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Ayurvedic
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Products
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Bhringaraj
Bhringaraj is commonly used as a deobstruent to promote bile flow and to
protect the liver parenchymal tissue in viral hepatitis and other
conditions involving hepatic enlargement. The fresh juice of the leaves
is given in the treatment of edema,
fevers, liver disorders, and
rheumatic joint pains; it is also used to improve the appetite and to
stimulate digestion. The juice is given with honey to treat upper
respiratory congestion in children.
A hair oil prepared from boiling the
fresh leaves with either coconut or sesame oil renders the hair black
and lustrous. It is popularly used to enhance the memory and has a
reputation as an antiaging agent in Ayurveda. An herbal poultice is made
with sesame oil and used over glandular swellings and various skin
conditions. The leaf juice is also effective when applied externally to
treat minor cuts, abrasions, and burns.
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Latin Names |
English Name |
Sanskrit Names |
Hindi Names |
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Eclipta prostrata
(Linn.) Linn.
/ Eclipta alba
(Linn.) Hassk. (Asteraceae) |
Thistles |
Bhringaraja, Kesharaja, Kesharanjana |
Bhangra, Mochkand, Babri |
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History |
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It was used by
Hindus in their Shradh (ceremony for paying respect to a
recently deceased person), being placed under and on the pinda.
The description of the herb's medicinal properties by arab
writers are the similar to their Indian counterparts, and they
called it "Kadim-el-bint" in Arabic. Mr. J.J. Wood suggested
that E.prostrata would be found eventually of greater
service than taraxacum in hepatic derangements.
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Habitat |
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It grows as a
common weed throughout India, ascending up to 6,000 ft. on the
hills.
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Morphology Description (Habit) |
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An erect or
prostrate, much branched, roughly hairy, annual, rooting at the
nodes; the leaves are opposite, sessile and lanceolate; the
flower-heads are white.
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Principal
Constituents |
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The herb
contains wedelolactone and dimethyl wedelolactone possessing
potent antihepatotoxic properties1.The herb is a rich
source of ascorbic acid. It also contains an alkaloid, ecliptine.
The plant is a good source of thiophene derivatives which are
active against nematodes. The occurrence of mono-, di- and
trithiophene acetylenes together with a-terthenyl in this
species is noteworthy. The petroleum ether extract of aerial
parts contains a trithienyl aldehyde, ecliptal, besides
stigmasterol and ß-sitosterol. The roots are very rich in
thiophene acetylenes2.
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Pharmacology |
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Eclipta
is an effective anti-inflammatory agent. It inhibited the higher
levels of histamine due to chronic inflammation upto 58.67
percent3 . The ethanolic extract of the dried whole
plant E.prostrata and its active constituent, culumbin,
exhibited remarkable antihypertensive activity on anesthetized
rats. No significant side effects or toxicities have been found
either on histopathology of liver, kidney, spleen, heart or on
biochemical parameters like SGOT, SGPT, BUN, etc. Moreover, no
appreciable changes have been found in body weight and in
specific organ weight during the course of investigation on Long
Evans rats4.
An alcoholic extract of freshly collected E.prostrata
aerial parts exhibited dose-dependent (62.5-500.0mg/kg p.o.) and
significant hepatoprotective activity against carbon
tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats and mice. The
hepatoprotectve activity is further substantiated by its
protective role on parameters such as hexobarbitone-induced
sleep, zoxazolamine-induced paralysis, bromosulphaphthalin (BSP)
clearance, serum levels of transaminases, bilirubin and protein.
The extract did not show any signs of toxicity and the minimum
lethal dose was greater than 2.0g/kg when given orally and
intraperitoneally in mice5.
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Indications |
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The herb is
used as a tonic and deobstruent in hepatic and splenic
enlargements and in skin diseases. The plant juice is
administered in combination with aromatics for catarrhal jaundice. The plant possesses antihepatotoxic and
anti-inflammatory activities. The fresh plant is considered
anodyne and absorbent.
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Product Range |
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References |
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1. Bhargava,
K.K. et. al., Ind. J. Chem., 1970, 8, 664.
2. Singh
et. al., Geobios, 1990, 17(1), 35; Das & Chakravarty,
Indian J Chem, 1991, 30B, 1052; Singh, Bioact Mol, 1988, 7, 179;
Mabberley, 199.
3. Reddy,
K.R.K. et. al., J. Res. Educ. in Ind. Med., 1990, v.,
9(4), 43-46.
4. Rashid,
Md , International Seminar-Traditional Medicine, Calcutta, 7-9
November, 1992, Abstr. No. 8.16, 134.
5. Singh,
B. et. al., Phytotherapy Research, 1993, v., 7(2),
154-158; Murthy, T.S. et. al., J. Res. Educ. Ind. Med.,
1993, v., 12(2), 41-43.
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Part
used:
Whole plant
Traditional Ayurvedic Uses:
viral hepatitis, liver disorders, skin and hair care, improves
complexion, calm the mind, memory disorders, swollen glands due to upper
respiratory viral infection, strengthens spleen, general tonic, pacifies
Kapha and Vata.
Bhringaraj is said to prevent hair loss and cellulite. Its excellent
rejuvenating herb for the mind.
Ayurvedic
Energetics:
Rasa:
pungent, bitter
Veerya: heating
Vipaka: pungent
Guna: light, dry
Doshas:
Vata-,Kapha- ; Pitta+
Pharmacological
Action:
hepatic deobstruent and tonic, alterative, emetic, purgative,
antiseptic, antiviral
Clinical Research:
E. Alba protected guinea pigs against mortality from carbon
tetrachloride-induced liver damage . In the control group there was a
77.7% mortality rate after 24 hours versus 22.3% in the E. alba-treated
group. Serum transaminases were also significantly lower in the treated
group. Histopathological examination of the liver revealed a reduction
of parenchymal damage in the E. alba-treated animals. Similar
hepatoprotective effects have also been reported in rabbits . Gupta,
et.al. reported E. alba to possess myocardial depressant and hypotensive
effects. There are also reports of clinical improvement in the treatment
of infective hepatitis. The
alcoholic extract has shown antiviral
activity against Ranikhet disease virus.
Traditional Uses:
Bhringaraj is commonly used as a deobstruent to promote bile flow and to
protect the liver parenchymal tissue in viral hepatitis and other
conditions involving hepatic enlargement. The fresh juice of the leaves
is given in the treatment of edema,
fevers, liver disorders, and
rheumatic joint pains; it is also used to improve the appetite and to
stimulate digestion. The juice is given with honey to treat upper
respiratory congestion in children. A hair oil prepared from boiling the
fresh leaves with either coconut or sesame oil renders the hair black
and lustrous.
It is popularly used to enhance the memory and has a
reputation as an antiaging agent in Ayurveda. An herbal poultice is made
with sesame oil and used over glandular swellings and various skin
conditions. The leaf juice is also effective when applied externally to
treat minor cuts, abrasions, and burns.
Indications:
viral hepatitis, hepatic enlargement with biliary stasis, hair hygiene,
impaired memory, minor cuts, abrasions and burns.
Formulations and
Dosage:
fresh
leaf juice: 5-10 ml tid
leaf powder: 3-5 grams bid
Khin, Ma et al
Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 45:23, 1978.
Devendrakumar, D, et al, J Res Ayur Siddha, 2:32. 1981.
Gupta, SC, Bajaj, UK, and Sharma, VN, Cardiovascular effects of Eclipta
alba, J Res Ind Med Yoga & Homeop. 11:3, 91-93, 1976
Dixit, SP, Achar, MP, Bhringaraj in the treatment of infective
hepatitis. Curr Med Pract. 23:6, 237-242, 1979.
Dube, CB, Kumar, D., Srivastav, PS. A trial of bhringaraj ghanasatvavati
on patients with hepatocellular jaundice, J Natl Integ Med Assoc, 24:9,
265-269, 1982.
Dhar, ML, Dhar, MM, Dhawan, BN, et. al. Screening of Indian plants for
biological activity. Ind J Exp Biol. 6: 232, 1968.
Selected medicinal Plants of India, compiled by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Ayurvedic Research Centre, Bombay, 135, 1992
Kapoor LD CRC Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants 169, 1990.
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