Desmodium adscendens
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Desmodium adscendens (DA) is a perennial plant from the Fabaceae family that commonly occurs in tropical areas of Africa, South America, Asia, Australia and Oceania. It has been used for many years because of its pharmacological properties and valued in folk medicine practices.
Contents
Special Precautions
- In the absence of data, desmodium is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- Contraindicated in case of progressive systemic diseases as well as autoimmune diseases if taken long term (possibility of hepatotoxic effects). Hence, the lowest concentrations of DA (1 mg/ml and 10 mg/ml) were safe for HEPG2 and LLC-PK1 and protective against an oxidative stress in LLC-PK1 cells. These data suggest that DA extracts used as a traditional herbal as food health supplements should be used at the lowest dosage.
- Not recommended for children under 12 years old.
- Drugs interactions :
- Desmodium interacts in particular with steroids and immunosuppressants.
- Low activity on CYP2B1 and 2B2, inhibitor of CYP2E (avoid with disulfiram)
- Desmodium adscendens extracts inhibit CYP2E isozymes, and induce CYP2B1 / 2B2 isozymes
Health Benfits and Uses of Desmodium adscendens
Traditionally, DA is used as a wild vine (decoction) used in the Amazon rainforest of Peru, in South American countries and in the west coast of Africa.
- An aqueous extract of the leaves has been used for pain, fever and also epilepsy.
- In Africa, DA is also frequently used to treat diseases linked to problems of smooth muscle contraction like asthma.
- In Brazilian traditional medicine, the leaves of DA are used to treat a wide range of conditions that include gonorrhea, diarrheas, body aches, excessive urination, and ovarian inflammations.
- Hepatoprotective : In France it is traditionally used as a food health supplement for its hepatoprotective effect since it was demonstrated that DA has a positive effect against hepatic infection in vivo. The hepatoprotective effect of desmodium vis-à-vis hepatotoxic compounds is related to its content of triterpenoid saponosides. According to an in vitro study , soyasaponins I and III, dehydrosoyasagenin I and soyasapogenol E protect liver cells from damage induced by hepatotoxic substances ( carbon tetrachloride ) with normalization of hepatic transaminase levels, mainly TGO (ASAT). This anti-hepatotoxic activity was therefore confirmed in vivo with a decoction of desmodium quantified as d-pinitol. The effect of desmodium was finally evaluated in a clinical study carried out on 50 patients with viral hepatitis who received treatment with desmodium (3 times / day) for 45 days. The results show an efficacy of desmodium on the evolution of myalgia, jaundice, transaminases, bilirubin and the negativation of the Hbs antigen in half of the cases in 45 days in the context of viral hepatitis B.
- Antioxidant, anti-free radical properties:A study has also demonstrated the protective effect against oxidative stress of a hydroalcoholic extract of Desmodium adscendens on hepatic and renal cells.
- Anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, anti-asthma, anti-spasmodic properties: These properties are related to several identified mechanisms such as arachidonic acid metabolites inhibited by an extract of Desmodium adscendens (this action involves an inhibition of NADPH-dependent oxygenation of arachidonic acid by renal cortical microsomes) , the competitive decrease in vivo in the concentration and release of histamine and dose-dependent spasmogens in the intestine and lungs as well as the decrease in physiological reactions to allergic stimuli. Its activity of inhibiting smooth muscle contractions, in particular respiratory contractions, in reaction to different allergens and antigens, by different synergistic modes of action :
- Modulation of the cyclooxygenase pathway with, among other things, the catalysis of muscle relaxant PGH2 and PGE2 and the production of relaxing prostacyclins.
- In vitro relaxing activity of smooth muscles due in particular to dehydrosoyasaponin I, a powerful specific activator of the opening of calcium-dependent potassium channels, which causes hyperpolarization of the membranes. This leads to relaxation of the bronchi in vivo , which is more progressive due to the intracellular membrane site of action.
- Action on the central nervous system: In vitro , desmodeleganine extracted from desmodium leaves also strongly inhibits monoamine oxidase activity. Desmodium causes in vivo and at high doses a slowing down of the central nervous system which results in particular in dose-dependent analgesia, a decrease in motor activity and exploratory behavior, a decrease in the tonic phase of convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazole and kainic acid, and inhibition of the spread of seizures. In vivo , the ethanolic extract of Desmodium adsendens also exhibits activities similar to those of antipsychotics, with risks of motor side effects (increased catalepsy by haloperidol) appearing only at the highest doses. of the extract.
Main Combinations
- In hepatoprotection, hepatitis and elevated liver enzymes : Desmodium adscendens + Milk Thistle
- For detoxification and hepatorenal protection : Desmodium adscendens + Turmeric + Pilosella
- Against asthma or recurrent asthmatic bronchitis : Desmodium adscendens + Plantain + Ginkgo Biloba
- In nephroprotection, renal failure : Desmodium adscendens + Astragalus + Orthosiphon
- Liver crisis : Desmodium adscendens + Common Fumitory
- Symptoms of Hepatitis : Desmodium adscendens + Milk Thistle + Chrysantellum americanum
