties of the plants which aids in diabetes treatment.

"Our other most interesting finding is that many of the active ingredients from the Cassia auriculata plant work through a process called `synergism` -- in other words, they work together to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects," says Dr Solomon Habtemariam of the research team.

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Herbal tea treats malaria in Africa

• Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/herbal-tea-treats-malaria-in-africa/articleshow/46933654.cms

(IANS)

EW YORK: Researchers have formulated an anti-malarial tea out of an herbal remedy traditionally used to alleviate symptoms of the disease in Africa.

Derived from the roots of a weed, the herbal remedy was combined with leaves and aerial portions from two other plants with antimalarial activity, and eventually licensed and sold as an antimalarial phytomedicine.

Zephirin Dakuyo, first posted as a pharmacist in Banfora Hospital in Burkina Faso, realised that malaria-infected people in the country preferred to treat themselves with herbal medicines, in particular the roots of N'Dribala (Cochlospermum planchonii) .

However, they did not have time to collect this medicinal plant themselves, so Dakuyo, with support from the hospital staff, started to harvest and package it for the patients.

Eventually, the medicine was sold at the hospital to patients with malaria and was also provided to community health workers to supply to patients.

The medication has other uses too such as in treating hepatitis, the study said.

In the new study, detailed in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the authors have discussed the antimalarial and pharmacological properties of the herbal medication derived from Cochlospermum planchonii, Phyllanthus amarus, and Cassia alata.

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Diabetes Drugs From These 2 Tropical Plants Could Be Breakthrough

• Source: http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/diabetes-drugs-tropical-plants-could-be-breakthrough

By Deborah Mitchell G

In the search for new effective drugs to treat diabetes, scientists have been turning to the plant world. Recently, investigators from the University of Greenwich have discovered two plants with properties that could be a breakthrough in the area of new diabetes drugs. Help for diabetes could come from tropical plants

Tropical and subtropical climates are home to two plants from the same genus that appears to possess anti-diabetes benefits, such as an ability to lower fat and lipids and help with weight reduction. Those two plants are Cassia auriculata and Cassia alata.

One of the special ingredients in these plants is kaempferol, a known flavonoid that has been associated with anticancer, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiallergic benefits, among others. Kaempferol is found in many different foods, including but not limited to broccoli, tea, tomatoes, strawberries, grapefruit, cabbage, apples, and beans.

The tropical plants also contain compounds with antioxidant abilities. Antioxidants are important when treating and managing diabetes to help prevent cell damage and complications associated with the disease.

According to the authors of the new study, the kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside they extracted from the tropical plants was eight times more potent than acarbose, a standard antidiabetes drug. Acarbose is an oral medication available in the United States under the trade name Precose.

Dr. Habtemariam, one of the study's co-authors and an expert on researching new drugs from plants, also noted that many of the substances in the Cassia auriculata plant “work together to produce an effect that is greater than the sum of their individual effects.” This is an important discovery, according to Habtemariam, because it indicates that the crude plant extract could be used to treat diabetes and other associated disorders.

More about the tropical plants

Cassia auriculata (or Senna auriculata) is a shrub that grows mainly in India and Sri Lanka. It is also known as avaram and tanner’s cassia, and it has bright yellow flowers that are used as a medicinal tea for diabetes. Traditional herbalists also use the roots, bark, leaves, and seeds for fever, diabetes, constipation, conjunctivitis, gout, and diseases of the urinary tract.

Cassia alata (or Senna alata), also known as the candle bush or the candelabra bush, is native to Mexico and the tropics. It is valued both for its antifungal properties and as an ornamental plant because of its striking flowers, which look like candles.

Habtemariam and his team are continuing their research of Cassia auriculata and Cassia alata and moving toward the clinical trial phase. He notes that their efforts with these tropical plants could be part of an important breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes.

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Revisiting the Ashitaba and other anticancer herbs

• Source: http://business.inquirer.net/200549/revisiting-the-ashitaba-and-other-anticancer-herbs

By Rafael Castillo (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

A patient whom I’ve not seen for a good number of years came back looking great, with no recurrence of shortness of breath and easy fatigability that she came to our clinic for.

She was also previously diagnosed to have early (stage 1) breast cancer, for which she underwent surgery, but refused any anticancer chemotherapy after the surgery.

Laboratory examinations and referral to her previous oncologist (cancer specialist) were done and she passed all tests and consultations with flying colors.

She said she just continued all the medications we prescribed her, but she also attributed her wellbeing to an herb she regularly took—the Ashitaba plant.

We reminded her that it’s not a good practice to just continue taking one’s medicines without periodic checkup, because frequently, the doses may have to be adjusted, or some medicines may have to be discontinued or replaced.

As for the Ashitaba, I admitted to her my knowledge gap on the subject and that I could not really make an expert recommendation whether it’s good, has no effect, or might even be harmful.

My research assistant at the office quickly browsed the scientific literatures on this plant. She came back to me with no clinical data, but she brought back experimental or laboratory researches showing that it might address various common ailments including infections, ulcers and cancers.

Potent antioxidant

It has a scientific name—Angelica keiskei—and the herb grows primarily in Japan, but it can also be grown here. Its root, leaf and stem are used to extract potent antioxidants and other medicinal chemicals.

The fresh leaves can be eaten, and be mixed with other vegetables or fruit salads.

Among the available published researches on Ashitabla is a study by Ogawa H., Nakashima S. and Baba K. showing the effects of Ashitaba on cholesterol metabolism in a stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive group of subjects. However, the research group subjected to the herb was not humans, but rats. Another Japanese group validated the study, also in rats.

Another Japanese group—researchers Tabata K., Motani K., Takayanagi N., et al.—also showed beneficial effects of an active ingredient of Ashitaba, xanthoangelol, in certain types of tumors (neuroblastoma) and also in leukemia cells.

Inamori Y. et al. showed beneficial effects of the herb as an antibacterial agent. Two ingredients called chalcones—xanthoangelol and 4-hydroxyderricin—were attributed as the source of this beneficial effect in infections.

A study by a Korean group (Kang M.H. et al.) in smokers showed a protective effect against the harmful effects of nicotine on peripheral lymphocytes and other cellular structures which can damage the cell’s DNA. When the DNA is damaged, it can create havoc in the tissues which may lead to cancer.

Evidence

So, by what we can gather, there seems to be basic or experimental evidence showing that the herb have some beneficial effects, but again we can’t say for sure if these would translate to actual clinical benefits in humans.

Locally, our scientists are also evaluating the anticancer effect of several indigenous plants, fruits and herbs.

Dr. Sonia Jacinto, an anticancer natural products professor from the University of the Philippines Diliman, has conducted several researches, and one of these is the study titled “Philippine Plants Showing Cytotoxic Activity to Selected Human Cancer Cell lines,” which aimed to identify and isolate compounds responsible for the cancer-killing action of the plant extracts.

Dr. Jacinto and her team of researchers cultured cancer cells in the laboratory and treated them with the plant extracts to find out the latter’s impact on cancer cell growth. The rationale was that if the cancer cells grew, then the study is unsuccessful. If the cancer cells died, it is a good indication to proceed to the next stage.

Promising findings

According to Dr. Jacinto’s researches, there are already promising findings from the plant Annona squamosa, commonly known as the atis. The doctor added that Annona squamosa is a close relative of Annona muricata, or the guyabano, which is known to be rich in Murihexocin C, an anticancer agent.

Aside from atis and guyabano, akapulko, or the Cassia alata, a herbal medicine with antimicrobial properties, also showed anticancer potential. Dr. Jacinto’s research group tested akapulko’s cancer-killing properties against several cancer cell lines, and found it favorable and promising.

In identifying the active compound responsible for the anticancer effects, the research team has isolated a mixture of polyunsaturated fatty acid esters—which may be the key substrate which pharmaceutical companies can try to develop into cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

Researches on these herbs with anticancer properties should proceed to the clinical phase, with them being tried on actual cancer patients, in addition to (not as a replacement of) standard anticancer treatments. If they could be shown to have additional benefits to the patient, then this should be a most welcome development.