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The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs By Leslie Taylor, ND ; New Book! ; Available January 30, 2005

page 103:

Suggestion for Hemorrhoids : Sangre de Grado, Brazilian peppertree, copaiba, vassourinha, epazote, erva tostao, passionflower, picao preto, chuchuhuasi, artichoke, quinine, yerba mate, nettle

ON Page 272:

ERVA TOSTAO

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Genus: Boerhaavia

Species: diffuse, hirsute

Common Names: erva tostao, erva toustao, pega-pinto, hog weed, pig, weed, atikamaamidi,, biskhapra, djambo, etiponia,, fowl's lice, ganda'dar, ghetuli,, katkatud, mahenshi, mamauri,, ndandalida, oulouni niabo,, paanbalibis, patal-jarh,, pitasudu-pala, punar-nava,, punerva, punnarnava, purnoi,, samdelma, san, sant, santh,, santi, satadi thikedi, satodi,, spreading hog weed, tellaaku, thazhuthama, thikri, touri-, touri, tshrana,

Parts Used: whole herb, roots

Main Actions

• protects liver

• supports liver

• reduces inflammation

• relieves pain

• reduces spasms

• supports kidneys

• increases urination

• stops bleeding

• lowers blood pressure

• mildly laxative

• kills parasites

Other Actions

• detoxifies

• expels worms

• increases bile

• cleanses blood

• stops convulsions

• kills bacteria

• kills amebas

• kills viruses

• detoxifies

• stimulates milk flow

Standard Dosage

Leaves, Root Decoction: I cup one to three times daily Tincture: 2 ml one to three times daily Capsules/Tablets: 500 mg - 2 g one to three times daily

HERBAL PROPERTIES AND ACTIONS

Erva tostao is a vigorous, low-growing, spreading vine with a long, tuberous taproot. It produces yellow and white flowers and is sometimes considered an invasive weed. It can be found in many tropical and warm-climate countries. Indigenous to Brazil, it is found in abundance along roadsides and in the forests in and near Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais. Erva tostao is also indigenous to India, where it is found in abundance in the warmer parts of the country. Erva tostao is called punarnava in India, where it has a long his­ tory of use by indigenous and tribal people and in Ayurvedic herbal medicine systems.

The roots of erva tostao have held an important place in herbal medicine in both Brazil and India for many years. G. L. Cruz, one of Brazil's leading medical herbalists, reports erva tostao is "a plant medicine of great importance, extraor­dinarily beneficial in the treatment of liver disorders." It is employed in Brazil­ ian herbal medicine to stimulate the emptying of the gallbladder, as a diuretic, for all types of liver disorders (including jaundice and hepatitis), gallbladder pain and stones, urinary tract disorders, renal disorders, kidney stones, cysti­ tis, and nephritis. In Ayurvedic herbal medicine systems in India, the roots are employed as a diuretic, digestive aid, laxative, and menstrual promoter and to treat gonorrhea, internal inflammation of all kinds, edema, jaundice, menstru­ al problems, anemia, and liver, gallbladder, and kidney disorders. Throughout the tropics, erva tostao is considered an excellent natural remedy for guinea worms—a bothersome tropical parasite that lays its eggs underneath the skin of humans and livestock; the eggs later hatch into larvae or worms that eat the underlying tissue. The roots of the plant are normally softened in boiling water and then mashed up and applied as a paste or poultice to the affected areas to kill the worms and expel them from the skin.

Novel plant chemicals have been found in erva tostao, including flavonoids, steroids, and alkaloids, many of which drive its documented biological activi­ ties. The novel alkaloids found in erva tostao have been documented with immune modulating effects. In one study, the alkaloid fraction of the root evi­ denced a dramatic effect in reducing an elevation of cortisol levels under stress­ ful conditions (cortisol is an inflammatory chemical produced in the body in an immune response). 1 Simultaneously, the alkaloids (and a whole root extract 2) also prevented a drop in immune system performance indicating an adapto- genic immune modulation activity, which might suggest it could be helpful in preventing adrenal exhaustion. 1- 2

The main plant chemicals in erva tostao include alanine, arachidic acid, aspartic acid, behenic acid, boeravinone A through F, boerhaavic acid, borha- vine, borhavone, campesterol, daucosterol, ecdysone, flavones, galactose, glu- tamic acid, glutamine, glycine, hentriacontane, heptadecyclic acid, histidine, hypoxanthine, liriodendrin, oleaic acid, oxalic acid, palmitic acid, proline, punarnavine, serine, sitosterols, stearic acid, stigmasterol, syringaresinol, thre- onine, triacontan, ursolic acid, and valine.

Erva tostao has long been used in traditional medicine systems as a diuretic (to increase urination) for many types of kidney and urinary disorders. The diuret­ ic action of erva tostao has been studied and validated by scientists in several studies. Researchers showed that low dosages (10-300 mg per kg of body weight) produced strong diuretic effects, while higher dosages (more than 300 mg/kg) produced the opposite effect—reducing urine output. 3 Later research verified these diuretic and antidiuretic properties, as well as the beneficial kidney and renal effects of erva tostao in animals and humans. 4" 8 Research indi­ cates that a root extract can increase urine output by as much as 100 percent in a twenty-four-hour period at dosages as low as 10 mg per kg of body weight. 4 The worldwide use of erva tostao for various liver complaints and disorders was validated in three separate studies. These indicated that a root extract provided beneficial effects in animals by protecting the liver from numerous introduced toxins and even repairing chemical-induced liver and kidney dam­ age. 8" 10 In other clinical studies with animals, erva tostao extracts demonstrated smooth muscle and skeletal muscle stimulant activities in frogs and guinea pigs; 11 anti-inflammatory actions in rats; 4 hypotensive actions in dogs as well as in vitro hypotensive actions; 11 antispasmodic actions in frogs and guinea pigs; 11' 12 analgesic activities in mice; 13 and antiamebic actions in rats. 14 In two studies with monkeys, a root extract was reported to reduce bleeding and uter­ ine hemorrhaging commonly associated with wearing contraceptive lUDs. 15- 16 The traditional use of erva tostao for convulsions was verified by scientists in two studies, demonstrating that a root extract provided anticonvulsant actions in mice. 17' 18In vitro testing of erva tostao confirmed its antibacterial properties against gonorrhea (another traditional use), as well as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. l9~ 21It was also shown to possess antiviral actions against several viral plant pathogens. 22

Many of these animal studies help to explain erva tostao's long history of dif­ ferent uses in natural medicine. Clearly, it has played an important role in the herbal practitioner's medicine chest of natural remedies for many maladies in both South America and India. It is an effective natural remedy, especially for the liver and kidneys, which is deserving of much more attention and use here in the United States. Several research groups studying various biological activ­ ities of erva tostao have shown the safety of the plant—indicating no toxicity of root and leaf extracts taken orally by mice at up to 5 g per kg of body weight. 9' 13 Another group of scientists studied the effects of erva tostao on preg­ nant rats and reported that it had no abortive effects and no embryotoxic or ter- atogenic (fetal death or birth defect) activity. 23

For a general liver tonic, 1 cup of a whole herb or root decoction or 2 ml of a 4:1 tincture is taken once daily. This same dosage is taken two to three times daily for various liver and kidney disorders. For a natural diuretic, 500 mg of the root in capsules or tablets can be taken twice daily. As a menstrual aid (to reduce menstrual pain, cramping, and excessive bleeding) 1 cup of a whole herb or root decoction or 1-2 g in tablets or capsules can be taken two to three times daily as needed.

Both in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated the hypotensive properties of erva tostao. Those with heart problems such as low blood pressure, or those taking medications to lower their blood pressure, should not use this plant without the advice and supervision of a qualified health care practitioner as blood pressure levels should be monitored closely.

This herb has also demonstrated myocardial depressant activity 11 and should therefore not be taken by anyone with heart failure or those taking heart depressant medications unless under the direction and care of a qualified health care practitioner.

Drug Interactions Erva tostao may interfere with prescription diuretics and may potentiate car­ diac depressant medications. Erva tostao has been documented in one in vitro study to have angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition action. 22 There­ fore, this plant may potentiate ACE inhibitor drugs for high blood pressure. In one study, an oral dosage of 500 mg/kg (leaf extract) in mice inhibited bar­ biturates and decreased sleeping time. 13 Therefore, the use of this plant may decrease the effect of barbiturates.

 

Uses

for albuminuria, beri-beri, bile insufficiency, cystitis, edema, gallbladder problems, gallstones, gonorrhea, guinea worms, hepatitis, hypertension, jaundice, kidney disorders, kidney stones, liver disorders, liver support, nephritis, renal disorders, sclerosis (liver), snakebite, spleen (enlarged), urinary disorders, urinary retention

for erysipelas, guinea worms

for abdominal pain, anemia, ascites, asthma, blood purification, cancer, cataracts, childbirth, cholera, constipation, cough, debility, digestive sluggishness, dyspepsia, edema, eye problems, fever, gonorrhea, guinea worms, heart ailments, heart disease, hemorrhages (childbirth), hemorrhages (thoracic), hemorrhoids, inflammation (internal), internal parasites, jaundice, kidney disorders, kidney stones, liver disorders, liver support, menstrual disorders, renal insufficiency, rheumatism, snakebite, spleen (enlarged), urinary disorders, weakness; as a diuretic, expectorant, and lactation aid

for edema, gonorrhea, hives, intestinal gas, jaundice, joint pain, lumbago, nephritis; as an appetite stimulant, diuretic, and expectorant

for abscess, asthma, boils, convulsions, epilepsy, fever, guinea worms, and as an expectorant and laxative for abortion, guinea worms, menstrual irregularities, and as an aphrodisiac for childbirth, guinea worms, jaundice, sterility, yaws.

 

 

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