Baccharis trimera herb and health uses

Baccharis trimera (Less) DC (Asteraceae), known in Brazil as carqueja, has been popularly used to treat liver diseases, rheumatism, diabetes, as well as digestive, hepatic and renal disorders. This herb is also used for energy enhancement and as an aphrodisiac.

Animal studies show
Baccharis trimera has anti-inflammatory properties which seem to be due, at least partly, to the inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis. This plant also has compounds that relax corpus cavernosum smooth muscle. Bacchars trimera may also help decrease food intake.

Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of Baccharis trimera aqueous extract on induced pleurisy in rats and lymphoproliferation in vitro.
Inflammation. 2009 Dec; Paul EL, Lunardelli A, Caberlon E, de Oliveira CB, Santos RC, Biolchi V, Bastos CM, Moreira KB, Nunes FB, Gosmann G, de Oliveira JR. Laboratório de Pesquisa em Biofísica Celular e Inflamação, Faculdade de Biociências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
Baccharis trimera is a widespread South American plant known as "carqueja". Medicinal teas prepared from the aerial parts of this plant are used in folk medicine in cases of liver diseases and inflammatory processes. We evaluated the effects of aqueous extract of B. trimera in the experimental inflammatory model of carrageenan-induced pleurisy in rat. The injection of carrageenan into the pleural cavity induces an influx of cells and fluid accumulation with a large number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and increase of protein levels. The inflammation parameters were attenuated when B. trimera (400 and 800 mg/kg, i.p.) was administrated 30 min before the carrageenan. The immunomodulatory effects were evaluated in vitro on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The extract in concentration of 25, 50 and 100 mg/mL presented inhibited the T-lymphocytes proliferation stimulated by phytohemagglutinin, but these extract concentrations also presented cytotoxic effect. These results showed that the aqueous extract of B. trimera has anti-inflammatory effect.

Argentinian plant extracts with relaxant effect on the smooth muscle of the corpus cavernosum of guinea pig.
Phytomedicine. 2003 November. Hnatyszyn O, Moscatelli V, Garcia J, Rondina R, Costa M, Arranz C, Balaszczuk A, Ferraro G, Coussio JD. Cátedra de Farmacognosia, IQUIMEFA (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Extracts of different polarity from Baccharis trimera, Haplopappus rigidus Huperzia saururus, Maytenus ilicifolia, Satureja parvifolia and Senecio eriophyton were tested for their relaxant activity on smooth muscle using L-phenylephrine precontracted strips of corpus cavernosum obtained from Guinea pigs. Highly significant and dose dependent results were obtained with the dichloromethane extracts of Huperzia saururus (87% of relaxation at the dose of 10 mg/ml), Satureja parvifolia (95% of relaxation at 2.5 mg/ml) and Senecio eriophyton (94% of relaxation at 5 mg/ml). Similar effects were observed with the methanol extracts of Huperzia saururus (88% of relaxation at 10 mg/ml) and Satureja parvifolia (84% of relaxation at 10 mg/ml). These results were comparable to those obtained with the dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the well known Mexican species Turnera diffusa. Moreover, the aqueous extract of Haplopappus rigidus and the aqueous and methanol extracts of Senecio eriophyton were highly effective in a dose dependent manner (more than 90% of relaxation at the dose of 10 mg/ml). Significant results, but with a lower overall relaxant activity (about 70% of relaxation at 10 mg/ml), could also be obtained with the aqueous extract of Satureja parvifolia and with the dichlormethane and methanol extracts of Baccharis trimera and Maytenus ilicifolia. The positive controls with Sildenafil citrate at doses ranging from 0.35 to 35 microg/ml yielded moderate effects (up to 46% of relaxation at 35 microg/ml). The effects observed in the present study seem to validate the folk medicinal use of the tested plants and open new ways in the search for natural products with vasodilatory effects.

Effect of the extracts and fractions of Baccharis trimera and Syzygium cumini on glycaemia of diabetic and non-diabetic mice.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 December. Oliveira AC, Endringer DC, Amorim LA, das Graças L Brandão M, Coelho MM. Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte MG, Brazil.
W investigated the effects of extracts and fractions of Baccharis trimera and Syzygium cumini on glycaemia of diabetic and non-diabetic mice. Crude ethanolic extracts and aqueous and butanolic fractions of the aerial parts of Baccharis trimera and leaves of Syzygium cumini were evaluated. None of the extracts or fractions (200 or 2000 mg/kg, per os) induced any effect after acute administration. Seven-day treatment with crude ethanolic and aqueous and butanolic fractions (200-2000 mg/kg, twice daily, per os) of Syzygium cumini reduced glycaemia of non-diabetic mice. However, this effect was associated with a reduction of food intake and body weight, indicating that this may not be a genuine hypoglycaemic effect. In diabetic mice, only the aqueous fraction of Baccharis trimera (2000 mg/kg, twice daily, per os) reduced the glycaemia after a 7-day treatment. This effect was not associated with a body weight reduction. The results suggest that Baccharis trimera presents a potential antidiabetic activity and indicate that food intake and body weight must be determined when evaluating metabolic parameters after prolonged administration of plant extracts.

Substnaces in Baccharis
The active constituents are saponins in which echinocystic acid (or its enantiomer) is the major aglycone, quinic acids, and also flavonoids such as rutin, and ent-clerodane-type diterpenoids. Dilactonic clerodane diterpene in Baccharis trimera helps relax smooth muscles.

Baccharis species include
Baccharis articulata (Lam.) Persoon. is promoted in Brazil as having weight loss properties.
Baccharis crispa
Baccharis genistelloides Persoon var. trimera (Less.) DC,
Baccharis milleflora (Less.) DC
B. usterii

Baccharis trimera not to be used during pregnancy
Baccharis trimera: effect on hematological and biochemical parameters and hepatorenal evaluation in pregnant rats.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2008 Apr 17;117(1):28-33. Grance SR, Teixeira MA, Leite RS, Guimarães EB, de Siqueira JM, de Oliveira Filiu WF, de Souza Vasconcelos SB, do Carmo Vieira M. Grance SR, Teixeira MA, Leite RS, Guimarães EB, de Siqueira JM, de Oliveira Filiu WF, de Souza Vasconcelos SB, do Carmo Vieira M. Program in Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cx. Postal 549, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brazil.
This investigation evaluated the effect of a hydroethanolic extract of Baccharis trimera on pregnant Wistar rats, once the plant is well-known consumed in pregnancy and little is known on its potentially toxic effects on pregnant women. The hydroethanolic extract of Baccharis trimera administered to pregnant rats was toxic to maternal kidney and liver cells, although such alterations are reversible once administration is discontinued.

Aphrodisiac herbs available over the counter
These include maca, tongkat ali, butea superba, cnidium monnieris, mucuna pruriens, horny goat weed, avena sativa, LJ100, muira puama, catuaba, ginger, cistanches, and yohimbe bark extract.

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