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.
home meds drugs hormones
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